Orientation: 2010–11: The year in BYU sports

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BYU has collected many academic honors over the years, but the university is perhaps more famous as a sports mecca.

Cougar fans fill up LaVell Edwards Stadium and the Marriott Center regularly for football and men’s basketball, and also take pride in the success of the other sports BYU offers. BYU is home to 21 teams participating in the NCAA, as well as club teams like hockey, men’s soccer and rugby.

And for all these sports, victories and championships are the norm. During the 2010-11 season alone, 11 of BYU’s 21 NCAA sports had winning seasons and six competed in NCAA championships. The men’s track team, led by the record-breaking Miles Batty, reached the highest of any BYU team in 2010-11 with a third place finish in the NCAA indoor championships.

[media-credit name=”Luke Hansen” align=”alignleft” width=”227″][/media-credit]
BYU RB JJ DiLuigi scores the Cougar's first touchdown on last year against San Diego State in LaVell Edwards Stadium. The Cougars beat the Aztecs 24-21.
The club sports have also found plenty of success. Men’s rugby and lacrosse made it to the championship game in their league, with lacrosse took the title. And the BYU racquetball team recently won fourth place at a national championship.

No matter what the sport, BYU students love to cheer on their Cougars.

“The atmosphere at sporting events is so fun, because all the students are really into it, and usually pretty passionate about the sports,” said Kimberlie Haner, a sophomore from Portland, Ore., and a BYU superfan. “It’s a lot of fun to be around other people who care as much as you about what’s going to happen.”

BYU is fresh off an extraordinary year led by Jimmer Fredette and the men’s basketball team. Fredette was the center of a season-long media frenzy, with a whopping 28.9 points per game average and a mesmerizing style to match. He led the Cougars to the Sweet 16 round of the NCAA basketball tournament, the farthest BYU has advanced in 30 years.

But what makes Fredette even better, Haner said, is the positive attention he brings to BYU.

“It’s just really cool to have someone out there who’s the same as us here, same beliefs, goes to our school, is just a great guy in general,” Haner said. “And so it’s really great having him out there in the media as a role model for tons of people.”

In fact, the Honor Code is what helps Haner enjoy BYU sports even more.

“The athletes have the same standards as us, so that makes it special as well,” Haner said. “You can go to any sporting event, and you won’t hear people yelling out curse words or coming to games drunk.”

This year, most BYU sports will make their debut in the West Coast Conference, after an 12-year dominance over the Mountain West Conference. While those sports switch to the WCC, BYU’s legendary football program begins its independence, led by sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps.

“I think football will be good, because we got Heaps, and he’s good,” Haner said.

Last year, Heaps broke every record for a freshman quarterback at BYU, and threw 2,316 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Haner said new students should do whatever it takes to attend BYU’s sporting events.

“I would say don’t be afraid to go. Some people are nervous to go, ‘Oh, I don’t want to have to wait in line,’ or ‘What if I don’t know people sitting around me?’” Haner said. “It doesn’t matter if you don’t know who you’re sitting next to. They love sports, too. I’ve made so many friends at basketball games, and I’ve made some at football games.”

 

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