West Virginia settles Big East lawsuit, will join Big 12 in July

Athletic Director Oliver Luck said the terms of the deal were confidential and WVU wouldn't release details. But Luck said no state, taxpayer, tuition or other academic dollars will be used in the settlement.

A person familiar with the agreement said the settlement totaled $20 million but did not know how much money would come from the university and how much the Big 12 may contribute. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial terms were not being made in the announcement of the agreement.

Luck said the funding will come only from private sources and money that athletics raised independently.

WVU has already paid half of the required $5 million exit fee to the Big East.

Luck planned a news conference to discuss the deal later Tuesday morning.

WVU sued the Big East in Monongalia County Circuit Court in Morgantown in November, challenging its bylaws in a bid to join the Big 12 in time for the 2012 football season.

The Big East countersued in Rhode Island four days later, arguing that WVU had breached its contract with the conference and should remain in the Big East for another two years as required in the bylaws. In late December, the judge there denied WVU's motion to dismiss.

Big East Commissioner John Marinatto repeatedly said West Virginia would not be allowed to leave until the 2014 football season.