SAN FRANCISCO -- The Pac-12 Conference is set to celebrate 100 years of excellence, Commissioner Larry Scott announced today. The yearlong celebration of the Conference centennial, including marking the date of the official formation 100 years ago on December 2, will kick off with the start of the football season at Pac-12 Media Day and continue throughout the 2015-16 academic year.

The Conference’s storied history dates back 100 years when four schools - the University of California, Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University), the University of Oregon and the University of Washington - gathered at the historic Imperial Hotel in Portland, Ore., to form the Pacific Coast Conference. 

Since that day, the Conference has been known for its widespread excellence – on the field, in the classroom, and with the contributions its graduates make in the world. No other Conference can match the collective achievements and distinctions accomplished over the last century. 

“For the past 100 years, our Conference has stood for groundbreaking achievement and inclusion,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. “We look forward to celebrating the deep conviction held by our universities that academic and athletic excellence go hand-in-hand.”

The Conference has been home to some of sports’ legendary athletes and coaches. Dubbed the “Conference of Champions,” Pac-12 schools have won 478 NCAA titles, by far more than any other conference, as well as over 2,000 individual national championships. Pac-12 legends have gone on to be international superstars, including the Olympics stage where the Pac-12 has been the most represented conference in the country. In the 2012 London Olympic Games, Pac-12-affiliated athletes and coaches were responsible for 45 medals (19 golds, 14 silvers, 12 bronze).

With Pac-12 members among the most academically respected institutions in the country, student-athletes that have donned a Pac-12 uniform have won prestigious academic honors such as the NCAA Woman of the Year, NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships and have been named CoSIDA Academic All-Americans and Academic All-Americans of the Year.

To mark the yearlong celebration, the Pac-12 has released a commemorative mark depicting a “100,” along with the Conference shield and a nod to the century of champions, innovators and trailblazers the Pac-12 has produced. Additionally, the anniversary will be integrated into all Pac-12 Championships, including the Pac-12 Football Championship at Levi’s© Stadium, the Pac-12 Men’s Basketball Tournament at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nev., and the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Tournament at KeyArena in Seattle. 

Member schools will also showcase the Centennial throughout the year to celebrate the Pac-12’s 100 years, and the communities of the Pac-12 will commemorate the anniversary in December.

Pac-12 Networks will commemorate the Centennial with special programming that will recognize the greatest athletes in the storied history of the Conference on linear and digital platforms throughout the year, including a special 60-minute program to unveil the Pac-12 All-Century Football team. A panel of former players and coaches, local and national media that have intimate knowledge of the history and excellence of the Pac-12, as well as former and current school and conference employees, will serve on the panel. In addition, Pac-12 Networks will highlight legends and icons across all sports from of the Conference through digital vignettes that will play on pac-12.com and social channels.

A special landing page dedicated to the centennial celebration will launch on the Conference’s official website on Thursday - www.pac-12.com/100 - and the hashtag #100Pac12 will be used throughout the year on Twitter (@pac12 and @Pac12Networks), Facebook (Pac12Conference) and all other social media channels, and on the air on the Pac-12 Networks.

Brief History

The Pac-12 Conference’s roots dates back to December 2, 1915 when the Pacific Coast Conference was founded in a meeting at the Imperial Hotel in Portland, Ore. The original membership consisted of the University of California at Berkeley, the University of Washington, the University of Oregon and Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University). Pacific Coast Conference play began in 1916 and, one year later, Washington State College (now Washington State University) was accepted one year later with Stanford University entering the league in 1918.

The University of Southern California (USC) and the University of Idaho gained membership in 1922, and in 1924, the University of Montana joined and in 1928, the PCC grew to 10 members with the addition of UCLA in 1928.

The Conference competed as a 10-member conference until the resignation of Montana in 1950, and the PCC continued as a nine-team league through 1958. In 1959 the PCC dissolved and the Athletic Association of Western Universities (AAWU) was formed. The original membership included Cal, Stanford, USC, UCLA and Washington, and Washington State joined in 1962, followed by Oregon and Oregon State.

The name Pacific-8 was adopted in 1968. Ten years later, on July 1, 1978, the University of Arizona and Arizona State University were admitted to the league forming the Pacific-10 Conference. In 1986-87, the Pac-10 expanded to include women’s sports and, in 2011, the Conference expanded once again to its current make up of 12 teams, with the additions of the University of Colorado and the University of Utah and changed its name to the Pacific-12.

The All-Century Pac-12 Football Team

The All-Century Football team will be voted on by a panel of former players and coaches, local and national media members, and former and current school and Conference employees. The final team will be made up of 50 players - 24 offense, 23 defense and three special teams. Panelists include: Troy Aikman, Nick Aliotti, Jerry Allen, Pete Arbogast, Rachel Bachman, Dick Baird, Ceal Barry, Steve Bartkowski, Jeff Bechtold, Mike Bellotti, Herb Benenson, Steve Bisheff, Jeremy Bloom, Paola Boivin, Mark Brand, Rich Brooks, Tedy Bruschi,  Bob Clark, Rod Commons, Bob Condotta, Curtis Conway, Hal Cowan, Randy Cross, John Crumpacker, Sam Cunningham, Marc Dellins, Dennis Dodd, Terry Donahue, Tom Duddleston, Kenny Easley, Kerry Eggers, Tim Euhus, Dirk Facer, Jeff Faraudo, D’Marco Farr, Bruce Feldman, Steve Fenk, Dick Fry, David Fulcher, Ken Goe, Pat Haden, Doug Haller, Greg Hansen, Tom Hansen, Joey Harrington, Al Harris, Jack Hart, Steve Hellyer, Manny Hendrix, Dave Hirsch, Brock Huard, Ricky Hunley, Steven Jackson, Joe Jares, Lincoln Kennedy, Ann Killion, Doug Krikorian, Mike Lageschulte, Rocky LaRose, Matt Leinart, Steve Lesher, Chris Leupold, Duane Lindberg, Ronnie Lott, Ron Lynn, Dave Mahler, Ivan Maisel, Ken Margerum, Rueben Mayes, Janie McCauley, Tim McDonald, JK McKay, Jeff Metcalfe, Ted Miller, Dave Montagne, Bill Moos, Jim Muldoon, Brian Murphy, Darrin Nelson, Rick Neuheisel, Jonathan Ogden, Deltha O’Neal, Petros Papadakis, Glenn Parker, Mike Parker, DeWayne Patterson, Mike Pawlawski, Dave Plati, John Platz, Gary Plummer, Jake Plummer, Steve Preece, Mike Price, Diane Pucin, Rick Redman, JR Redmond, Kyle Reischling, Jerry Robinson, John Robinson, Ted Robinson, Bob Rondeau, Dick Rosetta, Bob Schmelzle, George Schroeder, Jeff Siemon, Joe Smigiel; Michelle Smith, Rick Smith, Shelley Smith, Art Spander, Joe Starkey, Bill Stevens, Matt Stevens, JJ Stokes, Lew Stowers, Bill Swancutt, Lynn Swann, Tim Tessalone, Jim Thornby, Dick Tomey, Dan Uthman, Dick Vermeil, Mike Waldner, Gene Washington, Mark Whicker, Bob Whitfield, Paul Wiggin, Dave Williford, Jon Wilner, Bud Withers, Darren Woodson, Mike Yam, Ron Yary, Larry Zimmer.