The Atlantic 10 will welcome Davidson – a consistent March Madness contender – to the conference for 2014-2015, the league announced May 8.
Davidson’s signing is the second by the A-10 this off-season, after regional rival George Mason agreed to join the A-10 in March for next season. The addition is a big get for a conference that recently lost powerhouses Xavier and Butler to the new Big East, Charlotte to Conference USA, and Temple to the American Athletic Conference.
“Once again the Atlantic 10 has shown its commitment to being a premier conference, and in the always-changing landscape of conference realignment, the conference has proven to be proactive in adding quality universities that will augment our reputation and keep us thriving,” GW’s athletic director Patrick Nero said in a release Wednesday.
The deal not only makes up for one of the vacant slots, but could also entice other potential A-10 fleers like Saint Louis, Dayton, Richmond and VCU to stay in the basketball-heavy conference that is trying to gain prominence as realignment shakes up the college sports world.
Davidson, located in southern North Carolina, previously turned down an opportunity last year to leave the Southern Conference for the CAA, George Mason’s former conference. The Wildcats have played in the Southern Conference for eight decades, and is one of its oldest members.
Last season, Davidson finished with a 26-8 record overall, and a 17-1 record in conference. The team came up just a last-second layup short from defeating No.3 seed Marquette in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Since 2002, the team has gone to the NCAA tournament five times.
