UW drops in Director's Cup fall rankings

The UW has established a reputation as one of the oldest and most academically respected institutions on the West Coast. But how does it compete in that other revered realm of the American university: sports? The Husky athletic program dropped from 14th in 2004 to 47th in 2005 United States Sports Academy's Director's Cup fall rankings. Stanford held tight to its 11-year run at the top spot in the rankings, which are based on an athletic department's overall excellence in men's and women's sports. Two other Pac-10 schools -- Arizona and Arizona State -- outranked Washington. With 23 sports programs and a $39.5 million annual budget, the UW has about 650 athletes competing in Washington uniforms. For many schools, a high profile sports program means prestige and can lead to a higher number of applicants and a more competitive academic atmosphere. The trend is often referred to as the "Flutie affect," after the influx of student applications to Boston College following Doug Flutie's Heisman trophy win in 1984. After Flutie graduated, the number of applicants returned to previous levels. "If the success is high-profile enough and in the regional and national media, I do believe that it increases interest in the university," said Admissions Director Philip Ballinger. "Athletic success in general, however, is not directly correlated to increased applications at large public flagship universities." The "Flutie affect" has not been proven to have an effect at the UW. After the Huskies won the Rose Bowl in 2001, the UW received 14,700 freshman applications. In 2005, after the football team suffered its worst season in school history, the UW received about 16,000 applications. Athletic Director Todd Turner expressed hope that student athletes would be drawn to the UW because of its academics. "We are in the upper echelon in the nation in terms of academic reputation," Turner said. "It's a plus [for recruiting athletes]." Gymnastics team captain Chelsea Bakken said the University's scholastic status was a draw for her. "I really enjoyed the team and coaches, along with the campus and the education I would be getting," she said. According to the most recent NCAA graduation report, Washington student athletes graduated at 68 percent, a figure above the Division I national average and on par with graduation rates for all UW students. In the Pac-10, only Stanford, with its 87 percent graduation rate, topped the UW. It's a statistic Turner would like to see more of. Hired by new UW President Mark Emmert in June 2004, Turner discovered a program plagued with "confusion and distraction." Turner said he believes the athletic program "is beginning to define itself a little more distinctly," than it had been under the management of former Athletic Director Barbara Hedges. Following a series of scandals that affected the football, basketball and softball teams and led to an NCAA declaration that the department lacked institutional control, Hedges retired in January 2004. Turner said the program is now "more focused on being a prideful, competitive, successful and financially stable athletic program," with more focus "on the welfare of our students." Turner was immediately faced with the task of hiring a new football coach. Wary of the negative publicity that athletics had been bringing to the University, Turner chose Tyrone Willingham, a coach from Notre Dame with the reputation for being tough, efficient and successful. Willingham and men's basketball coach Lorenzo Romar are now arguably the most visible faces of the UW's athletic program. "They're about being responsible and accountable, and they have great respect for the institution and its values and traditions," Turner said. The football team may be in the midst of rebuilding, but Husky athletics are still among the most respected in the country. The men's basketball team is ranked No. 13 going into its Saturday match-up with New Mexico. The team also fielded the third-best recruiting class in the nation, according to Scout.com. The Husky women's volleyball team has claimed the Pac-10 title two years in a row, and is ranked third in the nation. The next step toward presenting a more favorable image of Husky athletics is to address the facilities, Turner said. Plans to renovate Husky Stadium are underway. Turner said that while he understands Husky Stadium is "a sports icon in the Northwest," to let it sit without continued care and improvement would be "irresponsible." With some improvements, Turner believes the stadium could be among the best in the Pac-10, not only for players but also for fans, he said. Turner's proposed project will affect more than just ticket prices. The football program ran in the black this year -- a hopeful sign -- but the struggle of funding a major sports program in an academic environment remains, he said.

UW drops in Director's Cup fall rankings

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