Joining the Hokies to form a new 12-team alignment will be Dayton and LaSalle. Linda Bruno, commissioner of the Atlantic 10, announced the new conference members during a teleconference call last Thursday. Holdover schools in the Atlantic 10 are Duquesne, George Washington, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, St. Joseph's, St. Bonaventure, and Temple. Xavier of Ohio and Fordham recently joined the conference. Rutgers and West Virginia, two of Virginia Tech's football rivals, are withdrawing from the Atlantic 10 after this season for full membership in the BIG EAST Conference.
Tech is a member of the BIG EAST for football only.
The Atlantic 10 sponsors 18 varsity sports. In addition to men's and women's basketball, Tech will participate in men's baseball, women's volleyball, men's golf, and men's and women's cross country, soccer, swimming, tennis, and indoor track. Director of Athletics Dave Braine said Virginia Tech and the Atlantic 10 Conference are a good fit. We have gained an Eastern identity by playing football in the BIG EAST Conference. That identity now will be enhanced.