Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
MT shines in strong year for C-USA
6/6/2021 5:00:00 PM | General
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – Conference USA has enjoyed a banner year with member schools achieving enormous notoriety on a national scale in sports across the board.
C-USA produced a national championship in men's soccer, has four baseball teams in NCAA Regionals, had a basketball team win the WNIT, a men's team reach the Final Four of the NIT, had a volleyball team advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, had a men's golf team make the NCAA Championship, and has 11 men and nine women competing in the NCAA National Track and Field Championships next weekend.
Middle Tennessee's athletic department stood strong within the framework of one of the best overall seasons in conference history. Blue Raider teams won a C-USA best six championships in 2020-21, capturing titles in women's cross country, women's basketball, women's outdoor track and field, men's tennis, men's golf, and a women's basketball division championship. Additionally, Middle Tennessee won several individual titles in men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field.
"To win six championships speaks to the focus, pride and determination of our student-athletes," Chris Massaro, director of athletics at Middle Tennessee, said. "We led C-USA in the number of championships in a year in which C-USA was at its strongest in multiple sports. This makes this achievement even more noteworthy."
Also significant is the fact Middle Tennessee student-athletes achieved such high success competing during a global pandemic with constant uncertainty surrounding their respective seasons.
"I am especially proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff on how they handled the hardships of the pandemic," Massaro said. "They prepared well and put themselves in position to succeed during a time that was difficult for everyone. That requires determination and mental toughness in addition to their athletic ability. I am extremely proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff."
Marshall captured C-USA's first national championship when it stormed through a grueling field to win the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship, taking down No. 1 seed Clemson along the way.
Always regarded as a strong baseball conference, C-USA teams were stellar in 2021. Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion earned No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Regionals, while Charlotte and Southern Miss were awarded No. 2 seeds. In fact, Old Dominion (11) and Louisiana Tech (16) were two the National Top 16 seeds.
Rice's women's basketball team ran roughshod through the field to capture the WNIT. Men's basketball also had a solid year with North Texas defeating Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while Louisiana Tech and WKU each won games in the NIT. Louisiana Tech reached the Final Four of the NIT before falling to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs went on to win the third-place game.
WKU's volleyball team continued it's tradition of success by reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Six different C-USA schools have a total of nine student-athletes competing in the Women's Outdoor Track and Field National Championship. There are also six member schools with 11 student-athletes competing in the Men's Outdoor Track and Field National Championship.
C-USA produced a national championship in men's soccer, has four baseball teams in NCAA Regionals, had a basketball team win the WNIT, a men's team reach the Final Four of the NIT, had a volleyball team advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, had a men's golf team make the NCAA Championship, and has 11 men and nine women competing in the NCAA National Track and Field Championships next weekend.
Middle Tennessee's athletic department stood strong within the framework of one of the best overall seasons in conference history. Blue Raider teams won a C-USA best six championships in 2020-21, capturing titles in women's cross country, women's basketball, women's outdoor track and field, men's tennis, men's golf, and a women's basketball division championship. Additionally, Middle Tennessee won several individual titles in men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field.
"To win six championships speaks to the focus, pride and determination of our student-athletes," Chris Massaro, director of athletics at Middle Tennessee, said. "We led C-USA in the number of championships in a year in which C-USA was at its strongest in multiple sports. This makes this achievement even more noteworthy."
Also significant is the fact Middle Tennessee student-athletes achieved such high success competing during a global pandemic with constant uncertainty surrounding their respective seasons.
"I am especially proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff on how they handled the hardships of the pandemic," Massaro said. "They prepared well and put themselves in position to succeed during a time that was difficult for everyone. That requires determination and mental toughness in addition to their athletic ability. I am extremely proud of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff."
Marshall captured C-USA's first national championship when it stormed through a grueling field to win the NCAA Men's Soccer Championship, taking down No. 1 seed Clemson along the way.
Always regarded as a strong baseball conference, C-USA teams were stellar in 2021. Louisiana Tech and Old Dominion earned No. 1 seeds in the NCAA Regionals, while Charlotte and Southern Miss were awarded No. 2 seeds. In fact, Old Dominion (11) and Louisiana Tech (16) were two the National Top 16 seeds.
Rice's women's basketball team ran roughshod through the field to capture the WNIT. Men's basketball also had a solid year with North Texas defeating Purdue in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, while Louisiana Tech and WKU each won games in the NIT. Louisiana Tech reached the Final Four of the NIT before falling to Mississippi State. The Bulldogs went on to win the third-place game.
WKU's volleyball team continued it's tradition of success by reaching the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Six different C-USA schools have a total of nine student-athletes competing in the Women's Outdoor Track and Field National Championship. There are also six member schools with 11 student-athletes competing in the Men's Outdoor Track and Field National Championship.
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