The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is expanding to 18 schools with the addition of Stanford, Southern Methodist University (SMU) and the University of California-Berkeley, after a vote by the conference’s board of directors on Friday.
In a statement, the conference announced the schools would be members with full voting privileges starting from July 2024 – SMU will officially join in July 2024 and Stanford and Cal will do so the following month. They will begin competing in the ACC from the start of the 2024/25 academic year.
Stanford and California’s departure from the Pac-12 leaves the 108-year-old conference with just two remaining members – Oregon State and Washington State.
“We are thrilled to welcome three world class institutions to the ACC, and we look forward to having them compete as part of our amazing league,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips.
He later continued: “Cal, SMU and Stanford will be terrific members of the ACC and we are proud to welcome their student-athletes, coaches, staff and entire campus community, alumni and fans.”
“We are very pleased with the outcome, which will support the best interests of our student-athletes and aligns with Berkeley’s values,” said University of California-Berkeley Chancellor Carol Christ.
“We are confident that the ACC and its constituent institutions are an excellent match for our university and will provide an elite competitive context for our student-athletes in this changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics.”
SMU President R. Gerald Turner added, “This is a transformational day for SMU. Becoming a member of the ACC will positively impact all aspects of the collegiate experience on the Hilltop and will raise SMU’s profile on a national level.”
“Stanford welcomes the invitation extended by the ACC member universities, and we are excited to join them beginning in 2024,” said Stanford University President Richard P. Saller.
“Student-athletes come to Stanford to pursue their highest academic and athletic potential, and joining the ACC gives us the ability to continue offering them that opportunity at a national level.”