Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller says the Big Ten will move to a 30-game conference schedule next year when the league adds USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon. The Big Ten currently has an eight week, 24-game schedule. Beginning next year the Hawkeyes will play 10 conference foes and make one trip to the west coast each season.
Heller says Big Ten coaches had advocated for divisional play.
The Big Ten footprint will expand to 14 states but Heller says the new schedule will preserve regional rivalries.
The top eight teams qualify for the Big Ten Tournament. Heller believes that will expand to 10 or 12 teams beginning next season and the format may resemble the one used by the ACC.
The Hawkeyes return to Big Ten play this weekend by visiting Nebraska for a three-game series.
