And The Winner Is...

USF asked for your help in establishing the top-11 athletic moments of the 2010-11 season on the Hilltop. The race was close, with a few positions decided by one or two votes. Today, we roll out the final pick....

Ladies and Gentlemen, as decided by you the fans, the top athletic moment of the 2010-11 season. Drum roll please.....

#1.

Men’s basketball upends defending league champion Gonzaga in a 96-91 overtime thriller at War Memorial Gym, dispatching the Bulldogs at home for the second straight year

RECAP • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO 

If USF’s upset win against No. 11 Gonzaga in 2010 was considered a fluke, the Dons shook off any doubts with a remarkable offensive effort against the defending West Coast Conference Champions. Freshman Cody Doolin capped the wild night with a game-winning slashing lay-up.

#2.

Baseball secured its second overall and first outright West Coast Conference Championship with a road series triumph at Gonzaga to end the 2011 regular season

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO 

For a team that only played 19 home games, it was only fitting that the Diamond Dons won the program’s first outright West Coast Conference Championship on the road. The Dons and Gonzaga were on a collision course all season, but the Green and Gold simply made more plays in an outstanding series.

#3.

Baseball shutouts tournament host UCLA 3-0 to open the 2011 NCAA Los Angeles Regional at Jackie Robinson Stadium behind a complete game from sophomore RHP Kyle Zimmer

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO 

After suffering a three-game sweep to the hands of then-No. 1 UCLA to open the 2011 regular season, the Diamond Dons showed no fear and dominated the Bruins in all phases in a 3-0 triumph. Sophomore RHP out-dueled the eventual No. 1 pick in the MLB Drat (Gerrit Cole), tossing a complete game shutout with 11 strikeouts.

#4.

Volleyball closed out the 2010 season with a 3-1 triumph against ancient Bay Area rival Santa Clara

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO  

USF defeated Santa Clara for the fourth straight season to send sent its senior class out winners with one of its best efforts of the season against its Bay Area rivals

#5.

Men’s basketball roared back from a nine-point deficit with less than three minutes remaining for a come-from-behind 77-74 road victory at Hawaii to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2011 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY 

USF had every reason to pack it in, but simply refused to lose. The Dons were ice-cold shooting the basketball (25-72), but continued to defend. Rashad Green and Cody Doolin simply took over late with Green scoring seven points in the last 76 seconds, while Doolin made back-to-back driving lay-ups to give the Dons its first lead since the opening minute.

#6.

USF Women Race to Second Straight WCC Title

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO

USF posts stirring finish against perennial conference power Portland and posts the fastest team time for the second straight season on the demanding Crystal Springs Course.

#7.

USF Women's Soccer Blasts UC Santa Barbara 4-1, Improving to 3-0-0

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY

Buoyed by a dynamic group of newcomers USF rolled to its best start since 1996 and cracked the West Regional rankings for the first time since 2004. USF out-scored its first three opponents 8-3.

#8.

USF Women's Basketball Hosts Stanford for "Pack the House" Night

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO

USF women’s basketball hosted perennial national power Stanford in front of a record-setting crowd at War Memorial Gym.

#9.

USF Men's Soccer Shocks No. 9 Northwestern 1-0 to Open 2010 Season

STORY

With a roster featuring just a handful of upperclassmen, most experts gave USF no chance against the battle-tested group fielded by No. 9 Northwestern. The Dons showed no fear as freshman forward Tanner Smith made his first career scoring strike a memorable one.

#10.

Men’s tennis earned its top year-end season ranking in the modern era at No. 66 and reached as high as No. 58 during the 2011 spring season

STORY • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO

USF continued to establish itself as a legitimate contender on the national scene, despite the absence of its No. 1 player, who missed the entire spring season.

#11.

Men’s golf wins second West Coast Conference Championship in three years with wire-to-wire win at San Juan Oaks Golf Course, finishing at four-under 860
 

RECAP • PHOTO GALLERY • VIDEO

After a strong start to 2010-11 USF men’s golf struggled for much of the spring before getting healthy late for a dramatic push to its second WCC title in three seasons. With an exceptionally young team – just one player counted for the Dons who was in the lineup for the 2009 title team – the Green and Gold upset No. 23 San Diego for the tournament hardware.