UCF reaches deal to leave AAC, will join Big 12 in 2023

ORLANDO, Fla. — The University of Central Florida is officially Big 12 bound.

American Athletic Conference Commissioner Mike Aresco announced Friday that the conference has reached a departure agreement with UCF, clearing the way for the move to the Big 12 Conference.

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Under the deal, agreed to by the AAC’s other member schools, UCF will compete in the conference for one more season and officially end its membership on July 1, 2023, at which point UCF will transition to the Big 12.

The University of Cincinnati and the University of Houston will also join UCF in the jump from the AAC to the Big 12.

All three schools announced in September they had accepted invitations to join the Big 12 after the Universities of Texas and Oklahoma announced they would be leaving for the Southeastern Conference in 2025.

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The 2022-23 season will mark the end of 10 years of UCF athletics in the AAC.

“UCF teams in the American have produced many championships and other memorable moments,” UCF Vice President and Athletic Director Terry Mohajir said. “We’re proud to participate and compete in this very competitive league for one more year.”

In nine seasons with the ACC, the UCF Knights have won four conference championships in football, and five each in volleyball and rowing.

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Before joining the AAC, UCF was a member of Conference USA from 2005 to 2012

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