Sure, we’re not the University of Alabama in football, and we don’t have as many championships as the University of Kentucky in basketball, but the University of Northern Iowa has a lot to be proud of When it comes to athletics, and sometimes I think we forget that.

The UNI football team is 1-4 for the first time in a very long time, but it’s not a reason to give up. First off, there’s still a chance UNI can make the playoffs (albeit a very small chance). It’s not written in stone that the Panthers need seven wins to make the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs, and they can still win the Missouri Valley Football Conference for an automatic bid.

Just because UNI is down this year, we can’t forget about how spoiled we’ve been for the past decade, and how spoiled we’ll be in the future. UNI has been a national powerhouse in the FCS (sort of like Alabama in the Football Bowl Subdivision), and in case you haven’t noticed, the Panthers are starting a redshirt freshman at quarterback. Running back David Johnson is only a sophomore. The entire defense is young. This team is going to be a powerhouse again, and it may be sooner than you think.

It’s not just football that we should appreciate. It seems to me that many people don’t get out enough to support our basketball team. I’m not even going to talk about how we beat Kansas University in the 2010 NCAA Tournament, because it was three seasons ago.

Instead, take a look at last year. UNI made the National Invitational Tournament and even picked up a win in the postseason tournament. This year, UNI is returning four starters and looks to be stronger and deeper than last year’s team.

This is the type of team that can win the Missouri Valley Conference and create a new upset story, and they can do it early on this season. UNI is playing in the Battle for Atlantis Tournament, which includes teams such as Duke University, the University of Louisville and the University of Missouri. A win or two in that tournament can put UNI back on the national map, which will make for a great season.

Even sports such as volleyball and wrestling have made UNI proud in recent years. The wrestling team just moved into the Mid-American Conference, and the volleyball squad just lost their first MVC match in more than three years.

With all these sports on the rise, we should take a step back to realize just how great our athletics have been in the past decade. Sometimes it’s not enough to sit at home and watch the games on TV. Instead, go out and support our athletics. You have a limited time in college; make the most of Panther pride while you can.