LSU athletics once again had a very prosperous and successful fall semester.It’s something that is becoming more a standard for the fine athletic teams at the institution.LSU has finished in the top 10 of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics Director’s Cup standings, awarded to the most successful collegiate athletic programs, for two years in a row, and the successes the school has had this season could see the Tigers once again among the nation’s elite.All of the school’s fall sports made it to the postseason.Let’s start with some of the less visible sports.Both the soccer and volleyball teams experienced things that were new to all of the members of the rosters.LSU volleyball won the Southeastern Conference championship for the first time since the 1991 season.This is the school’s fourth-ever SEC regular season title. They had a three-peat of championships from 1989-1991.In the 1991 season, LSU and Florida shared the title, and since then Florida has either shared or won the title outright for 17 consecutive seasons.Three LSU players were named to the All-SEC First-Team.Seniors Brittnee Cooper, Sam Dabbs and Marina Skender all achieved honors from the conference with Cooper being named Player of the Year.Cooper finished atop the SEC in hitting percentage and blocks with a .390 average and a 1.32 average per game, respectively.LSU coach Fran Flory was named the SEC Coach of the Year this season for the first time in her career.LSU soccer also had some players garner top honors as the Tigers secured their third-straight SEC West championship.The team also advanced to its first-ever SEC tournament finals game — a contest they lost to South Carolina on penalty kicks.Several Tigers had great individual seasons as five players were named to All-SEC teams following the season.Senior midfielder Malorie Rutledge was the most successful of these athletes as she was named the SEC Offensive Player of the Year among other awards.The Sharpsburg, Ga., native finished her award-filled career at LSU with 10 goals and 12 assists — leading the Tigers in assists and finishing second in goals — including five game-winning scores during the 2009 regular season.She was named to the First Team All-SEC squad along with fellow senior, defender Chelsea Potts.Senior midfielder Melissa Clarke and sophomore defender Allysha Chapman are the Tigers on the Second Team All-SEC squad.Clarke led the Tigers with 11 goals on the season and dished out four assists.Freshman midfielder Carlie Banks, who scored seven goals and passed out three assists this season, was the lone Tiger on the All-Freshman team.The team rode the success of its players to a berth in the NCAA tournament and hosted the first two rounds in early November.LSU defeated Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 7-0, in the first round but fell to Texas A&M on penalty kicks in the round of 32.The LSU cross country team also advanced to the postseason this semester.The men finished their season by finishing No. 18 in the NCAA South Central regional meet, and the women finished No. 21 in the same competition.Unquestionably, the biggest and most recognizable fall sport at LSU is football.This season was touted as a redemption year for coach Les Miles who finished last season with a 8-5 record with only three conference wins. For the most part, the Tigers and their coach were redeemed.LSU finished 9-3 and enters the bowl season ranked at No. 13 in the polls.The Tigers have added to their successful history with this season’s accomplishments. LSU is going to a postseason bowl for the 10th consecutive season.Even though LSU will notch a 10-win season if it can win its bowl game, all was not well for the Tigers.The three losses the Tigers suffered were particularly ugly for one reason or another.The Tigers fell to then-No. 1 Florida at home, then-No. 3 Alabama on the road and Ole Miss on the road as well.The Florida loss saw LSU score only three points and have one of its poorest offensive outputs in years.The Alabama loss featured a blunder of epic proportions when the referees incorrectly ruled sophomore cornerback Patrick Peterson out of bounds on an interception attempt in the fourth quarter.The game also featured the same ineptness on the offensive side of the ball from the Florida game.The Ole Miss game is one that will forever live in infamy.Miles made a major clock management blunder which effectively cost LSU a chance at winning the game.The subsequent fallout has been far-reaching, and many want Miles or members of his coaching staff fired.LSU’s offense finished the regular season ranked No. 108 in total offense, No. 100 in passing offense and No. 84 in rushing offense.The defense was the high point as the Tigers finished No. 29 in total defense and No. 12 in scoring defense nationally.Although the fall semester is winding to its end, some spring sports have already started.Both men’s and women’s basketball have played contests.The women are currently ranked in the top 10, and the men advanced to the NIT Season Tip-off semifinals before dropping a couple of games. Johanathan Brooks is a 22-year-old mass communication senior from Powder Springs, Ga. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_jbrooks.– – – -Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]