Distinction: Here We Come!

Destination Distinction as most Bronco fans know by now is Boise State's ambitious $175 million fundraising initiative.  This comprehensive campaign is the first-ever at Boise State and was officially kicked off in 2007.  Destination Distinction will transform Boise State into a metropolitan research university of distinction, providing unparalleled opportunities for students, solving problems locally, nationally and globally and improving the quality of life for all Idahoans.

The campaign has three targets:  people, places and programs.  Boise State's students, faculty and staff are its most valuable resource.  New buildings, labs and other facilities will allow the university to impart knowledge and share in discovery.  Exceptional academics and an enhanced research agenda will help Boise State achieve distinction.

The Destination Distinction campaign is essential to achieving Boise State University's vision of serving the public as a metropolitan research university. Envisioned as a comprehensive campaign, this initiative seeks $175 million from alumni and friends in current and future gifts to support its strategic plan for facilities, students, faculty, academic programs, athletics and research.

Some in 2007 may have thought the school was "dreaming" or aiming too high.  But this is not your father's Boise State.  The school has changed rapidly, both in size and in perception.  As this blog has helped detail in the last several days, the awards, honors, grants and groundbreaking research taking place and bestowed upon Boise State is staggering.  

The attention Boise State is attracting is due in no small measure to Destination Distinction.  This grand "dreamer's plan" four years ago of raising $175 million to establish Boise State as a metropolitan research university of distinction has now raised 93% of its goal.  Contributions from Boise State faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends have now exceeded $163 million.

$12 million will help Boise State reach all of its goals so brilliantly set forth by esteemed President Bob Kustra.  His vision will make it possible for Idahoans to enjoy one of the top learning environments in the nation--and not leave home.  

Boise State RPI Rankings for NCAA Wrestling Championships At-Large Berths

Here are the final RPI Rankings.  The NCAA selection committee will look very closely at these.

125--Bartelli #31
133--Hochstrasser #1
141--Jones  Not ranked
149--Chamberlain  #2
157--Hall   #3
165--Kurt Swartz   Not ranked
174--Jacob Kwarz   #16
184--Smith     Not ranked (a wrestler needs a minimum of 15 matches to be eligible.)
194--Casperson   Not ranked
285--Felix     Not ranked

Unlike the coaches' rankings, the RPI's don't look good except for Jacob Swartz.  Smith and Casperson, the other Broncos hoping for an at-large berth, are not ranked in the Top 33 in their weight classes.

Analysis of NCAA Wrestling Field

(see article below)

The three wrestlers left out of the NCAA National Wrestling Championships field for Boise State would seem to be in fairly good shape as far as coaches' rankings.  Keep in mind this is just one of the criteria that the NCAA selection committee is using.  But here are the coaches' final rankings for Boise State's 10 wrestlers:

125--Alan Bartelli #22
133--Andrew Hochstrasser #2
141--Levi Jones #17
149--Jason Chamberlain #5
157--Adam Hall #3
165--Kurt Swartz Not ranked
174--Jake Swartz #15
184--Kirk Smith #3
197--Matt Casperson #16
285--J.T. Felix   #29

As mentioned below, the three Boise State wrestlers left out are Jake Swartz, Kirk Smith and Matt Casperson.  Jake is #15 in his weight classification, Smith is #3 and Casperson #16.  There are 33 wrestlers in each weight classification.  Unless a whole lot of high-ranked wrestlers are not already included in the field at 174, 184 and 197, these rankings would seem to bode well.

NCAA Set to Name At-Large Wrestlers for National Championships

The NCAA will announce the rest of the qualifiers for the 2011 National Wrestling Championships tomorrow.  There were 281 automatic qualifiers after all of the conference tournaments.  There will be a total of 330 wrestlers at the Championships, 33 in each weight class. 


This is of particular note for Boise State, with three wrestlers left out of the trip to Philadelphia at this time.  Jake Swartz, Matt Casperson and Kirk Smith are the ones waiting for an invite.  There are openings for four at-large wrestlers in Swartz's classification and five openings in the weight class of both Casperson and Smith.





The at-large selections will be made based on the following criteria: head-to-head competition; qualifying event placement; quality wins; results against common opponents; winning percentage; RPI; coaches ranking and the number of matches contested at that weight class.


Conference    125   133  141  149  157  165  174  184  197  285  TOT
ACC                    2        1      3      2      3      2      2      3      1      1       20
Big 12                 3        4       4      1      1      5      3      4      4      4      33
Big 10                 5        8       6      8      6      5      8      6     6       6      64
Colonial              2        3       1      2       1      3     2       1     1       1      17
East Region      1        1       1       1      1      1     1       1     1        1       10
EIWA                 5        3       5       5      5      4     5       4     5        4       45
EWA                  2        2       2       2      3      2     1       3     2        1       20
MAC                 1         2       1       1      3      1     2        1    2        4        18
Pac-10              4        3        2       2     3      1      3       1    4        3        26
Southern            1        1        1      1      1      2      1       2    1        2       13
West Region      2       1        2      2      2      1       1      2     1        1       15


TOT QUAL      28     29      28     27     29    27     29      28   28     28     281

The Field for the 2011 Heptathlon

  1  Miller Moss                   SR Clemson                     5903D
  2  Curtis Beach                  SO Duke                         5816D
  3  Bjorn Barrefors              JR Nebraska                  5816D
  4  Gray Horn                      JR Florida                      5816D
  5  Lars Rise                        SR Missouri                    5756D
  6  Mantas Silkauskas          JR Kansas State             5751D
  7  Jeremy Taiwo                 SO Washington              5746D
  8  Japheth Cato                  FR Wisconsin                  5742D
  9  Romain Martin                FR UT-Arlington            5728D
10  Moritz Cleve                   SR Kansas State               5698D
11  Michael Morrison             SR California                  5694D
12  Kurt Felix                        JR Boise State                 5691D
13  David Klech                    SR Oregon                       5685D
14  Kevin Lazas                     FR Arkansas                   5674D
15  Mateo Sossah                  SR North Carolina           5674D
16  Wesley Bray                    SR Houston                     5671D

Felix Named West Region Field Athlete of the Year

Kurt Felix of Boise State was recognized today as the West Region Field Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Track & Field Coaches.  Felix earned an automatic qualifying mark in the heptathlon at the Western Athletic Conference Indoor Championships February 25.

Felix is the sole representative of the Boise State team at this weekend's NCAA National Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Glass, Redmon Sweep Awards

Boise State's Amy Glass and Hannah Redmon were honored by the Western Athletic Conference this week for performances against Southern Utah over the weekend.  Glass set a record with her eighth all-around win and recorded the fifth-best all-around score in Bronco history (39.500).  Glass also recorded a personal best of 9.925 on bars and won the beam (9.900) and floor (9.875).


The Bronco gymnasts are at Sacramento State this weekend for a triangular meet that also includes UC Davis before attempting to defend their WAC title the following week.