As the 10th week rolls around and fall quarter finals near, students will begin locking themselves in their rooms (as usual) and stop thinking about the parties and TJ. Oh wait, this actually began during week one of the quarter when people got to UCSD.
So it’s obvious the atmosphere here hasn’t changed much during this first quarter of the year. The lifestyle and mentality of this campus hasn’t really moved away from the let’s-hit-the-books attitude to the least-sober-one-drives attitude. However, the unchanged atmosphere isn’t bad in all aspects; the usual success of UCSD fall season athletic teams is certainly pleasing (at least to the handful of us that care).
The UCSD women’s soccer team provided much of the fall’s excitement when it went 15-3-1 over the course of the season. The Tritons could have given UCSD even more excitement had they prevailed in penalty kicks over UC Davis in the second round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships, but the team will just have to start a new string of national titles next year.
On the other side of the spectrum, the men’s squad did not disappoint its fans this fall. The Tritons advanced to the postseason after they won the California Collegiate Athletic Association South Division over Cal Poly Pomona.
In cross country, the men narrowly missed out on a chance to return to the NCAA Championship meet when they finished fourth at regionals. The women’s team, however, represented UCSD when it made its first-ever appearance at nationals on Nov. 23.
Women’s volleyball followed its 2001 season when the Tritons advanced to the Elite Eight with a strong year in 2002. UCSD’s season saw its bitter rivalry with Cal State San Bernardino advance to another level with the Coyotes and Tritons playing three heated contests.
Finally, there is the men’s water polo team, which hasn’t finished its season yet. The Tritons are still in contention for the national title after they accepted the Western Water Polo Association Championship crown at its own Canyonview Pool with a win over UCSD’s water polo rival, LMU.
These teams only continued their usual strong performances this fall. The dominance of women’s soccer and men’s water polo has become a tradition (which would make it UCSD’s only tradition).
Maybe we’ll start to see a change in the winter. Maybe the atmosphere around campus will begin to provide some excitement. Or maybe the men’s and women’s basketball teams, Triton softball squad or the baseball team can make the change and give us the postseason excitement in the winter that UCSD has traditionally seen in the fall.