HARTFORD, Conn. -- Having been invited to join the Atlantic Coast Conference, Virginia Tech withdrew Wednesday from the Big East's lawsuit against the ACC, Miami and Boston College.

The decision to invite Virginia Tech to the ACC instead of Boston College and Syracuse quickly changed the legal lineup.

Within hours after learning of Virginia Tech's departure, the four Big East presidents remaining as plaintiffs in the lawsuit said they are prepared to dismiss Boston College as a defendant.

"We are pleased that Syracuse and Boston College will remain members of the Big East, the conference where these great universities have always belonged. We hope that after full consideration Miami and Virginia Tech will also remain part of the Big East,'' said the statement signed by the presidents of Connecticut, Rutgers, West Virginia and Pittsburgh.

The litigation meanwhile is continuing.

Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said a preliminary hearing before a state judge will proceed as scheduled Thursday to determine venue and scheduling.

"Obviously, the situation is very fluid in alignments and alliances of different schools,'' Blumenthal said. "And the question of which institutions will ultimately side with which conferences remains unsettled.''

Virginia Tech had initially joined the June 6 lawsuit, filed in Hartford, that accused the ACC, Boston College and Miami of taking part in a conspiracy to expand and ultimately weaken the Big East.

The lawsuit contends the five schools have spent millions on their football programs based on presumed loyalty from the other schools.

Less than 24 hours after learning that the ACC was pursuing only Virginia Tech and Miami, Tech's governing board unanimously authorized president Charles M. Steger to negotiate with the ACC.

The school filed papers in Connecticut removing it from the lawsuit against the ACC late Wednesday afternoon, said Virginia Attorney General Jerry Kilgore.

Kilgore said the lawsuit slowed down the process long enough to give ACC officials more time to evaluate Virginia Tech. On Wednesday, conference officials visited the Blacksburg school, and extended an invitation.

"The reason Tech wanted to sue from the beginning was to remain in a strong and viable conference,'' Kilgore said. "Virginia Tech has long wanted to be part of the Atlantic Coast Conference. And that's becoming a reality now.''