The Restructuring of the Pac-12 and Mountain West Conferences
Pac-12 與山西聯盟的重組
Introduction
The Pac-12 conference has started its official relaunch after a period of great instability and the loss of many member universities.
Pac-12 聯盟在經歷了一段極不穩定時期並失去許多成員大學後，已開始正式重新啟動。
Main Body
The current state of the Pac-12 is the result of a major reorganization in 2024, when most of its members moved to the Big Ten, Big 12, and ACC. This mass departure forced the conference to reorganize to ensure it could survive. Consequently, as of July 1, 2026, the league consists of nine full-time members: Oregon State and Washington State, who stayed, along with Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State, and Gonzaga—though Gonzaga only participates in non-football sports. Furthermore, the conference has added twelve affiliate members.
Pac-12 目前的狀態是 2024 年一次重大重組的結果，當時大多數成員轉移至 Big Ten、Big 12 與 ACC。這次大規模撤出迫使該聯盟必須重組以確保生存。因此，截至 2026 年 7 月 1 日，該聯賽由九個全職成員組成：包括留下的奧勒岡州立大學與華盛頓州立大學，以及博伊西州立大學、科羅拉多州立大學、弗雷斯諾州立大學、聖地牙哥州立大學、德克薩斯州立大學、猶他州立大學與岡薩加大學——儘管岡薩加大學僅參加非美式足球項目。此外，該聯盟還增加了十二個附屬成員。
At the same time, the Mountain West conference experienced a similar shift in membership. The departure of five schools to the Pac-12—specifically Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State—caused the conference to recruit new members to remain stable. As a result, North Dakota State and Northern Illinois joined as football-only members, while UTEP and Grand Canyon became full members. Additionally, Hawaii changed from a football-only to a full member, and UC-Davis joined for all sports except football.
與此同時，山西聯盟也經歷了類似的成員變動。五所學校轉至 Pac-12——具體為博伊西州立大學、科羅拉多州立大學、弗雷斯諾州立大學、聖地牙哥州立大學與猶他州立大學——導致該聯盟必須招募新成員以維持穩定。因此，北達科他州立大學與北伊利諾大學以僅限美式足球成員身分加入，而德克薩斯大學 El Paso 分校（UTEP）與大峽谷大學則成為全職成員。此外，夏威夷大學由僅限美式足球成員變更為全職成員，而戴維斯加州大學則加入除美式足球外的所有運動項目。
Along with these membership changes, the Pac-12 announced that its men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will move to the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. This decision marks a return to a venue used between 2013 and 2016, and it will coincide with new tournament formats and combined schedules.
伴隨這些成員變動，Pac-12 宣布其男女籃球錦標賽將移至拉斯維加斯的 MGM Grand Garden Arena。此決定標誌著重返 2013 年至 2016 年間使用的場地，並將配合新的賽制與綜合賽程。
Conclusion
The Pac-12 has successfully moved to a new membership model, while the Mountain West has updated its list of members to make up for its losses.
Pac-12 已成功轉向新的成員模式，而山西聯盟則更新了成員名單以彌補損失。
Vocabulary Learning
🧩 The 'Cause & Effect' Connection
At the A2 level, you probably use 'and' or 'because' to connect ideas. To reach B2, you need to use Transition Adverbs. These words act like bridges, showing the reader exactly how one event leads to another.
Look at these shifts from the text:
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The 'Result' Bridge Consequently / As a result
- A2 style: The schools left, so the conference had to reorganize.
- B2 style: The schools left. Consequently, the conference had to reorganize.
- Coach's Tip: Use these at the start of a sentence to show a logical consequence. It makes your writing sound professional and organized.
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The 'Adding More' Bridge Furthermore / Additionally
- A2 style: They added members and they moved the tournament to Las Vegas.
- B2 style: They added members. Furthermore, they moved the tournament to Las Vegas.
- Coach's Tip: Stop using 'and' to start every sentence. Use Furthermore when you are adding a new, important piece of information to your argument.
⚡ Vocabulary Upgrade: 'Moving' vs. 'Shifting'
In the article, we don't just see the word 'change'. We see 'Restructuring', 'Reorganization', and 'Shift'.
- Change (A2): General and simple. (e.g., I changed my clothes).
- Restructure/Reorganize (B2): To change the way something is built or arranged to make it work better. (e.g., The company restructured its departments).
- Shift (B2): A movement from one position or direction to another. (e.g., A shift in public opinion).
Pro Move: Instead of saying "The group changed," try "The group underwent a restructuring."