Dear UT Community,

Yesterday, The University of Texas at Austin and the Big 12 Conference announced we agreed to terms enabling our participation in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) starting in summer 2024, pending final approval from the UT System Board of Regents.

Given the rapidly evolving collegiate athletics landscape and the impact this move will have on our athletics program, student athletes and the university, I am grateful we are able to accelerate our transition in a way that will benefit all the involved institutions.

Our top-ranked athletics program is an integral part of our university. It is called our front porch, but it is also our connective tissue, joining our student athletes, broader student body, alumni, faculty, staff and fans. Texas Athletics is a source of pride and excellence, bringing more incredible talent and passion to our campus.

This move will allow our student athletes to compete against the very best, on the biggest stages, across all of our men’s and women’s sports. It will further strengthen our global brand and reputation, leading more people to consider our university as a place to study, teach and work – and to wear burnt orange and get their Horns Up. Our academic mission will benefit as a result, as will our current and future graduates who will have even more reasons to come back to campus for a game, or to get together in countless locations across the globe to cheer on their Longhorns.

The Big 12 has been our conference home for nearly three decades, and we look forward to a final season of spirited competition with our respected friends and rivals. We will leave with many amazing memories, and at least 213 regular and postseason Big 12 conference championships.

As we look to the future, I am grateful to Chairman Kevin Eltife and the Board of Regents for their tremendous leadership throughout this transition, and to our outstanding athletics director, Chris Del Conte, for his guidance and ingenuity in helping us reach this milestone. I am also grateful for our student athletes, staff members and coaches as they continue to bring pride to our university by how intensely they prepare and compete.

I look forward to experiencing the next chapter of Longhorn athletics with you. If you yell “Texas,” I’ve got the “Fight!”

Hook ‘em!

Jay Hartzell
President