RICHMOND, Va. — Atlantic Coast Conference presidents will invite Virginia Tech to join three other Big East schools in jumping to the ACC as part of its expansion plan, two sources told The Associated Press on Wednesday night.
The sources spoke to The AP on the condition they not be identified.
The decision to add Virginia Tech was made during a three-hour teleconference of nine league presidents on Wednesday after it appeared that the original expansion involving Miami, Boston College and Syracuse would not get the required seven votes for approval .
The suggestion to reconsider the Hokies was made by Virginia president John T. Casteen III, who has supported including Virginia Tech in the plan throughout. After the Hokies were first rejected last month, he pledged to continue pushing for their inclusion.
Virginia Tech president Charles M. Steger was notified of the ACC's change of heart in a meeting with Georgia Tech president T. Wayne Clough in Blacksburg, Va., on Wednesday night, the second source said.
Steger and others at Virginia Tech have been among the most outspoken critics of the ACC's expansion plan, which would leave the remaining schools in a stripped down Big East with an uncertain athletic future. Virginia Tech is one of five Big East football schools that filed suit on June 6 against the ACC, Miami and Boston College trying to stop expansion.
Casteen offered Virginia Tech as an expansion target on May 16, but the suggestion was voted down s.
Casteen also has been under pressure from Gov. Mark R. Warner and other state officials to do whatever he could to protect Virginia Tech's athletic viability.
A Big East spokesman said Wednesday night the conference would have no comment on the report of Virginia Tech's invitation.
Virginia Tech officials initially spoke of wanting to either see the Big East remain intact or for it to be included in an ACC expansion plan. After the three other schools were selected, Virginia Tech joined Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Rutgers and Connecticut in the lawsuit accusing the ACC, Miami and Boston College of trying to ruin the Big East.
The Big East schools leaving for the ACC must each pay a $1 million exit fee. The penalty doubles after June 30.