Gonzaga's Departure Leaves Bittersweet Feelings in West Coast Conference

The dominant basketball program is leaving the WCC, but its opponents aren't celebrating as expected.

Mar. 21, 2026 at 2:21pm

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Gonzaga University's men's basketball team has dominated the West Coast Conference (WCC) for over two decades, earning 27 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and winning the conference tournament title 22 times since 1998. However, as Gonzaga prepares to leave the WCC for the Pac-12 Conference this summer, the reaction from its conference opponents is not one of celebration, but rather a bittersweet mix of emotions.

Why it matters

Gonzaga's success has brought significant financial and brand benefits to the rest of the WCC, with the school generating an estimated $51 million in NCAA Tournament revenue for the conference since 1999. While Gonzaga's departure presents an opportunity for other WCC schools to step up, the loss of the conference's biggest brand and consistent NCAA Tournament participant is a concern for the league's future.

The details

Gonzaga's rise to national prominence was not predicted in the early 1990s, when the school's coaches doubted their ability to succeed in the remote Spokane location and less-than-stellar conference. However, under head coach Mark Few, Gonzaga has become a perennial top-10 team, playing in two national championship games and dominating the WCC tournament. This success has made it difficult for other WCC schools to earn NCAA Tournament bids, with only four instances of the conference sending three teams to the tournament.

  • Gonzaga has played in its 27th consecutive NCAA Tournament in 2026.
  • Gonzaga has won 17 consecutive opening-round NCAA Tournament games.
  • Gonzaga announced its intention to leave the WCC for the Pac-12 Conference in 2024.

The players

Dan Monson

A former Gonzaga assistant coach who later became the head coach at Minnesota.

Mark Few

The current head coach of Gonzaga, who has led the team to its dominant run in the WCC.

Gyno Pomare

A former San Diego big man who played from 2005 to 2009, highlighting the challenges of other WCC teams to earn NCAA Tournament bids.

Stu Jackson

The West Coast Conference commissioner, who acknowledges the conference's financial and brand benefits from Gonzaga's success, but sees opportunities for other schools to step up.

Phil Matthews

The former San Francisco coach who saw Gonzaga's investments in basketball help the program rise to national prominence.

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What they’re saying

“It's just such a unique, unbelievable story in sports, let alone basketball. [You] have a little program that had never even been to the [NCAA] tournament till 1995 and then now look at what's been accomplished through Final Fours and championship games.”

— Bill Grier, Colorado assistant coach

“Being a competitor, no, I'm not happy they're leaving. [Playing Gonzaga twice each season] provided two high-profile opportunities to impress the NCAA Tournament selection committee.”

— Gyno Pomare, Former San Diego big man

“Every member in the conference, both financially and from a brand standpoint in our conference as a whole, has benefited. And, you know, we are sad to see them go. But we understand, and from a West Coast Conference perspective, we wish them nothing but the best.”

— Stu Jackson, West Coast Conference commissioner

What’s next

The West Coast Conference will need to work on strengthening its other member programs to maintain its status as a multi-bid league after Gonzaga's departure for the Pac-12 Conference.

The takeaway

Gonzaga's departure from the West Coast Conference is a bittersweet moment, as the school's dominant basketball program brought significant financial and brand benefits to the rest of the conference, even as it made it difficult for other schools to earn NCAA Tournament bids. The WCC now faces the challenge of positioning its remaining members to fill the void left by Gonzaga's exit.