VCU leaving CAA for Atlantic 10
Virginia Commonwealth is headed to the Atlantic 10 Conference.
The university announced Tuesday that its move to the Atlantic 10 from the Colonial Athletic Association will take place July 1.
Butler also is joining the Atlantic 10, giving the conference two teams that reached the Final Four in men’s basketball in 2011. Butler will not become a member until 2013.
Adding VCU and Butler to the Atlantic 10 will compensate for the loss of Temple to the Big East and North Carolina Charlotte to Conference USA.
“VCU believes the A-10 represents the best opportunity to meet our long-term aspirations for national academic and athletic achievement,” VCU President Michael Rao said.
The move could prove beneficial particularly in basketball, going from a league with one NCAA tournament qualifier and typically no at-large teams to a conference that generally receives multiple bids.
Coach Shaka Smart guided VCU to the Final Four in 2011 and into the NCAA tournament again this past season.
“The Atlantic 10 is a conference that gives us an opportunity to not only build our national brand but also be associated with and compete against great institutions with tremendous profiles, both athletically and academically,” VCU interim athletic director David Benedict said
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