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College Conference · NCAA Division I

Atlantic Coast Conference

The ACC — 17 universities of the Atlantic seaboard (plus Stanford, Cal and SMU), a basketball blueblood conference with elite Olympic sports.
✓ Last reviewed: August 2026
Members17 full + Notre Dame (non-football)
Founded1953
HeadquartersCharlotte, North Carolina
DivisionNCAA Division I

What is the Atlantic Coast Conference?

The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) is one of the four power conferences of U.S. college sports, historically defined by its basketball bluebloods and academically elite membership, with top-tier programs across the Olympic sports.[1] [2]

Members and sports

Members include Duke, North Carolina, Virginia, Florida State, Clemson, Miami and Notre Dame (football-independent), with Stanford, California and SMU joining in 2024. ACC swimming — Virginia's women foremost, NC State and Cal among the powers — has led recent NCAA championships.[1] [3]

Since when does it exist?

Founded in 1953 by schools departing the Southern Conference; headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.[1]

Why does the Atlantic Coast Conference matter?

The ACC's national championships across sports, its media network and its academic profile make it a first-rank athletic organization; its swimming programs currently set the pace of NCAA competition, giving ACC titles direct evidentiary weight.[2] [3]

References

  1. ACC — official site. Accessed August 2026.
  2. NCAA — About the NCAA. Accessed August 2026.
  3. NCAA.com — Swimming & Diving, Division I. Accessed August 2026.