SMU celebrates ACC membership with a party, lights, and mascots
DALLAS — Southern Methodist University is marking its first day as an official member of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday with a day of festivities including a kickoff party and ending with lighting the Dallas skyline in SMU colors.
All 18 costumed mascots from ACC member teams, from the Duke Blue Devil to Louie the Cardinal, joined in on the celebration.
SMU President R. Gerald Turner emphasized the significance of this partnership beyond athletics.
"It's important to Dallas," Turner said. "Dallas will have benefits from having all of these outstanding athletic programs with outstanding academic institutions they represent coming to Dallas on a regular basis."
The move to the ACC comes 37 years after SMU received the NCAA's "death penalty" for recruiting violations.
Turner notes that this transition marks a new chapter for the university. He believes this increased competitiveness will lead to greater national visibility for the university, which will improve SMU's reputation and recognition.
"We're all really excited," said Dr. Crystal Clayton from SMU Student Affairs Leadership and Administration. "I think it's going to bring a lot of new energy to campus, get a lot of new people here, and we're really excited about what it's going to do for us in the national community."
SMU enters the ACC with momentum, having won a school record of eight championships during the 2023-2024 season. The university sees this move as an opportunity to elevate its academic standing and attract talent.
The launch party continued until 6:30 p.m. when the Dallas skyline lit up in SMU's red and blue colors.
The Mustangs' first home ACC event will be a men's soccer match against Pitt on Sept. 7. Their inaugural ACC football game is scheduled for Sept. 28, when Florida State visits Ford Stadium.
