By Aaron O'Connell
The University of Portland women's soccer program is 5-0-0, outscoring their opponents 16-1, the men's soccer program is gaining momentum after defeating the no. 21 St. Louis Billikens, Pilot volleyball has recently been called "tomorrow's Cinderella story" and the already dominant Pilot cross country teams have once again topped the WCC preseason polls.
And these are just the fall athletics, no need to mention that both Pilot basketball teams are returning the WCC coaches of the year.
This year has the potential to be monumental in Pilot history.
It should come as no surprise that, once again, the Pilot women's soccer team has high expectations; but to this point they have been almost flawless.
They have allowed only one goal in their first five games, defeating three ranked opponents, rocketing their way to no. 2 in the nation.
Last year, the Pilots clawed their way to the quarterfinals at Stanford, only to lose 1-0 in a close game.
Could the fact the Pilots were also missing five key players, (three to the USA Under-20 National Team, and two to injuries) have anything to do with this?
Undoubtedly.
This is the first year since the Pilots 2005 national championship that the Pilots do not expect to lose any players to national team commitments.
Assuming upcoming bout against no. 11 Illinois doesn't break the undefeated streak the Pilots have mounted, its more than fair to say that this could be another championship year for the University of Portland.
But women's soccer, the flagship of Pilot athletics, is only indicative of the potential the University of Portland has for its 2009-10 season.
The men's soccer program, though currently unranked, seems to be gaining confidence with each game. Losing to University of Virginia in their season-opener, the Pilots quickly bounced back to defeat a skilled St. Louis team by a score of 3-1.
Though it is probably too early to tell, the Pilots certainly seem to be on pace to push their 8-10-2 season (5-7-0 in the WCC) into nothing but a bitter memory.
UP, however, has as a reputation as a soccer school. But should we really limit ourselves to that category?
Nope.
Anyone who follows cross country at the University will know that the teams have consistently made WCC competitors look amateur.
The Pilot men have taken the WCC title for 30 years running (longest streak in the country) and have once again been picked to finish first in the WCC preseason poll.
And fresh off the heels of finishing 7th in the NCAA (tied for best finish in school history), the Pilots boast a recruiting class Head Coach Rob Connor calls, "the greatest recruiting class in Pilot history."
Quite a bold statement.
Other University of Portland teams look to be following this same trend: Pilot volleyball contended with volleyball powerhouse, playing five games in five days. Although the Pilots were 1-4, they made teams such as no. 14 Oregon work for every point.
The Pilots return eight letter winners, and are slowly figuring out how to defeat the tough teams under the leadership of Head Coach Joe Houck; last year's new addition to the Pilots, and the University's hope for turning around a volleyball program which has struggled in past years.
The list goes on: The men's basketball team returns two First Team All-WCC players and two from the list of honorable mentions after a season that was the best in years, the women are hot off their first postseason appearance in ten years, the Golf team is rounding out their recruiting class and grooming their returning travel players.
The point is, it's not some far-reaching possibility that the Pilot athletics could grab the athletic spotlight; but the wheels are already in motion.
Aaron O'Connell is the Sports Editor of The Beacon. He can be contacted at oconnell11@up.edu
