When someone marries into your family, it’s tempting to bask in the reflected glory (if any) of their professional or personal stature. Even if you had nothing to do with achieving it.
That’s similar to the way the ACC regards the schools it absorbed in expansion. Whatever they and their players did prior to membership, is counted in lists of ACC achievements.
Consider the last page of the 2018 conference football media guide, which chronicles what are portrayed as former ACC players in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Forty-one make the impressive list, which covers the entire page.