From the football team's historic comeback at Tulsa to the Learfield Cup standings, 2014-15 was a memorable season for USF Athletics. Before we turn the page to the exciting season ahead, let's take a look back at some of USF Athletics' top feats in a 10-installment summer series.
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, JULY 28, 2015 – It was a great time to be a USF men's golf fan during the 2014-15 season.
The Bulls climbed all the way up to No. 8 in the Golfstat.com national rankings after making history in head coach Steve Bradley's first season with the program.
USF had the honor of hosting the NCAA Championship at The Concession Golf Club in Bradenton and the Bulls were there in full force. Playing in the NCAA Championship final rounds for the first time, USF placed sixth in stroke play and appeared in the match play quarterfinals that aired live on Golf Channel.
“I really couldn't be happier, other than winning a national championship,” Bradley said. “I think we achieved many of our goals and had to create some new ones and achieve those, and so on. It was a really successful year for our program as a whole and I think it was very successful on a lot of individual fronts.”
USF punched its ticket to the NCAA Championship finals by topping the New Haven Regional field, which marked the Bulls' fifth tournament win of the season. Bradley's squad also captured titles at The Invitational at The Ocean Course, the Gator Invitational and the Irish Creek Collegiate before winning the American Athletic Conference championship.
USF broke another single-season program record with four individual title victories. Chase Koepka started things off with a win at the season-opening Invitational at The Ocean Course. American Freshman of the Year Claudio Correa topped the field at the Gator Invitational. Sophomore Rigel Fernandes earned a share of the individual championship at the Irish Creek Collegiate and senior Ryan Fricker edged eventual NCAA individual champion Bryson Dechambeau of SMU at the conference championship.
Correa, Fernandes and Koepka finished off the incredible season by being named PING All-America honorable mentions. Koepka, Fernandes and Correa will lead a reloaded lineup that's hungry for much more success in 2015-16.
"What was sold four or five years ago was this possibility. Now that possibility is a reality and now we have to prove this is something that can be sustained," Bradley said. "If you go do it next year, then I think it changes our program for the good. We need to validate what we did this year."
USF Athletics' Top 2014-15 Feats Series
First Edition: Football's Historic Comeback at Tulsa
Second Edition: Men's Soccer Thrives in American Tourney
Third Edition: Women's Soccer Hosts NCAA Tourney Action
Fourth Edition: Women's Basketball Makes Impressive Postseason Run
Fifth Edition: Men's Tennis Reaches Sweet 16
Sixth Edition: Baseball Makes NCAA Tourney Trip
