<p>OFFICIALS EXPECT INCREASES IN APPLICANTS AND ALUMNI ACTIVITY</p>
<p>During the past 12 months, rewards from the two big-money national championships rippled through UF. The third promises more of the same. </p>
<p>From more activity at Emerson Alumni Hall to more applications mailed to Criser Hall, there are few places on campus that the money and exposure generated by the titles haven't reached. The university's academic programs, which UF officials said aren't competing with the athletics department, are also reaping some of the benefits. </p>
<p>UF Provost Janie Fouke said in a phone interview that even though the recent championships don't directly contribute to UF's academic programs, they increase the university's "brand awareness" and result in more applicants. </p>
<p>Manny Fernandez, the chairman of the university's Board of Trustees, said no amount of money could buy the publicity UF has received in the past year. </p>
<p>In a phone interview, Fernandez said the championships overshadow academics to some extent. But, he said, this isn't a problem for the university, as the added exposure seeps into every part of campus. </p>
<p>"You don't have to choose this or that," he said. "We are blessed at UF because we're so strong in both." </p>
<p>Across the country, people are more aware of UF in general, even when the attention is sports-related, he said. </p>
<p>Fouke said the basketball players conducted themselves well in interviews after Monday's championship game. She said she hoped that after high school students heard them, they would want to come to school at UF. </p>
<p>But, she said, that doesn't mean UF needs any more applicants. The university received a record number of applications for the fall - about 25,300, UF spokesman Steve Orlando said. The number is up 8 percent from last year and 13 percent from two years ago. </p>
<p>But how does the positive energy created by the championships translate into more applications and more interest? </p>
<p>While touring campus Tuesday afternoon, Charisma Clark, 17, a junior at Miami Northwestern Senior High School, said the reason she's considering UF - whereas she wasn't before - was that she was impressed with the tour and that "you guys are the champions." </p>
<p>Clark said UF's success in sports isn't the sole reason she's interested but a big sports school with lots of school spirit is appealing. </p>
<p>Between UF and Florida State University, "UF is on top," she said. </p>
<p>Also visiting campus Tuesday was Michael Simpson, 16, of Berkmar High School in Lilburn, Ga. He said he's a Gators fan, but that won't affect his decision about where he goes to college. </p>
<p>"But you definitely wish you go to the school where everyone is winning," Simpson said. </p>
<p>Other top-ranked institutions, such as the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also boast successful athletics programs. </p>
<p>"But they aren't winning national championships like Florida is," Simpson said. </p>
<p>Even though, as Fouke said, UF already receives too many applications, a natural selection process takes place with more students applying. </p>
<p>With roughly 6,600 openings allotted to the freshman class every year, the standards for acceptance at UF are escalating, and the average applicant's grade point average and SAT scores are steadily rising, Orlando said. </p>
<p>The UF Alumni Association has also discovered how winning can spark interest. Katie Seay, the association's director of membership and marketing, estimated it's had a 10 percent increase in membership over the past year. And its brick program, through which UF supporters pay to have a messages engraved on bricks in Emerson Hall's courtyard, is more successful than ever, she said. </p>
<p>For those who aren't connected to the university, UF's recent on-the-field and in-the-classroom successes make some wish they were. </p>
<p>"You have your Ivy Leagues. You have your big sports schools," Simpson said. "But from what I can tell, Florida is the place to be. National championships are just icing on the cake." </p>