2011-2012 USF Athletic Season: Aside from Football, Greatest in School History?

The 2011-2012 athletic season has come to an end and as we wait through the long days of summer for the start of the 2012-2013 season, it is time to look back at the year that was and ask the question, with the exception of the football team, was this the greatest year in USF athletics?

Now there have been years throughout USF athletics history that have been great and many teams have succeeded at the highest level, but the 2011-2012 season may be the best collective year for all of the teams aside from the football team's 5-7 finish.

In the fall, USF volleyball 12-16 but went 7-7 in Big East play while playing all their games in the Rec center, away from the Corral.  The entire Sun Dome went under construction, bringing new life to the facilities.  The volleyball team, like the basketball programs, were forced out of their homes, but it didn't affect the volleyball team as they recorded several strong wins and saw growing freshman such as Valerie El Houssine rise up.  Coach Lessinger has a solid recruiting class coming in, a strong returning squad, and will be able to return to their home court for this upcoming season, so things are only getting better for this team.

Speaking of the new Sun Dome and the basketball programs, what a year it was for both of these teams.  The women's basketball team went 19-16 (8-8) while playing their home games in the Rec center.  They played without last year's leading scorer Andrea Smith and had to wait 15-games for touted recruit Inga Orekhova to be eligible, yet they continued to win and made it to the third round of the WNIT tournament.  Now they have a senior loaded team returning for 2013, a top recruiting class, and a new stadium to call home.  While the ladies were back in the postseason, the men's team made history as they earned their first NCAA tournament bid in 20 years.  The team went 22-14 (12-6) and upset Villanova (on the road), Pitt (on the road) and even Louisville (on the road as well) as Coach Heath turned the team around and led them to new heights (into the round of 32).  Energy is back for the basketball programs and with the two big seasons, it put both teams back on the map and got the fans more excited than ever, but this wasn't the last big story of the fall.

Soccer fever swept over the campus as the men's and women's team opened up the new stadium on campus.  The ladies went 6-8-4 (2-6-3), but have a talented team returning next season and showed to everyone how close they are to breaking through to the next level.  The men's team claimed the Big East red division title with an impressive record of 13-4-4 (7-0-2) led by striker Dom Dwyer and goalkeeper Chris Blais.  The team made it all the way to the elite eight of the NCAA tournament.  Dwyer was also taken in the 1st round of the MLS draft and Coach Keifer already has another star recruiting class coming in for next season as the team continues to win every year.

After an exciting fall, the spring got even hotter as the baseball, softball, tennis, golf, and track teams all continued the winning trend (basketball continued into March, it was wild).

The softball team was the talk of the spring.  The ladies, 50-14 (17-5) had a historic season with multiple upsets and a trip to the WCWS, the first time in program history.  The ladies knocked off top teams such as FSU, Michigan and Florida and hosted the super regional for the first time as well.  Nevins, Kafalas and others all held elevate the program on the national stage and set the ground work for even greater heights for the team in the near future.

The baseball team had an outstanding season themselves as the basebulls went 38-22 (18-11) and made it to the Big East tournament championship game for the first time in program history.  The Bulls were able to beat UF on the road and played against the New York Yankees, making for a memorable season as the program turned around after a disappointing 2011 season.

While the teams were tearing it up on the diamonds, there was plenty going on elsewhere.  USF track and field had their best finishes in Big East history as the men finished second and women finished third this season.  The women's golf team was able to hold off Notre Dame as they claimed their first ever Big East title in program history.  On the men's side, freshman Trey Valentine made it to the NCAA regionals.  On the tennis courts, both teams finished 2nd in the Big East tournaments and Ecaterina Vasenina made it to the NCAA tournament in the singals category. 

What a year it was.  It seemed that every team was making it to the postseason, setting program records, and energizing the student body like never before.   Add in the new Sun Dome, great new facilities that continued to help the teams grow, and the tremendous coaching staffs that led the way, it was a year for the record books for USF athletics.

So the question is open to debate and discussion, was this past year the best season in USF history for all the athletic programs?  Was there another year where so many teams excelled and made so many postseason runs and program setting records?  Let's talk!