The Atlantic Coast Conference will officially welcome Louisville to their conference in 2014, making the Cardinals the sixth former Big East school to leave for the ACC.

ACC's presidents and chancellors voted to add the Cardinals on Wednesday morning to replace Maryland, which will leave for the Big Ten in 2014. In the past four seasons, Louisville football is 27-22, compared to 17-32 by Maryland.

The ACC felt Louisville was the best choice because of its "aggressive approach" to success, including a commitment to "marquee athletics programs". The ACC also considered UConn and Cincinnati for membership.

"I'm very excited to join this prestigious conference," Louisville athletic director Tom Jurich said. "For the ACC to have faith in us means the world to us athletically and academically. The biggest winner is our school being associated with all of the prestigious schools."

"While I'm very excited, I'm very sad for the Big East. The Big East has been very good to this university. I thought (when Louisville joined in 2005), it would be a lifetime commitment until things around us started deteriorating. Instead of looking back, we're looking forward. We want to be a great partner with every institution in the ACC."

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