sunbelt all sports trophy

[trojanleader]

any prospects on our spring sports like tennis, softball, baseball? it would be great to win the sunbelt all sports trophy after football winning title.

[TU/JSU Fan]

baseball should win again... softball should be better than last year. I don't know about tennis. Basketball has a good shot at winning once the team is up to full strength. Justin Jonus is going to add a lot to the team.

Not to mention Boo coming back then (I think).

Michael

[BlueRaiderPride]

any prospects on our spring sports like tennis, softball, baseball? it would be great to win the sunbelt all sports trophy after football winning title.

Right now, Western Kentucky leads the All-Sports Standings with Louisiana, North Texas, and Middle Tennessee close behind. Troy is way down on the list and here's why:

*Soccer finished 2-15-1 overall and 1-10 in the Sun Belt. Troy finished 12th overall. The divisions in soccer are not split. Also University of New Orleans isn't sponsoring that sport right now which is why Troy's finish is where it's at.

*Volleyball finished 9-24 overall and 3-14 in the Sun Belt. That's good enough for a 5th place finish in the Sun Belt East Division ahead of only South Alabama.

Here's why it's going to be VERY hard for Troy to win the conference all-sports trophy this year. With Western Kentucky near the top of the standings even WITHOUT football, you're already in trouble because now you not only need most of the rest of your sports to finish near the top, you're going to need schools like Western Kentucky and Middle Tennessee who are near the top or at the top to finish near the bottom to make up the difference and that's not going to happen. WKU currently sits atop the Sun Belt standings in men's hoops having played one very strong schedule. They are most likely going to steamroll the men's basketball schedule while Middle Tennessee currently having played the strongest schedule on the women's side will likely take the women's basketball crown for the 4th straight year though Western Kentucky, Florida International, ULM, UNT, and Arkansas State will be very tough as well.

Troy will probably take the baseball title, but Louisiana and Western Kentucky as well as Middle Tennessee and South Alabama will be close behind. Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns likely will get the softball title. There's hardly anyone this league that can compete with them.

Men's Tennis will likely go to Middle Tennessee. Last year, the Blue Raiders had a doubles team make it all the way to the Final Four before being eliminated by Pepperdine.

Not really sure about women's tennis.

Western Kentucky was the dominant force in track. Middle Tennessee has up and down years. It's really hard to say there.

[Troy87]

BRP,

Good post. Yes it's going to be difficult for us to get the All-sports trophy, but I disagree with some of your assessments, largely because, with the exception of Football, last year was our first year in the league, and I think it was a year of adaptation. I think this year, though we haven't played at all the venues in all the sports, we will have our feet under us a little better, and know what to expect.

I agree with your assessments on Basketball, except I think Troy's Mens & Women's team will be more competitive this year than they were last year. I think we will probably be in the middle of the pack on both counts.

In Baseball, we will be near the top, but I'm not sure we can duplicate last year's effort with the loss of so many key players to the draft. However, if the team finds its chemistry early on (we better, because we open at home against Arkansas), it could be a repeat and an even stronger team than last year.

Last year our Softball team took an uncharacteristic nosedive. We knew we had lost some key leadership from the team the year before, but I don't think we thought it was so much. Look for them to rebound and compete for the title.

Men's and Women's Tennis look good, particualrly the Men's side. The women last year finished with a good record and ranked in the FILA top 75 in the country. Essentially, the same team is back for the Women, so I expect improvement there. The Men seem to have picked up a lot in the offseason, and I look for them to be much more competitive this year. Overall though, I say about top third of the Conference.

Indoor Track & Field is coming along very nicely. The Women just had a great meet up at Ark. St. In our history, Track has been a stalwart for us, and I look for us to be very close to a title, if not this year, in the next year or two. In the Atlantic Sun, the men won seven of the last eight conference titles (the last was 2005). Give us a year or two and we'll be up there.

I expect by next season, we'll be competing for the All-Sport Trophy.

[D1Trojan4U]

innnside information!! ....and I go to BRP for my MTSU analysis.

(this post will only be comprehended by those cool enough to watch around the horn)

Amazing that WKU is so dominant in the all-aports picture, without even having football.

[BlueRaiderPride]

innnside information!! ....and I go to BRP for my MTSU analysis.

(this post will only be comprehended by those cool enough to watch around the horn)

Amazing that WKU is so dominant in the all-aports picture, without even having football.

WKU is greatly assisted by sponsoring Men's and Women's Swimming and Diving. Not many schools have that--not even us. Winning the All-Sports Trophy will get alot tougher when Western Kentucky brings their football aboard because that's the one sport that has helped Middle Tennessee win the trophy three years since we joined the Sun Belt in '01 and we barely edged Western. Football may be all they need to put them over the top.

It should also be said, WKU has the largest athletic budget of any program in the Sun Belt with close to $20 Million.

[TUrocks]

innnside information!! ....and I go to BRP for my MTSU analysis.

(this post will only be comprehended by those cool enough to watch around the horn)

Amazing that WKU is so dominant in the all-aports picture, without even having football.

Is BRP Woodrow Paige or Jay Mariotti (For his sake, I hope he's not Mariotti....being a Chicago native, I completely loathe that man)

[D1Trojan4U]

He doesnt seem as bitter as Mariotti, He's not as funny as Paige, not as smooth as J.A. Adande (what a cool name), and not as cool as Michael Smith. He is one of three people, weird Kevin Blackistone, muppet voiced Jim Armstrong, or the epitome of style and grace....Jackie McMullan. Probably the latter.

[BlueRaiderPride]

Here's the updated standings to the all-sports trophy. This was posted on the BlueRaiderZone.com messsageboared. Middle Tennesssee is currently sitting on the top, but Western Kentucky will regain the lead when they are assessed points for the MSD (Men's Swimming and Diving) and WSD (Women's Swimming and Diving). Hardly any Sun Belt teams including Middle Tennessee offer those sports.

http://admin.xosn.com/pdf7/54432.pdf?SPSID=22245&SPID=1817&KEY=CBVLZLBKTHAQHQA.20061206173009&DB_ACCOUNT_TYPE=AGENT&DB_MENU_ID=286&DB_LANG=C&DB_OEM_ID=4100

[trojanleader]

our spring sports will be solid. both tennis teams will compete for titles along with baseball. we are pretty far behind in the standings now but will make up room.

[Troy87]

If the Women's Basketball continues on, I think they may surprise a lot of opponents this year.

And BTW, where's the category for Rodeo? If WKU can have Swimming and Diving, why can't we have Rodeo in there too?

You want to see athletes? Go to a rodeo event! Some of the best people in the world, literally busting their butts for the sport they love, so they can get an education. Plus they drive themselves and their horses to each event.

[klisonsteve]

The Sun Belt Conference honored the academic and athletic achievements for both of schools and student-athletes. The Blue Raiders won or shared Sun Belt Conference titles in volleyball, football, women’s basketball and men’s outdoor track and field and have won the overall sports trophy four of their seven years in the league.