TODAY, TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY ENTERS THE PAC-12 CONFERENCE.

And yes — there will be competition, new rivalries, packed game days, and moments of Bobcat pride worth celebrating. 

But this was never just about what happens on the field, track, pitch, court, or mat. 

It is about what happens in classrooms, research labs, clinical rotations, and student teaching placements as we prepare Texans for the world, now on a national stage. 

By joining the Pac-12, TXST aligns with a group of ambitious, like-minded universities that share our commitment to expanding access to high-quality education, advancing discovery, and serving the public good. 

We enter the Pac-12 from a position of strength. 

No Texas university has grown more than TXST over the past four years, where enrollment has increased by more than 6,000 Bobcats since Fall 2022. TXST’s enrollment this coming fall is projected to be 48,000 students, putting us on track to become the state’s next university with 50,000 students. 

This spring, we graduated the largest class in our history. More students than any class in 127 years. Most from Texas. Many first-generation. All ready for what comes next. 

TXST generates $7.7 billion in economic impact each year, strengthening communities and powering the future of this state. 

Today’s announcement marks more than a new affiliation. It reflects the growth, ambition, and impact of a university that continues to expand opportunity for Texans. 

So if TXST has been part of your story, this moment is yours. 

If you grew up along the I-35 corridor and watched this university grow, this moment is yours. 

If you studied here, taught here, worked here, cheered here, hired a Bobcat, or believed in what this university could become, this moment is especially yours. 

Your work, pride, and belief in this university helped bring us to this moment. 

The Texas State that enters the Pac-12 today is a university committed to access, discovery, and the communities it serves, in a Texas that keeps expecting more. 

Athletics opens the door. 

We invite you to step inside.

Kelly Damphousse, PhD
President