Pac 12 Realignment | The Bader Show (Ep. 481)
Apr 8, 2026
Recent college wrestling conference realignment has seen a rebirth of the Pac 12 as several teams leave the Big 12 to join the Pac 12. Chris Pendleton and Neil Erisman, head coahces at Oregon State and Little Rock have been a part of the Pac 12 for some time now. SDSU leaves the Big 12 for the Pac 12 and Nate Engel is the director of strategy for Pac 12 wrestling.
The four wrestling minds join the show to share their excitement for the opportunities that lie ahead.
1:05 - The role of college conferences
2:00 - Chris Pendleton on Pac 12 changes since 2014
3:25 - How football and money has impacted college conferences
4:30 - Pac 12 experience for Little Rock
6:00 - SDSU experience in the Big 12 and why they are leaving
9:55 - Having voting rights in the conference
13:00 - When, how and why this conference alignment got going
17:15 - We need to be proactive instead of reactive
20:30 - Coming together and think outside the box
21:30 - What happens to the Big 12?
27:30 - How important conference championships can be for Mid Major schools
30:30 - Shifting more toward dual meets
36:15 - Having options and throwing all ideas out there
40:45 - Importance of collaboration
42:45 - Pendleton’s closing words
44:20 - Ability to host conference championships
48:15 - Damion Hahn’s perspective shift after leaving Minnesota
51:15 - Damion Hahn on the late great J Rob and how innovative he was in wrestling
