Shaka Shocker: VCU joins Atlantic 10 Conference

The Atlantic 10 Conference is officially adding Virginia Commonwealth University as a member. VCU is leaving the Colonial Athletic Association. The press release can be found here.

According to the presser, the VCU Rams will "join the A-10 on July 1, 2012 and begin competition during the 2012-13 academic year. The immediate addition will bring the total number of Atlantic 10 members to 15 for the 2012-13 season. VCU fields 16 of the A-10’s 21 championship sports." VCU will essentially be replacing Charlotte, which is heading back to Conference USA.

Along with the addition of Butler to the A-10, the conference now boasts perhaps the two most promising young coaches in men's college basketball. Butler's head coach Brad Stevens brought the Bulldogs to the NCAA Tournament National Championship in 2010 and 2011. VCU's Shaka Smart coached the Rams to the Final Four in 2011.

Now that it's official, what do you think? Having another team from Richmond certainly sounds more "Atlantic" than Butler, which is in Indianapolis. Do you think our coach Mike Lonergan will lose any hair over this addition? Do you think this makes the A-10 the "the nation’s premier basketball-driven conference" as the presser claims? This writer is left to wonder how there is a Virginia Commonwealth University AND a Virginia State University at the same time. Are you a Commonwealth or a State? Make up your mind, Virginia!