Historic achievements are nothing new to the University of Oklahoma athletics department. More than a century’s worth of magical moments, brought to life by both stellar individual performances as well as those requiring harmonious team effort, have helped build a foundation steeped in tradition and national acclaim.

Still, Joe Castiglione needs a moment to canvass his thoughts and find the right words to put the Sooners’ most recent success stories into proper perspective. After all, what Sam Bradford, Blake Griffin and Courtney Paris have accomplished during the 2008-09 academic year is unprecedented.

In December, Bradford won the Heisman Trophy, presented annually to the best player in college football. Four months later, Griffin brought home the Naismith Award, which goes to the best men’s basketball player in the country.

It marks the first time ever that one school has had the current Heisman winner and Naismith winner roaming campus at the same time.

On top of that, Paris, a three-time Big 12 Player of the Year and former national player of the year award winner, became the first player selected four times to the Associated Press First Team All-America list.

Three uniquely talented individuals—three engaging success stories.

“Every once in a while, the stars align, and something amazing happens,“ says Castiglione, OU’s well-respected director of athletics. “We are very blessed here at the University of Oklahoma to have such extraordinary student-athletes who commit themselves unconditionally to their respective teams and do what it takes to become true champions, in every sense of the word.“

“We need to stop and recognize and appreciate what a unique situation this really is. Courtney has been the model of consistency during her time here, playing at such a high level. And for Sam Bradford and Blake Griffin to be the first to ever bring the Heisman and Naismith awards back to one school at the same time—it’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime achievement.“

What makes the Bradford-Griffin feat even more special is the fact the two Oklahoma natives practically grew up around the corner from each other and have been witness to each others’ journey to the pinnacle of their respective sports.

Before their paths crossed again at OU, the duo spent time as friends and foes on various little league fields and as teammates on the same AAU basketball squad back in 2005. Bradford may be 16 months older than Griffin, but they share a connection that came to light before either of them began harboring dreams of athletic greatness.

“I just think it’s really cool that two kids from Oklahoma City who chose to stay close to home and go to [OU] have had the success that we had this year,“ says Bradford, whose father Kent was an offensive lineman for the Sooners in 1977-78.

“Growing up with Blake and to see the things that he’s done and having had the chance to play with him—and now to see him enjoy such great success, and to be a part of it with him, makes this whole deal even more special.“

Prior to this year and the Bradford-Griffin national awards parlay, the only other school to ever produce a feat remotely similar was UCLA in 1967, when quarterback Gary Beban won the Heisman and Lew Alcindor (later known as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) was voted national player of the year by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. The Naismith Award did not exist until two years later.

During the 1970-71 school year, Notre Dame quarterback Joe Theismann was runner-up in the Heisman voting, while Fighting Irish hoops standout Austin Carr won the Naismith. That was the closest any program had come to holding both honors simultaneously until OU pulled it off.

“What a great reflection of our university and the athletic programs we have here. To have Blake and Sam win national player of the year honors says a lot about the type of student-athletes we have at Oklahoma,“ offers Paris, a few days after helping guide the Sooner women to their second ever Final Four appearance.

“I think it’s a really cool deal.“

And Paris should know a little something about cool.

On her way to becoming the first four-time AP First Team