HOFN's Top Collegiate Athletic Programs

Related Stories

• Top 10 NCAA Hoop Cinderella Men
• Playing Games in Beijing
• Fanning the Flames: Who's Number One?
• Top 10 Un-drafted Players in NFL History

With final exams set to take place at universities across the country, we look back on a year when we were once again reminded why we love college sports.

Between the thrilling upsets during the college football season, Davidson's magical run to the Sweet 16, and the epic college basketball title game between Kansas and Memphis, collegiate athletes everywhere provided us with passion, drama and excitement that is unrivaled in any other level of sport.

To honor these players, we present the Annual HOFN.com Top 15 Collegiate Athletic Programs judged by their excellence across all sports.

15. Appalachian State

Highlights:

• Football (1st Football Championship Subdivision)

The Mountaineers pulled off one of the greatest upsets in college sports history by defeating Michigan, 34-32, in Ann Arbor and then won their third straight FCS title, formerly known as Division I-AA. WVU was docked heavily for a football team that couldn't stay out of trouble.

14. West Virginia

Highlights:

• W Soccer (5th)

Pat White led WVU to a dominant 48-28 Fiesta Bowl victory over football powerhouse Oklahoma. The hoops team went to its third Sweet 16 in four years. But the biggest shocker was the women's soccer team, which made a surprising run to its first-ever Elite Eight.

13. North Carolina

Highlights:

• W Field Hockey (1st)
• M Basketball (3rd)
• W Basketball (5th)

The women's field hockey team not only won a national title, it also became the fifth undefeated squad ever by going a remarkable 24-0. But the hardwood was once again the Tar Heels' bread and butter. Led by National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough, UNC qualified for its 17th trip to the Final Four. The women's team fell just short of the national semis in a loss to LSU.

12. Arizona State

Highlights:

• M Track & Field (1st)
• W Track & Field (1st)
• W Cross Country (4th)

While the 2007-08 season marked the return of the Sun Devil football and men's basketball programs to prominence, it was the smaller sports that stole the show. The ASU men and women both won the indoor track and field national championship and there could be more NCAA titles on the way. Both the baseball and softball teams are ranked in the top five nationally.

11. Azusa Pacific (NAIA)

Highlights:

• M Soccer (1st)
• M Track & Field (1st)
• W Track & Field (2nd)
• W Soccer (2nd)
• M Basketball (5th)

This NAIA school located outside Los Angeles dominated on the pitch and track. The Cougar men claimed national titles in both soccer and track and field, while their respective women's squads both finished as national runner-up.