Notre Dame will leave Big East for ACC after this season
ASSOCIATED PRESS March 12, 2013 10:17AM
Notre Dame guard Jerian Grant throws the ball into the stands as fans rush the court following Notre Dame's 67-58 victory over Syracuse in an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday Jan. 21, 2012, in South Bend, Ind. (AP Photo/Joe Raymond)
Updated: March 12, 2013 12:54PM
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame is joining the Atlantic Coast Conference a season earlier than expected, following the split among the Big East’s football schools and seven Catholic schools that are leaving to form a basketball-focused conference.
Notre Dame announced the move Tuesday, six months after it surprised the college sports world by opting to join the ACC in all sports except football and hockey.
Tuesday’s move means Notre Dame will join the ACC at the same time as fellow Big East members Pittsburgh and Syracuse, which announced earlier they would join the league. Louisville is expected to join the ACC after next season.
The move means Notre Dame coaches can move forward with scheduling for the 2013-14 school year.
“This decision makes sense for the Big East,” Aresco said. “In view of Notre Dame’s expressed desire to join the ACC on an earlier timetable, the Big East and Notre Dame were able to arrive at an acceptable resolution. The Big East can now focus fully on its future alignment and rebranding efforts.”
