If this year has served any purpose for Alabama fans, other than offering a chance to witness four national championships, it’s made the Alabama faithful even more excited for the upcoming academic year.

With Alabama’s championships in football, gymnastics, women’s golf and softball, this year has unarguably become the best athletic year Alabama has ever had. And not only that, it has also served to whet the appetites and expectations of fans for what could potentially be another groundbreaking year in the sports department.

But we’ll save that for later. As for now, let’s look at the end of this last athletic season for Alabama. It was amazing, unprecedented and outlandish. But, as with all good things, it had to come to an end, and it did, with Alabama’s track and field team ending its season in the NCAAs earlier this month. And that leaves us with roughly a month and a half of not only no Alabama football, but no softball, gymnastics, golf … nothing.

And while Alabama fans may not have a lot to look forward to for the rest of the summer, at least they can take solace in the fact that this year, Alabama has certainly set the standard of excellence, not only for itself, but for the entire collegiate, world as well. That certainly is a great way to end the year.

And, as mentioned before, that can only mean good things for the future of Alabama athletics. As many fans know, once the bar’s been set, anything less than that standard is unacceptable. And, under the current leadership at head coaching positions and within the administration, I believe Alabama has the ability to duplicate, if not maintain, the success it had this year.

Head coaches Nick Saban, Sarah Patterson and Patrick Murphy aren’t going anywhere. The men’s and women’s golf programs still have a lot of talent left over from their seasons this year, and head coach Anthony Grant should finally make a reasonable dent in the NCAA Tournament come March, while the baseball team is looking to use this last season as motivation for next year.

Now, look at that from a fan perspective. How much longer does that make the rest of this summer look? Pretty long, I’d bet. But then, imagine, after finishing this summer-long drought of no Alabama teams to watch, the feeling when Alabama gets a chance to repeat.

Imagine the excitement when the football team steps foot in Dallas for its season opener against Michigan. Imagine the butterflies when the basketball team starts what could be its best season in years. Imagine the electricity in the air on opening night for what will be gymnastics’ third-straight national title run.

Imagine the nerves, excitement … imagine all of it, for every team Alabama will field next season: they’ll all have national title implications. Part of it is because this is Alabama, where anything less than the being the best is not good enough. But it all became possible for what Alabama did this year.

And, as the summer continues on, Alabama fans can only look forward to the beginning of next season, while reflecting on what was truly a remarkable year in Alabama athletics this year. But Alabama fans are always looking for the next great year, regardless of sport. The good thing for Alabama fans is, that might just be next year.