This year, UNF reached new heights with the Atlantic Sun All-Sports trophy, which awards points based upon a school’s finish in a variety of sports. UNF finished second in the women’s division, third in the men’s and third overall. The previous best was fifth.

Over the past year, UNF enjoyed success in many of its 15 collegiate sports.

Women’s cross-country was first in the conference, and the men’s basketball team made the conference tournament final in March.

Men’s and women’s tennis were victorious in their respective A-Sun conferences in April.

When UNF Athletic Director Lee Moon came to UNF in February 2009, he saw the resources available for UNF to have quality Division I athletics.

Drawing from experience at schools such as Wyoming and Marshall, the goal has been to create a broad-based athletic program, Moon said.

“We needed new energy from the [athletic director] position,” he said. “We wanted to grow revenue and support for the programs.”

To accomplish this, Moon said UNF has made a huge jump to the top part of the league this year.

“If I give the coaches the resources to do their job, then I expect them to work at a rate that gives a positive impact on their program and the overall program,” he said.

One of these coaches is Matthew Driscoll, head coach of men’s basketball, who has enjoyed success with the team.

The improvement is a great credit to the players and staff, Driscoll said.

“Men’s basketball is taking big steps,” he said. “Coach Moon has brought a sense of urgency to all programs and to the campus.”

Josh Baker, a UNF graduate with a degree in sports management, said there are some key differences between the previous and current administrations.

“I think the biggest thing Coach Moon brought is excitement,” he said. “There’s now a buzz on campus and in the Jacksonville community that I don’t think there was before.”

The recent success of the men and women‘s basketball teams in the A-Sun conference has been a real accomplishment, Baker said.

The changes have not been lost on the athletes either.

Brittany Kirkland, a UNF senior sports management senior on the women’s basketball team, said there’s been a change in UNF’s athletic teams’ mindset.

“Those guys have started a winning mentality,” she said.

The sentiment of improvement echoes across the board, Kirkland said.

“I don’t think there’s any competition between teams with men and women,” she said. “We want athletics to look good, and we’re all working together.”

In the athletics department, there is one clear goal: to win championships.

With the new coaches in place and the caliber of players UNF is able to recruit, more championships are indeed possible in the next few years.

Moon couldn’t help but use a little coach speak when expressing his feelings on UNF Athletics: “pleased but not satisfied.”