Post by Whup Em All on Jun 1, 2021 15:13:49 GMT -6
JSU will officially enter the ASUN for all sports effective July 1, with the exception of Rifle, which will continue to compete as affiliate members in the OVC.
So let's take Rifle off the table. Nothing changes for them.
Technically, Football will play in the AQ7 -- not the ASUN -- this fall, but since that partnership is a result of our ASUN move, I'll count it as an ASUN sport.
That leaves 15 sports (out of 16) which will compete in the ASUN beginning this fall.
So how many championships do you believe JSU will win in Year One of our return to the ASUN (2021-2022)?
Here's some background on the competition:
FOOTBALL - The AQ7 did not exist in 2020-21, but JSU won the OVC, and the defending National Champion Sam Houston State Bearkats won the SFL. UCA was a Top 10 team in 2019.
MEN'S HOOPS - Liberty (23-6) won their 3rd straight ASUN tourney, fighting off UNA (13-11) who came on strong in the tourney. Bellarmine (14-8) and Lipscomb (15-12) can't be ruled out, and FGCU (10-8) has signed a great looking recruiting class. EKU (22-7) will add to the intrigue this season. The Gamecocks finished 18-9 this March.
WOMEN'S HOOPS - FGCU (26-3) was dominant this season, with Liberty (19-8) also looking strong. The Lady Gamecocks finished 15-9 this season.
BASEBALL - In the regular season, Liberty (39-14) led the way, followed by KSU (29-22) and FGCU (28-20). JU (16-32) turned it way up in the postseason and won the conference tourney. The Gamecocks finished a disappointing 26-27, just missing on a bid to the OVC tourney.
SOFTBALL - It was an uncharacteristic down year for Gamecock softball, finishing just under .500 at 24-25. Facing the ladies next spring will be UCA (37-19), EKU (35-17), and ASUN powers Liberty (44-15), FGCU (28-19), and a host of strong teams which finished at or near .500 like JSU.
VOLLEYBALL - JSU (16-2) was crazy strong this past season, finishing second to an equally strong Morehead team in the OVC. This year, they'll be up against ASUN champs Lipscomb (17-3), ASUN runner up FGCU (14-3), and a strong KSU squad (11-3). Fellow newcomer UCA (11-7) was a semifinalist in the Southland tourney in April.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL - The ASUN fields several strong beach volleyball teams, including defending champ UNF (24-10), Stetson (19-13), FGCU (17-15), and Coastal Carolina (24-8). UCA's team (18-16) lost a close match against eventual Southland champ Houston Baptist in their conference tourney. JSU finished 5-9 in 2021.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - UNF is dominant in men's XC, with Liberty also a very strong team. Joining the mix is a very strong EKU team which finished 2nd to EIU in the OVC Championship. The UCA men finished a respectable 5th in the Southland. The JSU men did not compete in the OVC championship this spring.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - Liberty won the women's ASUN XC championship in dominating fashion this spring, with Lipscomb and UNF also well represented among the top finishers. Both EKU and UCA won championships in their respective conferences this spring. JSU finished 10th in the OVC.
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD - Liberty is the clear favorite in men's track and field. Kennesaw and Lipscomb were also strong this past season. EKU and UCA finished middle of the pack in their conferences. The Gamecock men did not compete in the OVC championships.
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD - Again, Liberty leads the way, with Kennesaw and Jacksonville on their heels. EKU and UCA were mid-tier teams in their conferences. The Lady Gamecocks finished 8th in the OVC.
MEN'S GOLF - The ASUN features a couple of nationally ranked programs, with No. 13 Liberty (20-under) winning the championship over No. 18 UNF (+9). FGCU (-7) and JU (-2) also performed well in the championship. The JSU men finished 5th in the OVC at +9.
WOMEN'S GOLF - The Kennesaw Lady Owls were the team to beat in the ASUN, finishing 12-under en route to their 3rd ASUN championship. UNF had a tough tourney (+18) but finished No. 43 nationally for the season. The JSU ladies won the OVC at 3-under, finishing well ahead of 2nd place EKU (+21). UCA's women finished a very close 2nd to Sam Houston in the Southland championship.
MEN'S TENNIS - Liberty won its first men's ASUN title while garnering a No. 39 national ranking, sweeping FGCU in the conference finals. The JSU men finished 2nd in the OVC with a 10-6 record.
WOMEN'S TENNIS - The UNF ladies won the ASUN title and advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament, finishing with a No. 49 national ranking. Liberty was also strong, closing the season with an 18-7 record. The Lady Gamecocks were a 4-seed in the OVC tourney, finishing 3rd overall with a 9-10 record. UCA finished 4th in the Southland, at 13-10.
So let's take Rifle off the table. Nothing changes for them.
Technically, Football will play in the AQ7 -- not the ASUN -- this fall, but since that partnership is a result of our ASUN move, I'll count it as an ASUN sport.
That leaves 15 sports (out of 16) which will compete in the ASUN beginning this fall.
So how many championships do you believe JSU will win in Year One of our return to the ASUN (2021-2022)?
Here's some background on the competition:
FOOTBALL - The AQ7 did not exist in 2020-21, but JSU won the OVC, and the defending National Champion Sam Houston State Bearkats won the SFL. UCA was a Top 10 team in 2019.
MEN'S HOOPS - Liberty (23-6) won their 3rd straight ASUN tourney, fighting off UNA (13-11) who came on strong in the tourney. Bellarmine (14-8) and Lipscomb (15-12) can't be ruled out, and FGCU (10-8) has signed a great looking recruiting class. EKU (22-7) will add to the intrigue this season. The Gamecocks finished 18-9 this March.
WOMEN'S HOOPS - FGCU (26-3) was dominant this season, with Liberty (19-8) also looking strong. The Lady Gamecocks finished 15-9 this season.
BASEBALL - In the regular season, Liberty (39-14) led the way, followed by KSU (29-22) and FGCU (28-20). JU (16-32) turned it way up in the postseason and won the conference tourney. The Gamecocks finished a disappointing 26-27, just missing on a bid to the OVC tourney.
SOFTBALL - It was an uncharacteristic down year for Gamecock softball, finishing just under .500 at 24-25. Facing the ladies next spring will be UCA (37-19), EKU (35-17), and ASUN powers Liberty (44-15), FGCU (28-19), and a host of strong teams which finished at or near .500 like JSU.
VOLLEYBALL - JSU (16-2) was crazy strong this past season, finishing second to an equally strong Morehead team in the OVC. This year, they'll be up against ASUN champs Lipscomb (17-3), ASUN runner up FGCU (14-3), and a strong KSU squad (11-3). Fellow newcomer UCA (11-7) was a semifinalist in the Southland tourney in April.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL - The ASUN fields several strong beach volleyball teams, including defending champ UNF (24-10), Stetson (19-13), FGCU (17-15), and Coastal Carolina (24-8). UCA's team (18-16) lost a close match against eventual Southland champ Houston Baptist in their conference tourney. JSU finished 5-9 in 2021.
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - UNF is dominant in men's XC, with Liberty also a very strong team. Joining the mix is a very strong EKU team which finished 2nd to EIU in the OVC Championship. The UCA men finished a respectable 5th in the Southland. The JSU men did not compete in the OVC championship this spring.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY - Liberty won the women's ASUN XC championship in dominating fashion this spring, with Lipscomb and UNF also well represented among the top finishers. Both EKU and UCA won championships in their respective conferences this spring. JSU finished 10th in the OVC.
MEN'S TRACK & FIELD - Liberty is the clear favorite in men's track and field. Kennesaw and Lipscomb were also strong this past season. EKU and UCA finished middle of the pack in their conferences. The Gamecock men did not compete in the OVC championships.
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD - Again, Liberty leads the way, with Kennesaw and Jacksonville on their heels. EKU and UCA were mid-tier teams in their conferences. The Lady Gamecocks finished 8th in the OVC.
MEN'S GOLF - The ASUN features a couple of nationally ranked programs, with No. 13 Liberty (20-under) winning the championship over No. 18 UNF (+9). FGCU (-7) and JU (-2) also performed well in the championship. The JSU men finished 5th in the OVC at +9.
WOMEN'S GOLF - The Kennesaw Lady Owls were the team to beat in the ASUN, finishing 12-under en route to their 3rd ASUN championship. UNF had a tough tourney (+18) but finished No. 43 nationally for the season. The JSU ladies won the OVC at 3-under, finishing well ahead of 2nd place EKU (+21). UCA's women finished a very close 2nd to Sam Houston in the Southland championship.
MEN'S TENNIS - Liberty won its first men's ASUN title while garnering a No. 39 national ranking, sweeping FGCU in the conference finals. The JSU men finished 2nd in the OVC with a 10-6 record.
WOMEN'S TENNIS - The UNF ladies won the ASUN title and advanced to the 2nd round of the NCAA tournament, finishing with a No. 49 national ranking. Liberty was also strong, closing the season with an 18-7 record. The Lady Gamecocks were a 4-seed in the OVC tourney, finishing 3rd overall with a 9-10 record. UCA finished 4th in the Southland, at 13-10.