After a complicated, confusing, and chaotic week, the latest round of conference realignment is heading into its next phase, as the Pac-12 and Mountain West look to fill out their long-term membership. Those two conferences have been at the center of the drama this week, with crucial dynamics changing daily. 

As things stand now, the Pac-12 has seven schools signed up for 2026 and beyond: current members Oregon State and Washington State, as well as Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, San Diego State, and Utah State. The latter five are leaving the Mountain West, which has Air Force, Hawai‘i (partial member), Nevada, New Mexico, San Jose State, UNLV, and Wyoming committed.

But both leagues need to eventually have at least eight full-time members to retain their FBS status, and they’d no doubt love even more. With the 15-team American Athletic Conference locked up together, they’ll have to look at schools from Conference USA, the Mid-American Conference, and Sun Belt—and potentially even current FCS programs. 

Who’s Next?

On Thursday, Mountain West commissioner Gloria Nevarez notified the MAC that her conference is interested in adding Northern Illinois and Toledo as football-only members, according to Action Network and other reports. 

Texas State appears to be a potential target, too, with various reports linking the current Sun Belt member to discussions with the Pac-12, Mountain West, and even AAC. C-USA’s New Mexico State and UTEP have also been floated as options.

FCS program Sacramento State just announced plans to build a new 25,000-seat stadium in the school’s latest effort to make its case for a move up to the FBS level. Earlier this month, local officials launched a committee to aid funding for a potential move—which would cost at least $5 million—should a conference like the Pac-12 or Mountain West be interested. FCS powerhouses like Montana, Montana State, North Dakota State, and South Dakota State could theoretically be options to jump up, too.

As the WNBA playoffs enter the second round, the teams out of the hunt are already making moves.

On Friday, the Chicago Sky announced the release of head coach Teresa Weatherspoon less than a year after she was hired. Under Weatherspoon, who is in the WNBA Hall of Fame as a player, the Sky finished with a 13–27 record, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2018.

Weatherspoon was hired after spending four years as an assistant coach with the NBA’s Pelicans—though she joined the Sky before the team traded 2021 Finals MVP Kahleah Copper, the last remaining core piece of the franchise’s championship team that included Candace Parker. Losing Copper prompted a rebuild for the Sky, who then drafted Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese in April.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, which broke the news Thursday night, Weatherspoon had the support of her players throughout the season—though there was some tension later in the year surrounding playing time and scheme changes. However, Reese, the team’s lone All-Star, posted her support for Weatherspoon on X shortly after the news dropped.

“I’m heartbroken. I’m literally lost for words knowing what this woman meant to me in such a pivotal point in my life. … You didn’t deserve this but I can’t thank you enough. I love you Tspoon,” Reese wrote. 

W’s Coaching Conundrum

Weatherspoon’s release came just days after two-time WNBA Coach of the Year Curt Miller was fired by the Sparks, who parted ways with him following an injury-riddled year that saw the team finish dead last.

One thing Weatherspoon and Miller had in common is they were both hired before the team appointed its current GM. The Sky promoted Jeff Pagliocca to GM weeks after Weatherspoon was hired, while the Sparks hired Raegan Pebley as GM in January. It’s not uncommon for GMs in sports to want to hire a coach they are able to vet.

The Indiana Fever announced Monday that Kelly Krauskopf will return as team president and there is growing speculation that coach Christie Sides—who has faced a lot of criticism, particularly early in the season—could experience a similar fate as Weatherspoon and Miller. 

Krauskopf held the same role with the Fever from 2000 to 2018 before moving to the Pacers as assistant GM. The Fever won the WNBA title in 2012 and captured three Eastern Conference championships in 2009, 2012, and 2015.  

Pay Structure

But the position of WNBA head coach is odd given the league’s nascent status.

Coaches’ salaries currently top out at $1.2 million for the Phoenix Mercury’s Nate Tibbetts and $1 million for the Aces’ Becky Hammon, but mostly hover around a half million dollars. That’s a lot more than the max salary of a WNBA player—which is just over $250,000.

In the NBA, there are assistant coaches who make more than the highest-paid WNBA coach, though Hammon was reportedly paid $750,000 a year as an assistant coach for the Spurs.