The school year is beginning to wind down and many people are either getting ready to enjoy the summer or are getting ready to graduate. This includes many of the athletes within the Idaho athletic department. And boy, do most of them have stories to tell.
This year was the last year of competing in the WAC for most of Idaho’s programs and what a way to go out. Many teams were able to go the extra mile to bring success to the programs they represented this season.
Most recently, the women’s basketball team was able to secure a second bid to the NCAA Women’s Tournament with its second straight WAC Tournament title. That of course came after the Vandal women were able to wrap up their first WAC regular season title in 29 years.
Meanwhile, the men’s basketball team shocked a lot of people by advancing to the WAC Tournament title game. They may not have received the result they wanted, but it’s a good look for the fans and recruits to see the team make it within one game of a NCAA Tournament berth.
Other sports on campus have brought success as well.
Women’s cross country was able to secure its fourth straight WAC Championship, which is an amazing accomplishment for the seniors — Alycia Butterworth, Hannah Kiser, Holly Stanton Browning and Ailene MacPherson — that have been in the program for four years. Even though those four seniors are graduating, the cross country team will not lose much, as it has amazing younger depth on its roster.
The men’s indoor track and field team were also able to wrap up a conference championship at the WAC Indoor Championships. It took a team effort, but they were able to pull it off in front of a home crowd in the Kibbie Dome.
This meant three WAC Championships in three different sports, which indeed is an impressive feat.
Many other teams were able to come close to winning their respective WAC Championships.
The swim and dive team was able to place second in San Antonio at the WAC Swimming and Diving Championships. The women’s indoor track and field team took third in their tournament.
Plus, there are still sports on campus still in season that are threats in their championships.
Women’s tennis, which has been ranked in the top 75 in ITA polls at various points during the season, looks like it has a shot at the championship.
Both men’s and women’s track and field teams are also considerable threats within the WAC. Idaho track and field coach Wayne Phipps knows what he’s doing and could add to his collection of 10 championship rings.
Idaho has seen success in many sports this season and that is a good sign for the sports that are heading to new conferences. Most Idaho sports will end up in the Big Sky, with football going to the Sun Belt for 2014-2015.
It doesn’t matter which conference the Vandals ends up in — they have shown that they can win in several sports and they will continue to have success and improve in the future.
Rick Clark can be reached at [email protected]