Thank you for visiting the official web site of SMU Athletics. Our program is in the midst of a true renaissance, and there are more opportunities and reasons to support Mustang student-athletes than ever before. Whether you are an SMU graduate, parent of a graduate or current student, or loyal friend of the institution, we have an opportunity for involvement that fits your profile.

Please take the time to click through the following links for more detailed information on specific areas of program involvement.

GO PONIES!

	SMU advanced to its highest ranking ever among national universities in the 2011 edition of Best Colleges. SMU ranked 56th among 191 institutions and were behind only Rice (17th) and the University of Texas (45th) in the state. The 2011 Best Colleges package provides an examination of how accredited four-year colleges and universities compare on a set of up to 16 indicators of excellence. Among the factors weighed in determining the rankings, the key measures of quality are: peer assessment, graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources, alumni giving, graduation rate performance and high school counselor ratings of colleges.
	SMU has again finished as the top-ranked Conference USA school in the final Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Division I standings. With the win, SMU has been ranked as the best overall collegiate athletics program in its conference in 11 of the last 13 years. The Mustangs tallied 235 total points for this season based on the showings of their football, cross country, outdoor track & field, women's tennis, men's and women's swimming and men's golf teams.
	For fiscal year 2010, Mustang athletics added $5.3 million in annual gifts, passing the $5 million mark for the first time. Over the past two fiscal years, the Mustang Club has seen a 59% spike in annual giving, including a 33% increase.
	Each of SMU's teams exceeded the NCAA's APR requirements for the multi-year average. In addition, four teams - men's golf, cross country, women's swimming and women's tennis scored perfect 1,000s for the 2008-09 seasons.
	The NCAA Division I Committee on Athletics Certification announced last spring that SMU has been certified as part of the NCAA's regularly scheduled, ongoing athletics certification process. The "certified" designation means that SMU operates its athletics program in substantial conformity with operating principles adopted by the Division I membership of the NCAA. Certification is meant to ensure integrity in the institution's athletics program.
	SMU's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) sponsored a "Changing Lives" initiative last year to collect money for RISE (Recovery, Inspiration, Success and Empowerment) Adventures, a non-profit organization founded to help persons with physical challenges gain independence through sports, recreation and outdoor events and programs. This was one of the numerous programs initiated by the SAAC group to reinforce their commitment to community involvement.
	SMU Director of Athletics Steve Orsini has been appointed to the prestigious NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee. The 10-member committee consists of athletics directors and commissioners of Division I member institutions and conferences and oversees administration of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship, including the selection, seeding and bracketing of teams for the tournament. The committee is the primary NCAA contact with CBS Sports, the National Association of Basketball Coaches, and stewards for the good of the game.