BYU softball team finds a home in Pacific Coast Softball Conference

PORTLAND, Ore. — Brigham Young University has accepted an invitation to join the Pacific Coast Softball Conference, PCSC Commissioner Ellen Moore announced Monday. The Cougars' first year in the PCSC will be the 2013 softball season.

The addition of BYU will give the PCSC seven teams for the 2013 campaign.

The PCSC will have 12 teams for the upcoming 2012 season. The Big Sky Conference will begin sponsoring softball in 2013, meaning the PCSC's Big Sky core-members Idaho State, Northern Colorado, Portland State, Sacramento State and Weber State will leave the PCSC after this season. Seattle University will also be leaving the PCSC for the Western Athletic Conference following the 2012 campaign.

BYU was an original member of the Mountain West Conference, when the conference formed in 1999. The Cougars left the MWC this past summer, playing as an NCAA FBS Independent in football with the majority of its other sports joining the West Coast Conference. While the WCC does not sponsor softball, the Cougars will play the 2012 season in the WAC before joining fellow WCC members Loyola Marymount, San Diego, Saint Mary's and Santa Clara in the PCSC.

"We are grateful to have found a conference home in the Pacific Coast Softball Conference for our excellent softball team," said BYU director of athletics Tom Holmoe. "The PCSC provides an opportunity for Coach (Gordon) Eakin and his team to strengthen the national status they have earned during his tenure. The PCSC membership includes West Coast Conference partners with whom we hope to build a great softball conference."

Under Eakin, the Cougars have been the preeminent program of the Mountain West Conference. Eakin has guided BYU to a 371-160 record in nine years as head coach, with five Mountain West Conference titles. Last season, the Cougars went 40-18 en route to claiming their third consecutive conference title and seventh straight 40-win season. BYU has also made seven consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and advanced to the NCAA Super Regional in 2010.