The Best of Times? – From the Bird’s Nest

Yesterday, UL athletics released the 2015 findings of the NACDA/CBSSports.com poll of the top athletic programs in America.  And, for the second year in a row, the Cajuns were in the Top 50.

When you have an athletic budget of just 21 million dollars, that's pretty good bang for your buck.

The Cajuns finished 44th in the nation this year after finishing 34th in 2013-14.  The NACDA poll gives point values for performance in football, men's and women's basketball, baseball and a "wild card" sport from eight other qualifying sports (obviously softball was used for UL.)  This year only three schools from the "group of five" finished ahead of the Cajuns; Boise State, BYU and San Diego State.

That's pretty good company.

Only schools that play FBS football were considered.  That means UL finished ahead of 25 "Power 5" conference schools...schools that get more in TV revenue than the entire athletic budget at Louisiana.  It should also be noted that UL finsihed ahead of every school in Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference.  The point values are all based on national rankings and post-season play.  Football is weighted more heavily than any other sport, with men's and women's basketball being the next highest rated.

Let's look at those five sports and what they have accomplished in the last two years:

FOOTBALL:  A Conference championship, two bowl appearances, two bowl victories, an 18-8 record.

MEN'S BASKETBALL--A Conference Tournament Championship, two post season appearances, 45-26 record.

WOMEN'S BASKETBALL--A Postseason Championship (WBI), the first 20-win season in nine years, a first division finish in the Sun Belt Conference, the first in nine years, a 37-28 record.

SOFTBALL--Two Conference Championships, One Conference Tournament Championship, Two NCAA Regional Championships, Two NCAA Super-Regional Appearances, One Super-Regional championship, one NCAA Women's College World Series appearance, 91-22-1 record.

BASEBALL--Two Sun Belt Conference Tournament Championships, Two NCAA Regional Championships, Two NCAA Super Regional Appearances, 100-33 record.

The athletic budget, while still lagging behind most "Group of 5" schools, has grown considerably over the last five years.  Phase one of the master plan for athletics will be completed this fall, and fund raising for phase two is making progress.

Separating the RCAF from the UL Foundation with its own full time fund raiser is imminent.  APR for each and every sport is solid.  Team GPA's and graduation rates are at an all time high.  Three of the five major sports set records in season ticket sales.

There will be many who point to what hasn't been accomplished.  And, the athletic department will be the first to say UL still has a long way to go.

But here's something no one can refute.

The Ragin' Cajuns have just enjoyed their most successful two years in the history of athletics.

When he addresses the crowd at the annual RCAF party, AD Scott Farmer gives the state of the athletic department.  He always closes by saying "You ain't seen nothin' yet."

If he's right, this is about to get REAL fun.