BYU's 2006-07 season memorable

PROVO — The 2006-07 season was a memorable one for BYU athletics as the Cougars claimed numerous achievements and awards, including 14 Mountain West Conference titles.

"When you see all of the awards and accomplishments achieved by our teams and student-athletes, it really was an amazing season," said BYU athletics director Tom Holmoe.

Fourteen of the 19 BYU teams that compete in the MWC picked up championship titles this year. It is the first time since the 1978-79 season that football, men's basketball and women's basketball won outright regular-season league titles in the same year.

Gymnastics and men's volleyball, which do not compete in the MWC, also achieved success. Men's volleyball, ranked No. 1 several weeks throughout the season, finished second in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. Gymnastics followed suit, advancing to NCAA Regionals and ranking as high as No. 19.

The Cougars were well-represented at the national level. The National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics ranked BYU No. 26 in its Directors' Cup Standings, the highest-ranked school from a non-automatic BCS-qualifying conference.

Ten teams earned a top-25 final national ranking, with men's volleyball ranking the highest at No. 4. Other top-25 finishes/rankings include men's cross country (No. 8), women's soccer (No. 14), football (No. 15), women's golf (No. 16), men's golf (No. 17), women's cross country (No. 17), women's volleyball (No. 20), women's track and field (No. 21) and men's basketball (No. 24). Eighteen teams advanced to their respective postseason championships, with 17 teams qualifying for the NCAA tournament. Football proved its postseason success defeating the University of Oregon 38-8 in the Pioneer PureVision Las Vegas Bowl.

Several individual accomplishments by student-athletes contributed to the Cougars' success. Thirty-four athletes were named All-Americans in their respective sports. Josh Rohatinsky was named Division I men's cross country athlete of the year after winning the national championship, and second-round NFL Draft pick John Beck was ranked second in the nation for passing efficiency.

Additional national achievements included Niklas Arrhenius winning the NCAA championship in the discus and men's volleyball player Yamil Perez being named AVCA national newcomer of the year.

BYU's success in the MWC was evident with 156 athletes being named All-MWC, 10 of whom also received MWC Player/Athlete of the Year. Those honored with the award included Jesse Craig (baseball), Keena Young (men's basketball),