It doesn’t sound like the Big East is holding a grudge against Connecticut for trying to leave for the Big 12 for the second consecutive year.
Commissioner Val Ackerman is pleased the Huskies wound up staying after they didn’t have the votes from Big 12 presidents to join the conference and talks were tabled for the time being.
“UConn’s been a great partner, we think it’s been win-win,” Ackerman said on Wednesday. “They’ve helped us out on a lot of events, [athletic director] David [Benedict] has been very constructive in our boardroom. I can’t tell you what the future holds on any of this. We hope they stay in the league for a long time.”
The Big East brought Connecticut back to the league in 2020, at a time when its men’s basketball program had fallen off significantly.
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UConn football went independent upon the school moving back to the Big East, but the sport remains a pivotal part of the equation in Connecticut exploring potential realignment moves.