The Atlantic Coast Conference—ACC—is a very competitive conference within the NCAA, known as one of the most powerful conferences in all of college sports. However, there are many other powerful conferences in college sports, such as the SEC, the Big 10, the PAC 12, and the Big 12. And yet none of these compare to the ACC. Here are 10 reasons the ACC is the best conference in the NCAA:
1. In-state Rivalries
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Although this is true for every major college, the ACC has a plethora of in-state rivalries. This includes Virginia and Virginia Tech, FSU and Miami, and Duke and UNC. The competition intensifies when state bragging rights are on the line, making a fun show for the fans. And the competition is close; the Commonwealth Clash—a competition between Virginia and Virginia Tech sports—is currently a close competition, with a slight 1.5 point edge to UVA.
2. Academics
Although this article is about the athletic talent of the student athletes of the ACC, it is important to recognize that an integral part of being a student athlete is being a student. In the National University Rankings, the ACC has five schools (Duke, Notre Dame, UVA, Wake Forest, Boston College) in the top 30. Furthermore, the ACC has the highest average for college rankings at 55.80, with only two universities lying outside of the top 100 Universities in academics.
3. Top-ranked Teams
The ACC has a reputation of having the top-ranked teams in all of college sports. This year in football, Clemson ended the season as the number one seed, even making it to the National Championship. UNC started the season as the number one ranked team in Men's College Basketball, and teams like UVA, Duke, and Louisville have had success as well. In Baseball, UVA is the reigning NCAA Champion, and is ranked in the top five to start the season.
4. Competition
Within the ACC, every conference game is looked at as a championship game. The competition intensifies when ACC teams face off. In Men's Basketball, six teams are ranked in the top 25 and have a conference record of 10-5 or better. Of those teams, the longest win streak is three games.
5. Fan Loyalty
ACC fans bleed their team colors; the allegiance to the team is deep. Unlike other conferences (SEC, Big 10, Pac 12), ACC fans have been here for the long haul and always will be. The bandwagon has left us behind, we'll stick with our team.
6. Resilience of Student Athletes
The ACC has competitors on and off the field. The fierce competition on the field cannot even begin to explain ACC athletes who face challenges off of the field; this is exemplified in Pittsburgh running back James Conner, who was the 2014 ACC player of the year, and was recently diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. However, he has now resumed working with the team, and is looking to return for the 2016 season.
7. Championships
Last year, UVA won the Capital One Cup, which is a sign of a overall successful sports program. This included championships in baseball, men's soccer, and men's tennis. The ACC is always in competition for winning championships; UNC has 40 championships overall.
8. Athletes Going Pro
The ACC has sent many athletes to the pros, such as football players Michael Vick from Virginia Tech, Calvin Johnson from Georgia Tech, Heath Miller from Virginia, Jameis Winston from FSU, Andre Johnson from Miami, and Larry Fitzgerald from Pitt. Baseball player Matt Harvey, UNC graduate, is currently dominating the MLB, and looks to be the powerhouse pitcher for the New York Mets.
9. Mascots
Even though this is a less serious point than the others, the ACC does have the best mascots (personally, I'm partial to Cav Man).
10. Community
This article has been primarily about the competitiveness of the ACC. And that's what helps create passion in sports. As a UVA student, I will be the first to say that I get immense joy when we beat Virginia Tech, Duke, or any other ACC team. But, when something serious happens, we rally in full support. After April 16th, Hoos for Hokies became the longest painted message on Beta Bridge, and continues to be painted on in memory of the ones who lost their lives on April 16. Even though we're rivals, we support each other when tragedy strikes. And that is truly what makes us the best conference in the NCAA; a bond that goes deeper than sports and rivalries.
