(GREENSBORO) – The ACC has wasted little time in finding a replacement for Maryland,  choosing Louisville after considering several schools, including Connecticut and Cincinnati from the Big East.

“With the addition of the University of Louisville, the ACC continues to be well positioned for the future competing at the highest level in all facets of the collegiate experience,” said the ACC Council of Presidents in a joint statement. “The ACC continues to be a vibrant conference that remains steadfast in its commitment to balancing academics and athletics.”

“The University of Louisville will be a terrific member of the Atlantic Coast Conference,” said University of North Carolina Chancellor Holden Thorp, chair of the ACC Council of Presidents. “We welcome them as full partners into the ACC.”

“With its aggressive approach to excellence in every respect, the University of Louisville will enhance our league’s culture and commitment to the cornerstones we were founded on 60 years ago,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “The University of Louisville is an outstanding addition to the Atlantic Coast Conference and I commend the Council of Presidents for continuing to position our league for the long-term future. If you look at what has been done over the last 15 months, the ACC has only gotten stronger with the additions of Louisville, Notre Dame, Pitt and Syracuse.”

 “The University of Louisville is honored to join the ACC, a conference with a long history of excellence in athletics and academics,” said Dr. James Ramsey, President, University of Louisville.  “The ACC will be a great home for UofL and our commitment to great academics, groundbreaking research and top-notch athletic teams.”

“When it became apparent to us that we needed to make a move, the ACC is the perfect fit for us and we are so elated to be joining this prestigious conference,” said Tom Jurich, Vice President and Director of Athletics. “Under John Swofford’s leadership, the ACC continues to prosper.  We sincerely appreciate this opportunity.  This will open so many more doors for us both athletically for all of our sports programs, and academically for our university.  What I really like about this move is it’s terrific for our fans, with the proximity of the institutions and we never have to leave the Eastern time zone.  This is a credit to everyone at the University of Louisville and our community, as we have all pulled together to position ourselves for this opportunity.  It’s amazing what has happened here over the last 15 years.  We appreciate so much what the Big East Conference has meant to us.”