BOSTON (CBB/Newsfeed) — Boston University is moving to the Patriot League, leaving the America East conference at the commence of the 2013-14 academic year.

”This is a actually exclusive opportunity for us to challenge ourselves,” BU athletic director Mike Lynch said. ”We will be entering a league that embodies the ideal of valuing academics as the highest priority although sponsoring really competitive athletic applications. That is our commitment as well.”

The move involves men’s and girls’s basketball, soccer, lacrosse, tennis, cross country, track and field and swimming and diving. Women’s field hockey, golf, rowing and softball will also be producing the move.

The 5-time NCAA champion BU hockey team will remain in Hockey East.

BU dropped its football system in 1997.

The Terriers have won 40 America East championships in 14 sports in the course of their tenure in the conference.

”Boston University has a powerful tradition of excellence in academics and Division I athletics, each of which reflect the core values of the Patriot League,” Patriot League executive director Carolyn Schlie Femovich stated. ”They will strengthen the League each in the classroom and on the field of play.”

The new conference contains American, Bucknell, Colgate, Holy Cross, Lafayette, Lehigh, Army and Navy as complete members. Fordham and Georgetown are members for football and M.I.T. competes in women’s rowing.

”We are very impressed by the academic good quality of the institutions in the Patriot League and by the league’s commitment to student-athletes whilst efficiently competing at the NCAA Division I level,” BU president Robert Brown stated. ”We believe that the philosophy of the league is a excellent match for Boston University and that the schools in the league will give our athletes a rich competitive atmosphere.”