In what could be described as no more than an overall disappointing year for Falcon athletics, we head to a new year with a lot of promise. It was a year when the football team choked, the hockey team nearly did a disappearing act and the women’s basketball team again failed to make the NCAA Tournament, but we check out of the 2008-09 season with a highly touted new football coach, an improved women’s basketball squad and the hockey team still on its feet. What a year it should be. But let’s take a look back at how we got to this point. The teams It all began in August with high hopes as the football team was picked to win the Mid-American Conference East division and gave itself some credibility downing No. 25 Pittsburgh in the season opener. But a fourth quarter meltdown against Minnesota and several conference losses later, the Falcons were fighting for a chance to share the East division crown with Buffalo – and I believe we all remember what happened in that game. For it was on that fateful snowy night the Falcons collapsed in the second half in front of maybe 5,000 people that Gregg Brandon had this to say (well more like yell). ‘That crowd was pitiful, and I’m so disappointed. The fans that showed up, that’s awesome because they’re the true fans. Our kids deserve so much better than that. To be in a championship with so much on the line and [having] that kind of crowd, disgusts me,’ Brandon said. Eight days later, Brandon was out of work. Not just for this, but it surely didn’t help his cause. And all this was happening at the beginning of something very special – the women’s basketball season. Curt Miller had said all along the season was a rebuilding year, and after losing the first games of the season, no one doubted him on that point. But the year rumbled on, and slowly, the Falcons had five straight wins, 10 straight wins, 20 straight wins and finally 25 straight wins and a spot in the national polls. After a disheartening regular season loss to Miami, the Falcons entered the MAC Tournament ready to make some noise. They cruised past Central Michigan and Toledo in the first two rounds, but Ball State stood in their way, breaking their hearts with a 55-51 win in the title game. The Cardinals went on to beat Pat Summit and Tennessee, while the Falcons topped Syracuse in the WNIT before giving Indiana all they could in a loss. And as disheartening as the end was, getting there was quite the ride. Lauren Prochaska scored a school-record 43 points in a game and notched the 1,000th in her career. Tracy Pontius scored 17 points in an overtime and then set a MAC Tournament record with eight made three-pointers in a game. Curt Miller was named Coach of the Year. Prochaska Player of the Year. Pontius MAC Tournament MVP. But they would trade it all for that NCAA Tournament bid. The men’s team’s season was equally as thrilling as they made a Cinderellaesque run to become the No. 1 team in the MAC Tournament. They lost to Akron in the semifinals and to Creighton in the first game of the NIT, but they still produced plenty of buzz around Bowling Green and the MAC. Losing three seniors will no doubt hurt the team for next season, but the younger pieces they have in place now makes the two to three year future of the team very exciting. One place there isn’t a lot of excitement right now is the hockey team. With rumors flying all around town in March the program would be cut, Falcon hockey fans banded together in attempts to revive the team. As of now, the team has at least one more season as season tickets just went on sale at the beginning of the month, but with players dropping like flies, the future is definitely not set. While not labeled as an official sport by the University, the diving portion of the swimming team was suspended. The players BG had to say goodbye to several stars this school year through graduation MAC dig record holder Chelsey Meek, defensive superstar Lindsey Goldsberry, NFL bound Antonio Smith and Diyral Briggs, a trio in Brian Moten, Darryl Clements and Nate Miller, MAC swimming star Alisha Yee and NHL hopeful Brandon Svendsen were just some of the many seniors who dazzled fans over the years. And some other players said goodbye for different reasons. Michael Ream was dismissed from the football team for violating team rules, Niki McCoy declined to return to the women’s basketball team after her scholarship wasn’t renewed, Dan Sexton left the hockey team as a sophomore to pursue the NHL and several other hockey players transferred. The coaches As mentioned Gregg Brandon was dropped as football coach. It was a hard move to make considering he hadn’t even began his three-year extension and was the winningest MAC coach since 2003 with 44 wins. But his time here was up, and now he finds himself down in Virginia as an offensive coordinator where he should do just fine. Men’s soccer coach Fred Thompson resigned after his five-year tenure ended with an 18-69-4 overall record. New coach Eric Nichols will begin his era this fall. The future Out of the darkness Brandon left arose a new voice and direction in Dave Clawson, a coach committed to discipline, community involvement and winning. He has made an immediate impact with fans and has all the look of a winner on the field. His tenure kicks off against Troy at Doyt Perry Stadium on Sept. 3. The women’s basketball team has nowhere to go but after losing just one senior. McCoy’s departure hurts, but she also didn’t start after her suspension and the Falcons continued to win regularly. With three new freshmen, two transfer, and their two best players a year older, what’s not to love about their chances? And there will be hockey, which still sounds so nice. Really, doesn’t forgetting 2008-09 and kicking off the 2009-10 campaign sound so nice?