CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference’s annual winter meetings concluded on Wednesday, February 14, following three days of business. The meetings were held in Charlotte, North Carolina, home of the conference headquarters.
The meetings began Monday afternoon with the league’s Athletic Directors (ADs), Faculty Athletic Representatives (FARs), and Senior Woman Administrators (SWAs) participating in individual and joint sessions. After the joint session ended Tuesday afternoon, the ACC Board of Directors, comprised of the conference’s Presidents and Chancellors, met with the ADs before beginning their meetings that ended on Wednesday.
“The leadership at our current and future membership is tremendous and the successes we are able to celebrate are simply amazing,” said ACC Commissioner Jim Phillips, Ph.D. “It is always beneficial to meet in person and the dialog surrounding the myriad of national topics as well as how to continue to elevate the conference were significant and extremely valuable.”
ACC student-athletes Piper Hampsch (Duke field hockey) and Michael Redding III (Miami football) joined the meetings and spoke with the ADs, FARs and SWAs. Hampsch is the Chair of the 2023-24 ACC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) Executive Board, while Redding III serves as SAAC’s Chair for the Mental Health Subcommittee. They reported on recent SAAC meetings and presented draft recommendations to increase student-athlete engagement in conference governance and enhance the mental health support available to ACC student-athletes.
Individual and joint sessions attended by the ADs, FARs and SWAs, included updates and presentations from ESPN and ACC Network, ACC CORE (Champions of Racial Equity) and ACC SAAC (Student-Athlete Advisory Committee). Additional discussion topics included the selection of the 2024 ACC Postgraduate Scholar-Athletes, conference revenues, the College Football Playoff, the use of helmet technology in football, future men’s and women’s basketball scheduling and the postseason, recommendations from the Olympic Sport Committees and discussions around Olympic Sport policies and procedures.
In the sports of men’s and women’s basketball specifically, the membership determined that for the 2024-25 season, the top 15 teams would compete in the 2025 ACC Women’s and Men’s Basketball Tournaments. In addition to the decision on ACC Tournament play, the men’s basketball regular season will continue with a 20-game conference slate while the women will continue to play an 18-game campaign.
The membership also approved the implementation of two new technology initiatives beginning with the 2024 football season, pending final approval later this month from the NCAA Football Rules Committee. Unanimously supported by ACC head football coaches, for the upcoming 2024 season ACC football teams will be provided with access to in-game video which will enhance their ability to make in-game adjustments. Additionally, ACC teams will be provided with access to coach-to-player communication devices that will allow for one-way communication between the sideline and player(s) on the field.
Both programs will be administered via the Conference office to ensure competitive equity with the implementation of the new initiatives and the ACC is working collaboratively with the NCAA Football Rules Committee to fully develop the final rule and associated policies. The use of either piece of technology will be permissive and at each institution’s discretion.
The ACC Board of Directors announced that Wake Forest University President Dr. Susan R. Wente will serve as the Vice-Chair of the league’s Board of Directors through the remainder of the 2023-24 academic year and throughout 2024-25. Wente becomes the Vice-Chair following the departure of University of North Carolina Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz. University of Virginia President James E. Ryan continues his service as Chair of the Board of Directors, a position he will serve in through the 2024-25 academic year.
Significant discussions and updates about the future of college athletics, legislation and legal topics, Project Division I concept were common themes throughout both the individual and joint meetings. In addition, updates and dialog with Disney, ESPN and ACC Network took place along with reports related to business, finance and revenue generation and the College Football Playoff.