MTSU Sidelines

Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: MT Media Relations/Photo Illustration by Eric Shuff

Since Middle Tennessee State University became a full-time member of the Sun Belt Conference in 2000, success has become synonymous with its athletic program. The Vic Bubas Cup, given each year to the university that comes in first in the Sun Belt's all-sports standings, has been awarded to MT four out of the last seven years.

With four sports to finish their seasons in 2008, MT is in second place behind Western Kentucky, 108.5 to 113.

The most successful team this season was MT's volleyball team, which finished the season with a record of 35-3 and 14-1 in conference play. After winning the regular season and tournament championships, MT made it to round 16 in the NCAA Tournament but fell to Brigham Young University, 3-0.

The soccer team tied for second overall in regular season play before falling in the first round of the SBC Championships due to penalty kicks.

MT's men's basketball team scored an upset in the SBC Championships over top-seeded South Alabama before falling in the finals to Western Kentucky.

After finishing a record-breaking senior season, Amber Holt, of MT's women's basketball program, was drafted ninth overall to the Connecticut Sun.

During the 2006-2007 sports season, MT won or shared conference championships in football, volleyball, and women's basketball while enjoying postseason success in men's outdoor track and volleyball.

Chrissy Givens, the 2007 SBC female player of the year, was also named first team all-conference, ESPN Academic All-American Player of the year, and was selected 31st overall in the WNBA draft after finishing her senior season.

Women's basketball head coach Rick Insell, was the conference women's basketball coach of the year guiding his team to a 30 - 4 record. MT's 27-game win streak was the longest in the nation before it ended.

The football team was led by Coach Rick Stockstill, who in his first season was named conference football coach of the year. The Blue Raiders won a share of the Sun Belt Conference Championship and a trip to a Division I-A bowl game - their first in school history. Damon Nickson and Franklin Dunbar were named to the 2007 All-America checklist by the Football Writers Association of America.

Other highlights from 2007 include MT's baseball team defeating Vanderbilt - the number one team in the nation at the time- and Marco Born and Andreas Siljestrom winning the 2007 NCAA National Championship in men's doubles tennis.

Since its inception, MT has won or shared 28 Sun Belt Conference Championships, 144 Ohio Valley Conference Championships, 135 NCAA Appearances, 10 Ohio Valley Conference All-Sports Trophies, six members of the Ohio Valley Conference Hall of Fame, and 12 National Championships.

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