(09-09-2020 10:16 AM)TexanMark Wrote:  

(09-09-2020 10:10 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  ^ 'Tis a good time to be a Bearcat fan.

- Football has consistently been very good since 2000, especially starting in 2006. Coming off back-to-back 11 win seasons, they return 16/22 starters from last year plus get their best defensive player from 2018 who sat out due to an injury. Luke Fickell turns down Michigan State and several other P5 jobs and signs an extension that pays him $3.4M a year. The assistant pool bumped to $3.85M. DC Marcus Freeman picked the #1 coordinator in CFB. He just signed a new two-year deal. Last year team had the #41 Recruiting Class in the Country (best outside the P5). Dennis Dodd and Desmond Howard has picked them to make the CFP this year.

- In addition to the historical accomplishments, the team has been to 9 straight NCAAT's. Won the regular season in the AAC last year. Have three key transfers coming in this year and John Brannen is recruiting at a higher level than Mick Cronin did. Basketball arena packed every night, top 30 in attendance in the country.

- Baseball team won the conference tournament in 2018 (last year's season shot due to the Rona).

- Women's hoops, historically a joke, is trending upwards with two 22+ win seasons and a WNIT bid (would have been in last year but Rona).

- Women's Volleyball made the Sweet 16, led by Olympian Jordan Thompson.

- 16/17 of the teams in the athletic department have posted a 3.0 or better for 23 consecutive grading periods. After the Spring of 2019 the department recorded an all-time collective GPA high of 3.372.

I agree...huge strides. Started in CUSA with the initial improvements of the stadium. Cincy, Memphis and Houston all bring in the kicker of basketball cachet.

Cuse played at Cincy in the mid 90s and all I remember was seeing that industrial or steam plant in the background. It looked hideous. Cincy is probably my favorite CUSA stadium. The Liberty Bowl is historic and cool too. Navy probably next

Yeah I did not even go into the facility improvements. In the past 6 years UC has had a $90M football and a $90M basketball project. Going back to the early 2000s, UC invested $100M into the Varsity Village project. There have been significant upgrades to dorms and new academic buildings, etc. taking place. Off campus has also seen tremendous change in the past decade. This campus is unrecognizable from when I attended in the early 90s. As a season ticket holder in football and hoops I marvel at all the newness every time I make the trip.