KTUL.com - Tulsa's Channel 8 - News, Weather & SportsWest Virginia Joins Big 12 Conference

It's officially official. The West Virginia Mountaineers are the newest members of the Big 12 Conference.

The Big 12 announced Friday that the conference Board of Directors unanimously voted to accept West Virginia as a full conference member beginning July 1, 2012.

"The Big 12 Presidents and Chancellors are excited to welcome another outstanding institution to the Conference," said OSU President Burns Hargis, Chair of the Big 12 Board of Directors. "The addition of West Virginia, while expanding the reach of the Big 12, brings an impressive institution with esteemed academics and a proud athletic tradition into the Conference. This is another step in building a strong foundation for the future of the Big 12."

"The Big 12 is a perfect fit for West Virginia University," said WVU President Dr. James P. Clements. "It is a strong conference that, like WVU, values quality academic and athletic programs, and has a great tradition of success. This is a very exciting time for WVU and Mountaineer nation. I am confident that the future of WVU athletics has never been more promising."

The Mountaineers have a history with both Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. WVU defeated Oklahoma 48-28 in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. The Mountaineers also upset the 9th-ranked Sooners 41-27 in Norman to start the 1982 season.

The all-time series between OU and West Virginia is 2-2.

Oklahoma State ended the 1987 season by beating the Mountaineers in the Sun Bowl, 35-33. You'd have to go back to the 1920s to see the only other match-ups, with West Virginia winning in 1928 and 1929.

The Big 12 says it intends to stay at ten teams with the likely departure of Missouri and the welcoming of TCU earlier this month.