Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/121989
WELCOME I WANT TO WELCOME YOU TO THE PAC-12, a Conference steeped in tradition and focused on defining the future. We have great pride and respect for our rich history of academic excellence and superior athletic achievement. We will continue to uphold these traditions and embrace a broad-based commitment to success as we enter a new era in college athletics. Remarkable student-athletes and leaders have helped define the Pac-12 as the "Conference of Champions" with 455 NCAA titles, by far the most of any conference in the country. And that does not include the 2,715 individual championships our multi-talented studentathletes have won. This talent took center stage at the 2012 London Olympics where 255 of our current or former student-athletes captured 45 medals, including 19 gold, while representing 44 different countries in 18 different disciplines. If the league were a nation, it would have ranked fifth in the total medal count and fifth in gold medals won. I am proud that with this year's launch of Pac-12 Networks - a wholly independent content organization dedicated exclusively to supporting the missions of the Conference and our member universities – the Pac-12 has made a commitment to provide all our athletic programs with the unprecedented exposure that they and their student-athletes deserve. I was a beneficiary of intercollegiate athletics and am very passionate about the mission and role sports can play as part of a broader academic experience. As you watch these studentathletes compete, I hope you will appreciate their pure skill and dedication to athletics, as well as their ability to balance the academic demands of some of our country's top institutions. As a fan, we ask that you create an atmosphere that is fun for our student-athletes and family friendly. Your courtesy to student-athletes from other teams and our officials is appreciated and expected. We hope you agree with us, and the NCAA, about the importance of sportsmanship: "Respect is the name of the game." We are very excited about what the future holds for the Pac-12 Conference and thank you for being part of our team this year. Enjoy the championships. Sincerely, Commissioner Larry Scott pac-12.com @pac12 facebook.com/pac12conference