When the NCAA voted in favor of the revised Big XII amendment to allow a conference championship game with just ten teams on January 13th, there was a collective groan from Husky Nation both here in Connecticut and across the country. Any thoughts of a pending conference move were all but put on the back burner.

Two hours later, Oklahoma University President David Boren found a microphone and hope was restored. Boren’s sentiments echoed what many around the nation already believe. The Big 12 is weaker than the Big Ten, SEC and Pac-12 and according to Boren, here’s why:

1. The Big XII only has ten teams.
2. The Big XII does not have a conference championship game.
3. The Big XII does not have a conference television network.

As league president’s and athletic directors get set to attend the regularly scheduled Big XII meetings this week, Boren touched on expansion even further, confirming that school’s have been lobbying for his support and inclusion.

“Candidates have been politicking for three, four, five or six years,” Boren told the Tulsa World’s Eric Bailey. “I get binders from other presidents I know, saying I want you to see what we’re doing athletically. I want you to see what we’re doing in academics and research.”

Should the Big XII indeed expand to meet not just Boren’s, but West Virginia President Gordon Gee’s request as well, this would be the last chance for a school from the ‘Group of 5’ to move into the ‘Power 5’ for potentially the next decade. Needless to say, this is an important time for State U.

The Huskies, based on the details mentioned, are undoubtedly one of the school’s lobbying hard. In reality and contrary to what’s been written nationally until recently, UConn is a three headed monster. Be it academics, the market reach or actual athletic performance, the Huskies check all the boxes.

Athletically, it’s a no brainer. Consider the following statement. Since January 1, 2011, only eight schools in the nation have won at least seven National Championships; Southern Cal, Stanford, Oregon, Florida, Alabama, Ohio State, Penn State, and yes, UConn. Not bad company to keep. That total gives the Huskies more titles than any school from the Big XII or ACC over the same time period and ties the leaders from the Big Ten; Ohio State and Penn State.

Of the eight schools with at least seven titles, six have made a BCS or New Year’s Six Bowl, with Penn State and USC the only two who have been absent. UConn, as you may recall, took on Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl on January 1, 2011.

Much was written about the perceived lack of travel from the UConn football fan base during that Fiesta Bowl. Skeptics insisting there is not a lot of support for the program point to just 3,000 tickets being purchased through the university for that trip. However, the number does not take into account the amount of tickets bought through the secondary market by Husky fans, which proved to be much more cost effective. The picture insert, from a fan inside Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, portrays in actuality, there were much more than 3,000 present; think 15,000-20,000.

But UConn football is so much more than one season and one major bowl appearance. With 19 former players currently on NFL rosters, the Huskies have more alum in the league than Baylor (10), Iowa State (8), Kansas (10), Kansas State (11), Oklahoma State (15), TCU (15) and Texas Tech (11); only Oklahoma (36), Texas (31) and West Virginia (20), have more from the Big XII.

The Huskies program is also growing the reputation of regularly producing NFL corners at a high clip, currently with six in the league, the most of any school in the nation. Robert McClain, who is in his second stint with the Carolina Panthers, will play in his first Super Bowl on Sunday.

It’s clear the Huskies have produced the players and the fan base travels well, but what about the support at home? As a member of the Big East under Randy Edsall from 2003-2010, the Huskies played in front of a 97% capacity crowd for all home games in the 40,000 seat Rentschler Field (NOTE: now Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field). Even with a down tick in attendance under the leadership of Paul Pasqualoni, the Huskies have still averaged a 92% capacity since The Rent opened in 2003.

And when it opened, the Huskies fans quickly made coming to Connecticut a tough place to play:

The Big XII’s own and Heisman Trophy winner Robert Griffin III can vouch, as he had some kind words for The Rent during an interview with ESPN leading into the 2012 NFL Draft.

“The toughest places to play are the ones that are jam-packed, are really tight to the field, and sit about 45,000 people. When we played at UConn my freshman year, that was the loudest place I’ve ever been as a football player. The stands are right next to the field, it was packed, and everyone was yelling.”

But this should not come as a surprise. UConn is the state’s professional sports team. The Huskies basketball program is home to one of the toughest environments in college basketball, Gampel Pavilion.

With four National titles since 1999, UConn is averaging a championship once every four seasons, the most of any program in the nation. UConn basketball also brings in one of the most sought after market’s in college sports, New York City. The Huskies have played 114 games at Madison Square Garden, the program’s home away from home. When the 2014 Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight came around, UConn demand drove tickets to new heights and CBS’s Bill Raftery, familiar with the Huskies history in the city, referred to NYC as ‘Storrs South.’ It’s not hard to imagine why. Countless memories have taken place for the basketball program at MSG, highlighted by this well-done tribute courtesy of UConn fan and YouTube guru, Tcf15:

Building upon that tradition, the Huskies have launched a new marketing campaign, coined UConn: The Sixth Borough.

Much like football, UConn basketball continues to put players in the professional ranks, with 7 former Huskies now calling the NBA home. Since the turn of the century, the Huskies have had 18 players drafted, the 6th most of any school in the country. That number does not count superstars and future Hall of Famers Ray Allen and Richard Hamilton, who both played at UConn in the ’90’s.

And now, the Huskies boast the best facilities in the nation, finally receiving what UConn football has had for years:

When it comes to women’s basketball, all you need to know is one word, Geno:

Ten National Championships. Twelve multiple-time All-Americans. Eight Naismith Players of the Year. What else can you accomplish? How about winning both the men’s and women’s national basketball titles in the same year? UConn has done it twice: 2004 and 2014.

OU President Boren mentioned analyzing a fan base to assess potential candidates to bring on board. Following the second dual championship in 2014, over 200,000 fans took to the streets of Hartford to celebrate the wins during the parade honoring both teams:

If you think football and men’s and women’s basketball is where UConn success in athletics stops, think again. Storrs is home to the two-time National Champion men’s soccer program. The Huskies student run ‘Goal Patrol’ is part of the reason the Huskies ranked 2nd nationally in average attendance in 2015.

UConn also produces MLS talent on a regular basis. When Cyle Larin was taken 1st overall in the 2015 MLS Super Draft by Orlando FC, UConn became the first school to have a player taken 1st overall in back-to-back MLS drafts; GK Andre Blake was chosen by the Phildelphia Union in 2014.

In total the Huskies have 9 former players on current MLS rosters. The future home of UConn soccer is also under the planning phases. Already home to one of the nation’s largest venues, Morrone Stadium, the program received an $8M donation for upgrades and renovations on the current site. Plans and stadium renderings can be seen here. What does UConn soccer mean for the school, the region and the fans? Listen for yourself:

UConn baseball has had 38 MLB draft picks since head coach Jim Penders took over the program in 2004 – yes, that number is correct, 38. Current Houston Astros OF George Springer became the highest Husky drafted when he was chosen 11th overall in the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.

Multiple NCAA tournament appearances are on the Huskies resume, including a trip to the Super Regional in 2011, where they fell to the eventual National Champion, South Carolina.

Current Huskies in the majors include Springer (Astros), Mike Olt (White Sox), Matt Barnes (Red Sox), Nick Ahmed (Diamondbacks) and Scott Oberg (Rockies), with multiple former Huskies stretched across minor league affiliates.

The program is also expected to benefit from facility upgrades over the next several years, however specifics have not yet been revealed.

UConn men’s hockey recently joined Hockey East in 2014-15 and is already competitive in what is widely known as the best conference in college hockey. Under the leadership of head coach Mike Cavanaugh, the Huskies have transitioned from a lesser known Atlantic Hockey program, into one that draws over 5,300 a game at the XL Center in Hartford, which puts the Huskies top ten nationally in attendance.

When the Huskies hosted their first league opponent, top five rated and rival Boston College, UConn introduced themselves to the college hockey scene in impressive fashion:

Continuing championship tradition is the field hockey program, National Champions in both 2013 and 2014. The Huskies have made Final Four appearances in four of the past five seasons.

Whether the Big XII or another conference chooses to expand and add the University of Connecticut or not, is out of President Herbst’s hands, all she and representatives from UConn can do is campaign. One comparison that goes the Huskies way, athletics, is not even a conversation. The other programs being rumored to be under consideration; BYU, Cincinnati, Boise State, Central Florida, South Florida, Houston and Memphis have won a combined 0 National Championships since 2004 and only three of those schools have ever won a Division I Title.

For UConn, continued success is all the athletic programs can focus on. Let’s get one thing straight however, the Huskies don’t need an invite from another conference for any sort of validation. UConn athletics already is and will continue to remain an elite program in the landscape of college athletics. That is fact and no one can argue otherwise.