★ by Martha-Page althaus Celebrate Greensboro Art. Culture. Entertainment. The Atlantic Coast Conference For 58 years and counting, there’s been no place like home. includes Virginia (which ince its founding joined in December 1953), nearly 60 years ago, Georgia Tech (1978), the Atlantic Coast Florida State (1991), Virginia Tech (2004), ence) gives the ACC a peerless standing Conference (ACC) Miami (2004), and among college conferences. has had deep roots Boston College (2005). With its headquarters near Greensboro’s As implied in the ACC’s Grandover Resort and Conference Center, in Greensboro. tagline, “A Tradition of the ACC is centrally located in the geographic Excellence. Then, Now, footprint of its member institutions. And S and Always,” winning has most importantly, the conference hosts The league was born here become synonymous with several major championships in the city on May 8, 1953, at the the league and its world- each year. Sedgefield Inn (today the class student-athletes. (clockwise from left) clubhouse at Sedgefield Since 1953, ACC schools An Experienced Host 2011 ACC Women’s Country Club), with seven have captured 122 March means championship basketball in Golf Individual Champion Cheyenne charter members that national titles, including the ACC, and nobody does it better, or more Woods of Wake withdrew from the 65 in women’s sports and often, than the place known as “Tournament Forest at Sedgefield Country Club, Southern Conference: Clemson, Duke, 57 in men’s. The league sponsors a total of 25 Town.” The 23,500-seat Greensboro Clemson vs. UNC - Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina sports, but it is much more than an athletic Coliseum is the traditional home of the ACC 2011 ACC Men’s Basketball Tourna- State, South Carolina (until their withdrawal conference. The ACC’s unique blend of public Men’s Basketball Tournament — the arena Dean Smith his first league title. The storied ment at Greensboro in 1971), and Wake Forest. These universities and private institutions; its reach along nearly has hosted 23 of them, more than any other arena also has been the site of 12 NCAA men’s Coliseum, and the 12 ACC mascots adopted their own set of bylaws and officially the entire Eastern Seaboard, from Boston venue — and since 2000 the coliseum has tournament competitions, including the 1974 became the Atlantic Coast Conference, a to Miami; and its longstanding reputation CC been the site of every ACC Women’s Basket- Final Four when NC State was crowned name suggested by Eddie Cameron, Duke’s for integrity, diversity, and accomplished ball Tournament. national champion (the first of two Final athletic director at the time and former head academics (collectively the league has more The coliseum hosted its first men’s hoops Fours hosted in-state) and three NCAA basketball coach. schools in the most recent U.S. News & World tournament in 1967, when North Carolina women’s tournament weekends. Today’s 12-member conference also Report top 50 than any other BCS confer- photos courtesy of A beat Duke, giving legendary Tar Heels coach ACC men’s and women’s basketball teams • 50 • • 51 • ★ 1974 ACC Men’s Basketball Champion- Celebrate ship Game in Greens- boro featuring greats Greensboro David Thompson and Art. Culture. Entertainment. Tom Burleson of NC State and Len Elmore and Tom McMillen of Maryland 2010 ACC Baseball Championship trophy presented by ACC championships — the Men’s Commissioner The ACC Online John Swofford to Basketball Tournament — will be the Florida State played in Atlanta in 2012, the For more information, including Seminoles and news, scores, features, exclusive (below) crowd event returns home to Greens- content, links to each member shot of the ACC boro in 2013 for a three-year run. school, and everything else ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament at “We have developed such related, visit the conference’s official online home,theACC.com . Greensboro Coliseum strong relationships with the people in Greensboro, and they know how to put on first-class events,” says ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “The people here care about doing it have won a combined 12 NCAA titles since the right way, and the championships are special “We have developed such strong relationships 1957, and the league has nurtured some of for the student-athletes, coaches, and the fans.” with the people in Greensboro, and they the game’s biggest names — Michael Jordan (North Carolina), Tim Duncan (Wake know how to put on first-class events.” Forest), David Thompson (NC State), Len —ACC Commissioner John Swofford Elmore (Maryland), Ralph Sampson (Virginia), Dean Smith (North Carolina), Mike Krzyzewski (Duke), Jim Valvano (NC 12 Schools, 7 States, 1 Conference State), Gary Williams (Maryland), and Bobby Cremins (Georgia Tech), to name just a few. Boston College Eagles Miami Hurricanes Looking Ahead (Chestnut Hill, MA) (Coral Gables, FL) The ACC has closer ties to Greensboro than ever before, and a number of championships are scheduled to be decided here in the Clemson Tigers North Carolina Tar Heels coming years. (Clemson, SC) (Chapel Hill, NC) The Women’s Basketball Championship will continue its long run at the Greensboro Coliseum, with the 2012 Tournament Duke Blue Devils NC State scheduled for March 1–4. Also next year, the (Durham, NC) Wolfpack ACC Women’s Golf Championship continues (Raleigh, NC) its run at Sedgefield Country Club, April 13–15. Both of these ACC Championship Florida State Seminoles events are scheduled at these respective sites (Tallahassee, FL) Virginia Cavaliers (Charlottesville, VA) through 2015. Downtown, NewBridge Bank Park will host its second ACC Baseball Championship, Georgia Tech May 23–27, 2012. Home of the Greensboro Yellow Jackets Virginia Tech Hokies (Atlanta, GA) (Blacksburg, VA) CC Grasshoppers (a Class-A affiliate of the Florida Marlins), the stadium has been named one of the Top 10 Minor League Maryland Terrapins Wake Forest Demon Deacons Ballparks by Baseball America magazine. (College Park, MD) (Winston-Salem, NC) And though the crown jewel of conference photos courtesy of A • 52 • • 53 •.