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CU president says Big East is a good fit for Creighton

Creighton University’spresident says the school is a good fit both athletically and academically for the new Big East Conference.

Big East officials announced Wednesday that Creighton, along with Xavier and Butler Universities, will join the Conference July first.

Creighton president Father Timothy Lannon says the move will boost the school’s national exposure. And he says Creighton matches up well academically with some of its new conference opponents.

"Georgetown and Marquette are national universities, whereas Villanova’s ranked number one in the east for being a comprehensive university, as is Creighton in the Midwest. Further, Butler and Xavier are the top five, or at least the top ten, of schools in the Midwest for being a comprehensive school. So we are joining a group of schools that are outstanding academically, and we will be in good company, and they’ll be in good company with us."

Father Lannon says conversations about the new Big East began a year ago. Creighton was contacted on February 27th and was extended a formal invitation to join the Conference on March 13th.

Creighton joined the Missouri Valley Conference in 1977.