The Pac-12 has appointed Teresa Gould as its new commissioner, the conference announced Monday. The appointment comes just three days after the league parted ways with former boss George Kliavkoff. Gould, who is set to become the first-ever female commissioner of an Autonomous Five conference when her tenure begins March 1, will travel with Kliavkoff to Wednesday’s College Football Playoff Management Committee meeting, according to Yahoo Sports.
“I look forward to partnering with Oregon State and Washington State to secure a bright future for their student-athletes that allows them to compete at the highest level of college athletics, while enjoying the benefits of a quality campus experience,” Gould said in a press release. “Working in collaboration with their leadership and our talented staff, I am excited to build a pathway for the future that allows their programs to thrive.”
Gould is set to lead a conference that, as things stand, consists of just two schools. Oregon State and Washington State are the only holdovers from a wave of conference realignment that saw 10 of the league’s programs leave for the Big Ten, Big 12 and ACC last summer.
Gould does have the benefit of familiarity with the conference. She joined the Pac-12 front office in August 2018 and has since served as deputy commissioner. Prior to that, she worked in the athletic departments at California and UC-Davis, with a stint as UC-Davis’ interim athletic director from 2015-16.
“Teresa’s deep knowledge of collegiate athletics and unwavering commitment to student-athletes makes her uniquely qualified to help guide the Pac-12 Conference during this period of unprecedented change in college sports,” said Washington State University president Kirk Schulz said in a press release. “As the first female commissioner of an Autonomy Five conference, Teresa will be able to bring new perspectives and fresh ideas to the table as the industry works to find its way through this shifting landscape. We look forward to her leadership as we write the next chapter in the Pac-12’s storied history.”
The challenge ahead
Gould is stepping into the most challenging situation any major conference has ever faced. The Pac-12 was decimated by college football’s recent realignment arms race and faces a very bleak future as the remaining schools are fighting to keep their heads above water.
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