The 1999-2000 school year was a forgettable one for Kansas University’s women’s athletics teams.

“We just didn’t have a very good year,” Kansas University athletics director Bob Frederick said.

In fact, in the conference, KU’s women ranked last based on averaging league finishes.

Kansas had only two first-division placings fourths in basketball and swimming. KU was close in volleyball and tennis, heading the second division with seventh-place finishes in league standings. Then came the half-dozen ninth-or-below sports.

Frederick noted rowing was not included because, although a varsity sport at KU, it is not contested on the conference level because not enough schools offer rowing.

“Our rowing team finished among the top 25 in the nation,” Frederick said.

Kansas defeated both Kansas State and Texas, the only two other Big 12 schools that offer rowing, in head-to-head duals.

On the plus side, although KU’s women fared poorly in competition, they were dynamite in the classroom. Eight teams compiled a grade-point average of above 3.0.

Softball led the way with a grade point of 3.30, followed by volleyball (3.18), rowing (3.16), track (3.08), golf (3.05), swimming (3.04), soccer (3.04) and tennis (3.02).

According to conference figures, only Texas, Nebraska and Texas A&M spend more on women’s athletics than Kansas.

Last year’s KU women’s budget was nearly $4.3 million. Texas spent over $9 million on women’s athletics, while Nebraska and A&M were in the $6 million range.

Kansas earmarks approximately 20 percent of its budget for women’s athletics. That’s the highest percentage in the league.

All in all, Frederick considers the 1999-2000 year an anomaly.

“I think we’ve been in the top 50 nationally for the last three or four years,” Frederick said. “We’ll just try to do better next year.”

On paper, Kansas State’s women had a much better year than KU’s women. The Wildcats were second in cross country, third in both indoor and outdoor track and no lower than 10th (golf) in any league sport.

However, while Kansas fielded league teams in 10 women’s sports, Kansas State sponsored just seven. The ‘Cats don’t offer soccer, softball or swimming.

Meanwhile, Kansas University’s men finished in the second division in all-sports standings. KU’s best finish was a second in golf.

The lowest was 10th in indoor track.

Otherwise, KU’s men were fourth in tennis, fifth in both basketball and swimming, sixth in outdoor track, seventh in cross country, eighth in football and ninth in baseball.

Kansas State’s men had a dreadful year. Other than a second-place in football, KSU was ninth in cross country, indoor and outdoor track, 10th in golf, 11th in baseball and 12th in basketball. K-State doesn’t offer tennis or swimming.

In combining men’s and women’s sports, Kansas finished 12th. KU has the league’s seventh biggest overall athletics budget at nearly $21.7 million.