It's that time of the year.  The last few days of 2009.  Football bowl season is at its midway point.  College hoops is jumping head first into conference play.  And, local newspapers, websites and radio talk shows are reliving the highs and lows of the previous 12 months.

If you haven't had a chance to check out GoHuskies.com's version of the Year in Husky Sports, take a peek at some of the memorable events that took place around the UW over the past year.  You can also add your opinion of the top moments for the Dawgs in 2009.

It's pretty easy to remember the USC victory in football, Jake Locker deciding to come back to school for his senior season, the softball and men's crew national championships and the Pac-10 men's hoops titles.  But, here are a few cool things you might have forgotten about.

1.  Dubs' Debut.  The school's 11th Alaskan Malamute mascot made his debut prior to the football season opener against LSU. He replaces Whitepaw's Arlut Spirit of Gold Dust ("Spirit"), which served as the school's mascot since 1999. 

2,  Learfield Sports Director's Cup.  Washington finished 11th among the 300-plus Division I schools in the annual all-sports competition.  National titles in cross country and softball and NCAA postseason championship competition for 19 of the school's 23 sports keyed the effort.

3.  New Pac-10 Commissioner.  Okay, not a UW thing.  But, the appointment of Larry Scott as the league's new commissioner will have a major impact on the Husky athletics program.  He has a strong background in marketing and television and is expected to help drive the league's exposure to another level.

4.  Hickman Honored By Obama.  A recognizable figure at UW athletic events, George Hickman was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen and was honored at the inauguration of Barack Obama in Washington D.C.

5.  World's Best Trains At UW.  During its tour of the United States, the world's top professional soccer club, FC Barcelona, trained for a few days at Husky Soccer Field.  Such notable players such as recently-named World Player of the Year Lionel Messi, Thierry Henry, Carles Puyol and Zlatan Ibrahimovic were part of the squad.

6.  Solo Named USA's Best.  Former Washington goalkeeper Hope Solo was named the 2009 Female Athlete of the Year by U.S. Soccer, the highest honor awarded to soccer players in the U.S. 

7.  Aretha Continues To Throw.  Washington alum Aretha Thurmond finished 10th in the discus throw at the World Championships, matching her 2008 Beijing Olympics finish. It was her best career showing at Worlds, and Thurmond was the top placing American competitor.

8.  Jon Brockman.  His name says it all.  The Snohomish native re-wrote the UW rebounding record books and finished his career as one of the most popular Huskies ever.  He was selected in the second round of the NBA Draft by Portland and traded on draft day to Sacramento, where he joined former UW teammate and buddy Spencer Hawes.  He has become a Kings fan favorite with his hard work and demeanor.

9.  Golf Training Center.  The Husky golf program opened its new state-of-the-art training center in Bank of America Arena.  Featuring hitting and putting areas, the latest in video and techology aids and an ultra-cool players lounge, the Husky Golf Center will help keep the Dawgs in the national eye.

10.  Jim Owens Remembered.  Former UW head football coach and athletic director Jim Owens passed away on Saturday, June 6 in his home in Bigfork, Mont.  Owens coached at Washington from 1957 until his retirement in 1974. He went 99-82-6 in his nearly two decades as Huskies coach, including three Rose Bowl trips. He also served as athletic director at UW from 1960-69.

Everett Herald sportswriter Scott M. Johnson took the concept just a bit further in today's edition, giving his thoughts on the top 10 local sports highlights of the last decade.  The Dawgs appear in three of his top 10.