USA Today's Erick Smith first reported that Syracuse University will be leaving the Big East Conference in order to join the Atlantic Coast Conference. The school reached a deal with the Big East, which has waived a 27 month exit window so the school can join the ACC July 1 of next year. However, the school will have to divvy out more than $7 million dollars to the league as part of the agreement.
Syracuse Athletics Director Darryl Gross stated:
We look forward to the new academic and athletic partnerships and the extraordinary competitive opportunities that membership in the ACC offers...We are excited about both our final season in the Big East and our long-term future with the ACC.
Additionally, the University of Pittsburgh is expected to consider opting out of its contract with the Big East to move to the ACC. What does this mean for lacrosse? It's simple, the best lacrosse conference in the land is about to get better. Recruiting wars will heat up even greater and determining factors for the NCAA Tournament like ROI and SOS will alter. Further, if Pittsburgh were to join the ACC, then the possibility of the school creating a Division 1 lacrosse program would swell.
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