Texas Christian University accepted an offer to join the Big 12 conference on Monday night, choosing to leave the Big East without having played a single game. TCU’s Board of Trustees unanimously approved an invitation from the Big 12 to participate in all sports beginning July 1, 2012.

‘Joining the Big 12 connects us not only to schools with whom we share a rich tradition in sports, but also to schools committed to academic excellence,’ TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini Jr. said in a statement. ‘Over the past six years, TCU has seen unprecedented success in academics and athletics.’

TCU brings stability to the Big 12, which had to replace Texas A&M after losing the Aggies to the Southeastern Conference on Sept. 25. The Horned Frogs had agreed to leave the Mountain West Conference for the Big East last November, but began to explore their options as the rest of college football continued to realign over the summer and into fall 2011.

With the future of the Big East uncertain after Syracuse and Pittsburgh left for the Atlantic Coast Conference on Sept. 18, TCU decided the Big 12 was a ‘perfect fit’ due to natural rivalries and geographical proximity to other conference members.

TCU will pay an exit fee to leave the Big East and join the Big 12 for the 2012-13 seasons, said Athletic Director Chris Del Conte in a statement. Del Conte declined to confirm whether the school will pay the $5 million exit fee required by Big East bylaws.

As the Big 12 stabilized with the addition of TCU, the Big East is left with more questions surrounding its future as a conference. The Big East will be down to 14 schools, six of which have football programs, after the departures of Syracuse and Pittsburgh.

Big East Commissioner John Marinatto laid out his next plan of action following a teleconference Monday.

‘On a teleconference earlier today, our Presidents and Chancellors authorized the Big East conference to engage in formal discussions with additional institutions and are considering moving to a model that includes 12 football playing schools,’ Marinatto said in a statement.

Spokesmen from Louisville, West Virginia, Cincinnati, South Florida and Rutgers said their schools did not have plans to release statements or comment on the recent developments. Emails to Connecticut were not returned immediately.

After TCU made its announcement Monday night, Marinatto said in a statement that the Big East is focused on adding new institutions.

‘Although never having competed as a member of the Big East conference, we are disappointed with the news that TCU is joining the Big 12,’ Marinatto said in a statement. ‘… We anticipate taking action in the near future.’

rjgery@syr.edu

—Sports Editor Michael Cohen contributed reporting to this article.

Published on October 10, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Contact Ryne: rjgery@syr.edu