The break up of the Big 12 Conference has begun.  Thursday, it was announced that the University of Colorado will be joining the Pac-10 Conference.  A move made primarily for financial reasons based on football and television revenues will have an interesting effect on the collegiate distance running scene in the U.S.

The Pac-10 has always been a conference known for it’s strength in cross country and distance races on the track.   Add the Big 12′s most decorated program, the Colorado Buffaloes, and you have the most powerful distance conference ever assembled.

Colorado’s NCAA wins, added those won by the traditional Pac-10 schools, total seven of the past 10 men’s and women’s national titles.  That total may go up if other schools rumored to join, including Oklahoma State, join the new mega conference.

Joe Bosshard, a Colorado freshman who ran to sixth in the 10,000 meters final on Thursday, called the move “exciting.”

“Maybe I’ll get a year or two in that (new conference),” he said. “You run down the line and it could be five of the top 10 teams in the nation every single year battling in the conference meet.”

Bosshard said he had followed scuttlebutt over the possible moves Colorado might make for months, but assumed that the idea would eventually fizzle out.

Thursday, he and his teammates learned that they were members of a new conference, or will be soon.

Those also rumored to possibly join the Buffaloes from the Big 12 include Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech and Oklahoma.  This could add some considerable track and field depth as well. The sprints may only be matched by the SEC.

After winning her preliminary heat of the women’s 3000 meter steeplechase, Colorado’s Emma Coburn expressed excitement about Colorado joining the Pac-10.  ”Winning conference from an individual standpoint will be a little harder, but if you do win it, it will be more prestigious. It’s basically going to be like a big West Regional meet at our conference meet.”