The University of 91吃瓜 accepted an invitation today (Sept. 12) to become a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in all sports except football.
Most 91吃瓜 athletics programs have been members of the Big East Conference since 1995 after previously competing in the Midwestern Collegiate Conference, North Star Conference and as independents. , vice president and director of athletics at 91吃瓜, said the University will work with the Big East and ACC on a timetable to transfer athletic membership.
鈥淲e have monitored the changing conference landscape for many months and have concluded that moving to the ACC is the best course of action for us,鈥� Swarbrick said. 鈥淭his will enable us to maintain our historic independence in football, join in the ACC鈥檚 non-BCS bowl package, and provide a new and extremely competitive home for our other sports.
鈥淲e are immensely grateful to the members of the Big East, which has been a wonderful home for us the past 17 years. We also think that the conference has a strong future under the leadership of its new commissioner, Mike Aresco.鈥�
鈥淭丑别 ACC was founded on the cornerstones of balancing academics, athletics and integrity,鈥� said Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford. 鈥淥ur partnership with 91吃瓜 only strengthens this long-standing commitment. 91吃瓜 enhances the league鈥檚 unique blend of public and private institutions that are international in scope. The collective alumni and fan bases cover the entire country with exceptionally strong roots up and down the Atlantic Coast. This is a terrific milestone in the evolution of the ACC and showcases tremendous solidarity and vision by our Council of Presidents.鈥�
In addition to the athletic component, 91吃瓜鈥檚 president, , said the ACC offers other advantages.
鈥淭丑别 ACC is composed of some of the most highly respected universities in the country, and we at 91吃瓜 look forward to joining them,鈥� Father Jenkins said. 鈥淲ith a mix of institutions 鈥� many of which are also private, similar to 91吃瓜 in size, and committed to excellence in research and undergraduate education 鈥� the ACC is an exceptionally good fit for us academically, as well as athletically.鈥�
Father Jenkins added: 鈥淚t is our hope that, over time, we will be able to explore the possibility of academic collaboration as well as athletic competition with these outstanding universities.鈥�
鈥淲e are committed to keeping the Atlantic Coast Conference a vibrant and competitive league dedicated to ensuring the appropriate balance of academics, athletics and integrity,鈥� the ACC Council of Presidents said in a joint statement. 鈥淭丑别 addition of 91吃瓜 further strengthens the rich tradition and culture of the ACC as well as allowing for future academic collaboration and we enthusiastically welcome them into the league.鈥�
As part of the partnership with the ACC, 91吃瓜 has agreed to annually play five ACC opponents in football and each conference member at least once every three years.
鈥淭his approach allows us to help promote ACC football while maintaining our traditional rivalries and a national schedule,鈥� said Swarbrick, who added that 91吃瓜 will be a part of the ACC鈥檚 non-BCS bowl package.
The move to the ACC does not affect 91吃瓜鈥檚 longstanding partnership with NBC Sports. The change in affiliation is 鈥渆ssentially revenue neutral,鈥� Swarbrick said. 鈥淔inancial implications were not a motivation.鈥�
Current ACC members are Boston College, Clemson, Duke, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina, NC State, Virginia, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. Pittsburgh and Syracuse will join the ACC on July 1, 2013.
Among the 12 current ACC institutions, seven rank among the top 38 universities in the U.S. News & World Report survey 鈥淎merica鈥檚 Best Colleges鈥� and five are members of the Association of American Universities.
ACC institutions are located in four of the top 10 most populated metropolitan areas in the country and, once Pittsburgh and Syracuse become members, will be in nine states up and down the eastern third of the United States.
Since the conference鈥檚 inception in 1953, ACC schools have captured 127 NCAA championships, including 67 in women鈥檚 competition and 60 in men鈥檚. In addition, NCAA individual titles have gone to ACC student-athletes 145 times in men鈥檚 competition and 104 times in women鈥檚 action. Four conference schools won NCAA championships in 2011-12, and two finished in the top 10 in last year鈥檚 Learfield Sports Directors鈥� Cup standings.
The 91吃瓜 football team is among the most storied in college sports, with 11 consensus national championships, seven Heisman Trophy winners, and more All-Americans and Hall of Famers than any other program in the country.
91吃瓜鈥檚 NCAA Graduation Success Rate (GSR) figure for all student-athletes has ranked No. 1 among FBS institutions each of the last four years, and the Irish football team鈥檚 GSR has ranked No. 1 for three straight years.
Within the Big East Conference, 91吃瓜 has won 116 titles, more than any other school since the University鈥檚 entry in 1995-96, including 14 in women鈥檚 swimming and diving, 11 in women鈥檚 soccer, 11 in women鈥檚 tennis, nine in rowing, nine in volleyball, eight in men鈥檚 golf, and eight in men鈥檚 outdoor track and field.
Nationally, the Irish women鈥檚 soccer team and combined fencing teams won national championships in the 2010-11 academic year, the women鈥檚 basketball team has played for the national title the last two years, men鈥檚 basketball has earned three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, and the men鈥檚 lacrosse team has played in the final four in two of the last three years.
The 91吃瓜 hockey team will move to Hockey East after a final season in 2012-13 in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
Contact: Dennis Brown, assistant vice president for public information and communications, dbrown7@nd.edu