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The following is a message from Pitt Athletic Director Steve Pederson to Pitt fans following the announcement of Pitt and the BIG EAST coming to an agreement for an early exit.
Dear Panthers Fan,
We are honored to be joining the historic Atlantic Coast Conference with its outstanding institutions as our partners.
It is important that we also remember that for our seniors, 2012-13 will be the most important season of their careers. We will do everything possible to make sure this final season in the Big East, and their final season, is a great success. It will be a delicate balance, but we need to focus our commitment to our student-athletes on Big East success this season prior to celebrating the move to the ACC.
To many constituents and our recruits, it is time to trumpet the move to the ACC. As one of the truly historic brands in college sports, we believe the ACC provides the best combination of academic and athletic success of any major conference. The principles of the ACC are "A Tradition of Excellence... Then, Now, and Always." These principles are right in line with the great history and continuing aspirations of the University of Pittsburgh. We have already seen many of the benefits of ACC membership in just the past year.
This move to the ACC begins a new era of greatness in Pitt Athletics and the future is even brighter for those who love this University. While it has always been a great time to be at Pitt, our greatest days still lie ahead.
Steve Pederson