Part II: Athletic Success

Never before in the rich tradition of Razorback Athletics, has the University of Arkansas witnessed a more successful year, collectively, than it did in 2014-15. Led by a historic national championship, four Southeastern Conference team titles, including a conference triple crown, the Razorbacks recorded a record finish in the nation’s universally recognized all-sports rankings.

Arkansas earned a program record 16th-place finish in the 2014-15 Learfield Sports Directors Cup Standings published by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of America (NACDA). The Directors Cup is a competition that tracks the nation’s most successful intercollegiate athletics programs for their performances throughout the year.

Arkansas finished the academic year with a program record 912.5 points, besting the previous point total of 830 in 2012-13 by more than 82 points. The 16th-place ranking was Arkansas’ best national finish since the current scoring format was adopted.

Of the top-15 programs in the standings, 12 have 20 or more sports in their programs. Arkansas sponsors 19 varsity sports, 16 of those programs contributed to the record-breaking point total, eclipsing the previous record of 15 teams in 2007-08.

Arkansas won its first NCAA Cham­pionship in a women’s sport, when the Razorback indoor track and field team won the 2015 NCAA Women’s Track and Field Championship at the Randal Tyson Track Center.

The Razorbacks swept both the men’s and women’s SEC Cross Country titles for the 14th time since joining the league (24 years). Since Arkansas joined the SEC, no other program has won both titles in the same year.

The women’s track and field program didn’t stop there. Led by Coach Lance Harter, the program won the third SEC triple crown in its history.


Other Notable Athletics Accomplishments:

  • For the first time in school history, Arkansas won a football bowl game and NCAA tournament games in both the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball Tournaments in the same school year
  • Arkansas was the only Division I school in the nation in 2014-15 to win a bowl game, games in both the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Basketball Tournaments and win an NCAA Baseball Regional
  • Arkansas advanced to the College World Series for the eighth time in school history including the third time in the last seven years
  • Arkansas is just one of five baseball programs to advance to the NCAA Baseball Tournament in each of the past 14 years
  • Arkansas defeated Texas 31-7 in the AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl. Arkansas has won three of its last four bowl games in football for the first time in school history
  • Arkansas’ fourth-place finish at the NCAA Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships was the best finish at that event in school history

 

From record setting performances to memorable moments, the Razorback Athletics annual report allows us to share our progress and success as we continue to focus on fulfilling our mission of developing our student-athletes academically, athletically and socially. So be sure to watch the website every day this week as we celebrate the most successful year in Razorback Athletics history!

Record-Breaking Year Series Schedule

Monday – Academic Achievement
Tuesday – Athletics Success

Wednesday – Student-Athlete Development
Thursday – Events and Economic Impact
Friday – Record Support and Investment

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