Out of the media spotlight lie successful, strong teams
This past year has been excruciating for Buffs fans. With a football team that finished 2-10 and a men’s basketball team that appears to be going nowhere, CU has had little to boast about when it comes to its major athletic programs.
However, some of the programs that don’t get a lot of attention from the media have done well for CU this year. Despite a lack of fan support, the often forgotten teams at CU are slowly on the rise.
With Valentine’s Day around the corner, it’s time to show some love for the CU athletic teams that did well in the shadow of the lackluster football and men’s basketball teams.
For starters, the CU volleyball team had an excellent 2006 season. The girls beat three ranked teams during the year, which included No. 1 Nebraska in Boulder. They were the only team to beat the Nebraska, who eventually won the NCAA championship game in December.
The team finished the season ranked No. 24 in a coaches’ poll and with an overall record of 17-12. Senior Ashley Nu’u, who was named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America third team, played an important role in the Buffs’ success through-out the season by establishing a solid offensive attack.
The CU volleyball team could not have had success last season without Head Coach Pi’i Aiu.
Aiu has been with the CU volleyball program since the inaugural season in 1986. With the coaching of Aiu, the team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last semester in Boulder. He is clearly one of the best coaches at CU.
A school that is located at the base of the Rocky Mountains can have some advantages in athletic competition — the Buffs have always had an amazing skiing program.
Last year, the ski team won the 2006 National Championship, giving the program a total of 16 NCAA Championships. The Buffs are already defending their title well this season, winning the Utah Invitational in January. CU has arguably the best skiing program in college athletics.
Another program forgotten by Buffs fans is the CU women’s soccer team.
The girls had one of their best seasons, reaching the Sweet 16 of the 2006 NCAA Women’s College Cup. The team finished 14-6-4 on the season. In his time at CU, Head Coach Bill Hempen has taken the women’s soccer program to another level.
The CU volleyball team, ski team and women’s soccer team are starting to emerge as the best programs the Buffs have to offer. The football and basketball programs are in a rebuilding stage right now, so Buffs fans will have to look elsewhere for athletic prominence. While most fan interest is geared toward Buffs’ football, the less popular programs that have good seasons will hardly be noticed by the students.
The programs at CU that are up-and-coming right now all have well established coaches and talented players. The only thing these programs lack is fan support. But these teams find ways to be successful without filling a stadium with 53,750 eager fans on a Saturday afternoon.
Contact Campus Press Staff Writer Kyle McDaniel at kyle.mcdaniel@thecampuspress.com.
