NOTRE DAME — The University of Notre Dame will join the Atlantic Coast Conference for athletic competition in all sports except football and hockey beginning with the upcoming 2013-14 seasons.

Notre Dame has been a member of the Big East Conference in most sports since 1995. The University announced Sept. 13 that it would leave the Big East to join the ACC.

With the departure of the seven current non-football institutions — DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John’s, Seton Hall and Villanova, effective July 1, — Notre Dame and the Big East jointly agreed that it would be best for Notre Dame to depart at the same time.

“From the time of our decision to join the ACC we have stressed our commitment to ensuring that our departure was achieved in a collegial manner,” Notre Dame vice president and director of athletics Jack Swarbrick said. “This agreement realizes that intention and we are very grateful to the members of the Big East and Commissioner Mike Aresco for helping to facilitate this orderly and timely transition.”

While the vast majority of Notre Dame athletic teams will begin ACC play in 2013-14, the Irish football program remains independent. Beginning in 2014 Notre Dame will play five football games per season against ACC programs.

The Notre Dame hockey team, currently a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association in the final season for that league, joins Hockey East starting in 2013-14.

Notre Dame has 13 currently-competing teams that are nationally ranked – No. 1 women’s fencing, No. 2 women’s basketball, No. 2 men’s fencing, No. 3 men’s lacrosse, No. 6 women’s lacrosse, No. 12 hockey, No. 15 women’s tennis, No. 18 women’s swimming, No. 17 baseball, No. 22 women’s golf, No. 20 men’s swimming, No. 24 men’s basketball, and No. 27 men’s tennis.