President R. Gerald Turner addresses an excited crowd during SMU’s official presentation into the Big East Athletic Conference. (Sidney Hollingsworth/ The Daily Campus)

Crowds cheered and tubas bellowed as Hughes Trigg Student Center filled with more than 100 people to celebrate SMU’s joining the Big East Conference Thursday afternoon.

For the first time since the days of the Southwest Conference, SMU will be playing against prominent athletic competition.  

SMU President R. Gerald Turner and Big East Commissioner John Marinatto were among those who spoke at the event.

After absorbing SMU and four other universities, Commissioner Marinatto said that the Big East will have “by far the largest footprint of any Division I conference in the country.”

President Turner believes that the move will not just benefit SMU but the community at large.

“If SMU has that sort of visibility, just think about it, how much more visible Dallas will be,” Turner said.

By joining the Big East, many doors will open for SMU athletic teams.

The Big East is an extremely competitive basketball conference for both men and women.

“We take hoops very seriously,” Marinatto said.

The conference includes basketball powerhouses such as Syracuse, University of Connecticut, Villanova and Georgetown.

Big East men’s teams have won the national championship three out of the last nine years while women have won it seven of the last twelve years.

Despite the recent success of Big East basketball teams, student athletes are excited for the opportunity to play greater competition. Senior Samantha Mahnesmith believes the conference shake up will have a major impact on the team.

“It’s going to be better for us. It will raise our level of competition and I think we’re ready for it,” Mahnesmith said.

Additionally, the football regular season champion of the Big East Conference is automatically qualified to participate in one of the five BCS bowl games.

Student Body President Austin Prentice had a gift for Commissioner Marinatto, He presented the commissioner with a SMU football helmet.

“After being a member of the Southwest Conference for over seventy years, primetime athletics is not only what SMU deserves, but also supports,” Prentice said.

Marinatto returned the favor by giving the student body with a helmet emblazoned with the Big East logo.

To close out the ceremony, June Jones presented the BBVA Compass Bowl trophy to president R. Gerald Turner. The Mustangs won the bowl game 28-6 against the University of Pittsburgh on Jan. 7.

SMU will become a full member in all sports of the Big East Conference at the beginning of the 2013 to 2014 school year.

As president Turner said- “Thirteen will be a big year at SMU.”