South Florida has historic 2011-12 sports year

[Ricky the Bull]

http://www2.tbo.com/...year-ar-412863/

TAMPA It was emotional, breathtaking, exciting. But mostly, the University of South Florida's 2011-12 athletic year was historic.

Men's basketball reached its first NCAA tournament in 20 years and nearly made the Sweet 16. Softball stormed into the Women's College World Series. Men's soccer advanced to the Elite Eight. Baseball played for the Big East championship, while women's golf won a conference title.

The campus had a different look with the new softball stadium and soccer facility playing to sellout crowds. Meanwhile, the renovated Sun Dome was dedicated and a whole new era for USF basketball is ahead.

Today, The Tampa Tribune looks back at the USF year that was and looks at things to come.

Senior salute

• Ron Anderson Jr. (men's basketball) – A physical presence and emotional heartbeat on USF's 22-14 NCAA tournament team.
  

• Chaz Hine (football) – A true student-athlete. Dependable offensive lineman, excellent in the classroom, an opera singer, committed to community service, unlimited future.
  

• Gina Kafalas (softball) – Leadoff batter and defensive standout in right field whose personality helped to stabilize the Bulls and send them to Women's College World Series.
  

• Jessica Mouse (softball) – LSU transfer packed a career's worth of value into one USF season, providing leadership, timely hitting and Gold Glove-level play at third base.
  

• Jasmine Wynne (women's basketball) – Improved her scoring average by more than 12 points (to 15.6) and became the leader of a team that reached the WNIT's third round.
  

Quotable

"We want to disrupt you. We want to smell your breath. We want to get underneath your skin. We want to make life miserable for you.'' – men's basketball coach Stan Heath, on USF's aggressive defense

"This was a long offseason. Way too long.'' – football coach Skip Holtz as spring drills began, after USF failed to make a bowl game for the first time since 2004

"Why would anyone want to hire you? You were 5-7.'' – Jennifer Holtz, Skip's wife, reacting to reports he was a possible candidate for the Arkansas job

"My wife calls me the idiot savant of softball. I'm not sure if that's a compliment. I'm not even sure if she used the word 'savant,' to be honest with you.'' – softball coach Ken Eriksen on his time-consuming video study

"I guess if TCU is in the Big East, geography isn't much of a factor in conferences any more.'' – athletic director Doug Woolard, shortly before vagabond TCU left for the Big 12 and the Big East added Boise State and San Diego State

Magic moments

• Men's soccer defeats No. 1-ranked New Mexico in a shootout, ending it on a save by goalkeeper Chris Blais to send the Bulls into the Elite Eight.
  

• Men's basketball freshman point guard Anthony Collins drives inside, gets fouled and calmly sinks two free throws with 3.2 seconds left, giving the Bulls an ultra-important 46-45 win against Cincinnati.
  

• Men's basketball, with CBS-TV cameras capturing the moment, learns it has received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, ending a 20-year drought. Judy Genshaft sets the high-jump record for a USF president.
  

• Softball wins back-to-back 2-1 games against Hofstra to clinch the best-of-three NCAA super regional before a packed house.
  

• Football opens its season with a 23-20 victory at No. 16 Notre Dame, the alma mater of USF coach Skip Holtz.
  

Great efforts

• Men's soccer player Dom Dwyer leads the Big East in goals (16).
  

• Softball sophomore pitcher Sara Nevins throw a no-hitter against Central Connecticut and a perfect game the next day against Toledo.
  

• More Nevins: In the Gainesville regional, she escapes a bases-loaded, none-out jam against home-standing Florida with two strikeouts and a grounder, preserving USF's 1-0 victory.
  

• Men's basketball sophomore swingman Victor Rudd Jr. scores 24 points against St. John's – all in the second half.
  

• Men's basketball allows an average of 56.6 points per game, setting a Big East defensive record.
  

Notable numbers

1 – Strokes separating first-place USF and second-place Notre Dame after three rounds of the women's golf conference tournament, which gave the Bulls the fourth overall Big East team title in school history.

3 – Football losses the Bulls suffered on final-play field goals – against Rutgers (OT), Miami and West Virginia.

22 – Consecutive missed field-goal attempts by men's basketball in the first half of a second-round NCAA tournament game, a 58-44 victory against Temple.

63 – Lee Roy Selmon (R.I.P.)

201 – Feet the discus was thrown by senior track and field athlete Jared Thomas, who set a school record and placed third nationally.

Predictions: Looking ahead

• Football goes 9-3, wins the Big East in a tiebreaker with Louisville and plays in its first BCS game, the Orange Bowl.
  

• Men's basketball breaks attendance records at the renovated Sun Dome, earns its second consecutive NCAA tournament bid and begins postseason play as a No. 7 seed at Kentucky's Rupp Arena.
  

• Softball pitcher Sara Nevins and shortstop Kourtney Salvarola contend for first-team All-American status.
  

• Baseball, with less pitching and more hitting, bags a 40-win season and its first NCAA regional appearance since 2002.
  

• Amid realignment chaos, the Big East survives.
  

Big East honors

BASEBALL: First team – LHP Andrew Barbosa, Sr.; Second team – OF James Ramsay, So.; RHP Derrick Stultz, Sr.

MEN'S BASKETBALL: All-Rookie team – Anthony Collins, Fr.; Coach of the Year – Stan Heath.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL: Most Improved Player – Jasmine Wynne, Sr.; Second team – Jasmine Wynne, Sr.

FOOTBALL: Second team – PK Maikon Bonani, Jr.; DL Ryne Giddins, So.; RB Darrell Scott, Jr.; OG Jeremiah Warren, Sr.; CB Kayvon Webster, Jr.; S Jerrell Young, Sr.

MEN'S GOLF: Freshman of the Year – Trey Valentine; All-Big East – Branden Collins, Fr.; Trey Valentine, Fr.

WOMEN'S GOLF: Player of the Year – Christina Miller, So.; All-Big East – Christina Miller, So.; Kelli Pry, Sr.; Shena Yang, Jr.; Coach of the Year – Marci Kornegay.

MEN'S SOCCER: Offensive Player of the Year – F Dom Dwyer, Jr.; First team – F Dom Dwyer, Jr.; Third team – B Brenton Griffiths; MF Leston Paul; B Aubrey Perry; All-Rookie team – MF Wesley Charpie.

WOMEN'S SOCCER: Second team – F Chelsea Klotz, Sr.; F Demi Stokes, So.;; Third team – MF Taylor Patterson, Jr.; All-Rookie team – MF Anne Vikre, Fr.

SOFTBALL: First Team – SS Kourtney Salvarola, So.; Second team – 1B Stephanie Medina, So.; LHP Sara Nevins, So.; OF Janine Richardson, Sr.

MEN'S TENNIS: All-Big East – Wael Kilani, Sr.; Federico Sabogal, So.

WOMEN'S TENNIS: All-Big East – Loreto Alonso Martinez, So.; Ecaterina Vasenina, Jr.

VOLLEYBALL: Second team – Valerie El Houssine, Fr.

[bulls phanatic]

Sure has been a fun year

[outrunner]

Judy Genshaft sets the high-jump record for a USF president.

[mikemcp88]

Definitely a year to remember

[BullFan98]

Proud to be a Bull. Now let's win a Big East Championship this football season!

[Skingraft]

RIP Mr. Selmon....

Thanks for getting the ball rolling and being a face for us...

[mikemcp88]

RIP Mr. Selmon....

Thanks for getting the ball rolling and being a face for us...

We owe it to this special guy bigtime

[DELdaBull]

Can we have a historic football season?

[bulls phanatic]

Can we have a historic football season?

Lets hope so. This can be the year

[Leviathan]

USF Football: 1-6 in Big East play. 1-7 in final 8 games