Every time the start of a new season rolls around, regardless of the sport, we know which schools to expect at the top of the collegiate polls. For football, it's USC; for basketball, it's Duke; for volleyball, it's Penn State; for hockey, it's Minnesota.
Every sport has a team that can be expected to be among the best of the best, year after year, no matter what the circumstances.
But it is rare for a school to be among the best of the best regardless of the sport, year after year, no matter what the circumstances. For one college or university to have three or more athletic teams among the nation's elite is an admirable feat, one that not many schools can claim. However, there are a few schools that seem to stand above the rest, showing athletic prowess in a variety of capacities and could be considered as the finest collections of athletic programs in the country.
One team that has merit for the most complete, cross-sport athletic program in the nation would be Southern California. The Trojans are typically seen in top-25 polls on a yearly basis in football, volleyball, men's basketball and women's soccer, which won the national championship last year. Few teams have drawn as much national attention to their program as USC football, which has stood atop the national rankings for more weeks than any other school in the past five years.
But another team that could give the Trojans a run for their money would be Ohio State. The Buckeyes have been national runners-up in the last two football championships and the 2007 NCAA men's basketball tournament. They are perennial players on the football, men's basketball, women's basketball and men's soccer scenes. Being the usual favorites to win the Big Ten conference in each of these sports over the last few years has made the Buckeyes one of the most visible leaders in the national media.
Also among the nation's best all-around athletic schools is Louisiana State. The Tigers hold claim to two of the last five football national championships and are frequent members of the top-25 clubs in baseball, football, women's basketball, women's volleyball, and until the past two years, men's basketball. Their visibility in such an array of sports make them a delightful choice for anyone who wishes to surround themselves in athletic talent.
Prior to and since its haul of championships in 2006 and 2007, Florida has always been a force to be reckoned with in the SEC. The football and back-to-back men's basketball titles only worked to further legitimize their potency as a multi-sport threat. Their prominence in softball, women's volleyball and women's soccer has also played into the national rankings.
Texas has also had plenty to cheer about in recent years. After an outstanding victory in the national championship football game during the 2005 campaign, the Longhorns have since seen continued success in football, men's basketball, women's volleyball and softball.
To a lesser degree, Penn State, who has storied football and women's soccer programs, could also be considered one of the finer schools to attend for collegiate athletics due to the addition of national titles in both men's and women's volleyball to their trophy cabinet. The trouble with the Nittany Lions is their lack of ability in both men's and women's basketball. Neither program has seen much success in the last several years and takes away from the school's overall athletic dexterity.
UCLA is another school that always seems to be in the thick of the competition, no matter what sport they participate in. They nearly always find themselves ranked in softball, men's and women's soccer, men's basketball, men's and women's volleyball, and until recent years, football.
Other honorable mentions to this list would certainly include Arizona State, which often breaks the national polls in a number of sports and took the softball title in 2008; Wisconsin, which earned titles in men's and women's hockey and track during the past four years; and North Carolina, which is known for basketball but has also made waves in soccer, baseball and softball.
Think Andy left someone off his list? Tell him at avansistine@wisc.edu.
