UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS 5821 San Amaro Drive Coral Gables, FL 33146 305-284-3244 www.HurricaneSports.com Facebook: MiamiHurricanes Twitter: @MiamiHurricanes EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE Camron Ghorbi, Kevin Ivany, Amy LaBrie, Leo Ramos, Alex Schwartz, Tom Symonds, Carter Toole, David Villavicenio
PHOTOGRAPHY JC Ridley, Richard Lewis, Steven Murphy COVER Kyle Stopperan
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MISSION STATEMENT
The University of Miami’s mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world.
FEBRUARY 2017 VOLUME VI, ISSUE 7
FEATURED
THE RUNDOWN Redshirt junior defensive lineman Demetrius Jackson from the University of Miami football team has been selected as one of three Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes that will hold voting power on proposed NCAA rule changes under the Division I autonomy process.
15 // STUDENT. ATHLETE. COMMITTEE MEMBER. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced at its 2017 convention in Nashville that Miami Director of Athletics Blake James has been named Chair of the Division I Council.
VIEW FROM THE U
22 // LEADING THE WAY Emese Hof from Utrecht, Netherlands, explains what it’s like playing in international competition, Miami’s goals this season, and why she likes being at The U.
51 // SPOTLIGHT ON EMESE HOF 3
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
5 LETTER FROM THE AD 6-7 BASKETBALL PHOTOS 8, 10 HURRICANE CLUB 9 BY THE NUMBERS 11 AROUND THE WEB 12-13 BASEBALL PREVIEW 14-15 FIRST PITCH BANQUET 16-17 NSD RECAP 20-21 DAVON REED FEATURE 28 FOUR CANES TO KNOW 31 COMPLIANCE 32 CELEBRATION OF WOMEN’S ATHLETICS 36-37 SHAKIMA WIMBLEY FEATURE 40-41 NIGIA GREEN FEATURE 42-42 WOMEN’S TENNIS: SECOND FAMILY 50 SPOTLIGHT ON EMESE HOF 52-53 UM SPORTS HALL OF FAME
FEBRUARY 2017
18 MEN’S BASKETBALL 19 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL 38 TRACK & FIELD 44 MEN’S TENNIS 45 SOCCER 46 SWIMMING/DIVING 47 GOLF 48 VOLLEYBALL 52 SWIMMING
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Hurricane Fans, Your Hurricanes are off to a terrific start in 2017. We currently have five teams ranked in the Top 20 in the nation – baseball, women’s basketball, women’s golf, women’s tennis and women’s track and field. It’s a testament to the strength and depth of our athletic program that so many teams are competing at such a high level. Our men’s basketball team closed out January with a huge win over sixth-ranked North Carolina before a deafening crowd at Watsco Center. After a tough loss to Florida State, the Hurricanes rebounded with a road win at N.C. State to improve to 15-7 and even their record at 5-5 in the nation’s toughest basketball conference. We will need your support at the rest of our home games to help push the team to a tournament run in March. Our women’s basketball team, currently ranked 16th in the country, is also navigating its way through the rigors of ACC play. The Hurricanes are 17-6 (6-5 in the ACC) and have won three of their past four games, including Katie Meier’s 300th career victory. Miami has made the NCAA Tournament five of the past six years and has an opportunity to host first and second-round games at Watsco Center in March. The Hurricanes have two crucial home games this week against Virginia on February 9 and Clemson on February 12, so come cheer them on as they make their annual postseason push. January was also a pivotal month for our football program as Mark Richt and his staff tirelessly worked the recruiting trail. The result is one of the best Miami recruiting classes in years. Plus, 10 of our new Hurricanes made the decision to enroll early, which will help them get a head start on all aspects of the off-season program, get acclimated to campus life and participate in spring practice. The ACC released our 2017 football schedule, which features seven opportunities for you to see the Hurricanes at Hard Rock Stadium. We open with Bethune-Cookman on September 2, and our home slate also features games against Toledo, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and Virginia. The matchup against the Yellow Jackets is a nationally televised Thursday night game. The road schedule is challenging, featuring an early visit to Tallahassee as well as two Friday games at Duke and Pittsburgh. Football season ticket renewals were due on January 31 and we were thrilled with the response from our fan base. The renewal rate shows our fans are truly excited about the upcoming season and what Coach Richt is building for the long term. If you have not already renewed your tickets, be sure to call the Hurricanes’ ticket office today at 800-GO-CANES. Jim Morris’ baseball team is ranked 8th, 17th and 21st in three preseason polls and opens its season at home against Rutgers on February 17. This Friday February 10, we’ll be hosting the 2017 First Pitch Banquet, where Hurricane alum and six-time MLB All-Star Ryan Braun will be the guest speaker. The annual alumni game is Saturday, February 11, at 4 p.m. Don’t miss any of the action at Mark Light Field throughout the season. Miami is hosting its third annual Celebration of Women’s Athletics (CWA) on Sunday, February 12, at the Watsco Center Fieldhouse. Former UM President Donna Shalala has pledged a major gift to the Edna Shalala Women’s Athletics Fund, matching all gifts up to $100,000 for the CWA. Former UM women’s basketball standout and current Mayor of Dania Beach, Fla., Tamara James, will be the event’s keynote speaker. We’re looking forward to another great event. We are nearing our goal of $34 million for the Carol Soffer Football Indoor Practice Facility. Thank you to everyone who has already made a commitment. For more information on how to make a gift in support of this project, visit hurricanesfootballfacility. com or call the Hurricane Club at (305) 284-6699. Naming opportunities located within the facility are still available. I hope you enjoy this month’s magazine. For the latest information on each of our varsity sports, please be sure to visit HurricaneSports.com or follow us on Twitter @MiamiHurricanes. Go Canes! Blake James
5
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
BY THE NUMBERS A statistical look at the Miami Hurricanes
300 8
The Miami baseball team checked in at No. 8 in Collegiate Baseball Newspaper’s annual preseason rankings, marking the highest preseason ranking of any ACC team in the poll.
7 15
Miami head women’s basketball coach Katie Meier registered the 300th victory of her career at Wake Forest, guiding the Hurricanes to a 79-56 triumph at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Miami women’s track and field team is ranked 15th in the NCAA Division I Women’s National Team Computer Rankings for Indoor Track and Field, as announced by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA).
Senior guard Davon Reed drained 7-of-10 shots from long range at NC State, setting his career high in threes made, on his way to a career-best 26 points. Reed has hit at least one three in every game this season (22 games).
AROUND THE WEB FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK & INSTAGRAM Facebook Instagram Athletics MiamiHurricanes MiamiHurricanes Baseball TheUBaseball CanesBaseball Men’s Basketball CanesHoops CanesHoops Women’s Basketball CanesWBB CanesWBB Football CanesFootball CanesFootball Golf CanesGolf Rowing CanesRowing CanesRowing Soccer CanesFutbol CanesFutbol Men’s Tennis CanesMensTennis CanesMensTennis Women’s Tennis CanesWTennis CanesWTennis Track and Field CanesTrack CanesTrack Volleyball CanesVB Canes_VB Sebastian the Ibis SebastianTheIbis UM_Sebastian
CANES ALL ACCESS
BASKETBALL A DAY IN THE LIFE
FOLLOW US ON TWITTER ATHLETICS
Official @MiamiHurricanes Compliance @UCompliance Ticket Office @UMTickets
ADMINISTRATION
Official: @CanesBaseball Jim Morris: @Coach3Morris
MEN’S BASKETBALL Official: @CanesHoops
Blake James @CanesAllAccess Tony Hernandez @UMTony Jennifer Strawley @JennStraws Jason Layton @LaytonJason Tim Wise @TimWise1 Jesse Marks @jessehmarks Craig Anderson @CraigAndersonUM
COMMUNICATIONS
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Official: @CanesWBB Katie Meier: @CoachKatieMeier Official: @CanesFootball Mark Richt: @MarkRicht
GOLF
CREATIVE SERVICES
Official: @CanesFutbol
DEVELOPMENT
Chris Cohen Alfonso Restrepo Dillon Boggs Emily Boone
@TimdanBrog @LeoRamos82 @KyleStopperan @canescohen @305fonzi @dboggs24 @emilycboone
Official @TheUEqRoom Lindy Sparby Alejandro Rengifo Sebastian the Ibis
Official: @HurricanesGolf
ROWING
Official: @CanesRowing
SOCCER
Mary-Frances Monroe: @CoachMFMonroe
SWIM / DIVE Official: @CanesSwimDive
FOOTBALL #SQUAD17 | NATIONAL SIGNING DAY PRESS CONFERENCE
MEN’S TENNIS
Official: @CanesMensTennis
WOMEN’S TENNIS
Official: @CanesWTennis
EQUIPMENT ROOM MARKETING
BASKETBALL BEHIND THE SCENES FOR KATIE MEIER’S 300TH WIN
FOOTBALL
Carter Toole @CanesCarter Tom Symonds @Tom_Symonds Amy LaBrie @CanesHoops Camron Ghorbi @CamronGhorbi Alex Schwartz @AlexJSchwartz David Villavicencio @DVillavicencio6 Tim Brogdon Leo Ramos Kyle Stopperan
11
BASEBALL
TRACK & FIELD
Official: @CanesTrack Amy Deem: @AmyDeem @LindySparby @A_Rengifo1 @UM_Sebastian
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
VOLLEYBALL
Official: @CanesVB
FEBRUARY 2017
BASKETBALL UNC AT MIAMI | CINEMATIC HIGHLIGHT | 1.28.17
THEY ‘MADE MIAMI GREAT AGAIN’ Make no mistake about it – when it comes to college athletics programs, there might not be a program “greater” than Miami Hurricanes baseball. Miami’s active streak of 44 straight appearances in the NCAA postseason, dating to 1972, is a record for any Division I team in any sport. The Hurricanes are one of just seven baseball programs nationwide with at least four national championships, which came in 1982, 1985, 1999 and 2001. Its two most famous skippers – Ron Fraser and Jim Morris – have combined for over 2,200 wins during their careers in Coral Gables. But what Willie Abreu, Zack Collins and Bryan Garcia’s class of Hurricanes did was re-instill the magic at Mark Light Field. They led Miami to back-to-back College World Series appearances (the 24th and 25th in program history) in 2015 and 2016, three straight ACC Coastal Division titles, two 50-win seasons and two ACC regular season championships (2014, 2016). This group of Hurricanes, who hadn’t been to Omaha since 2008 prior to the arrival of Collins & Co., have reassured anyone wondering about Miami’s place in the college baseball elite. Only Texas (35) has been to college baseball’s ‘promised land’ more times than Miami and the Hurricanes’ 48 wins in Omaha are the fourth-most all-time. Now the torch is passed on to a 2017 team with unquestionable talent, but a lot of question marks; how will the Hurricanes replace the production of Collins in the middle of the order? Who takes over the role of Garcia, who won the 2016 NCBWA Stopper of the Year Award as the nation’s top relief pitcher? And who can ever replicate the magic of “Walk-off Willie,” who provided countless big hits late in games? The Hurricanes return four players who have been named Preseason AllAmericans: juniors Carl Chester, Jesse Lepore and Michael Mediavilla, as well as senior Johnny Ruiz. Another player – sophomore Frankie Bartow – led the nation in appearances as a freshman and was named a Louisville Slugger Freshman All-American. “It’s a challenge for them and me right now because I have no clue what the lineup’s going to be,” Morris said on the first day of spring practice. “We’ve got a lot of holes to fill and we lost a lot of really top-notch players the last two years so positions are open. We have a lot of practice and intrasquads to figure out what is the best lineup. I’m sure the lineup we start on the first game February 17th is not the lineup we start to end.”
Miami was ranked as high as No. 8 by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper in its preseason poll; the Hurricanes have also been ranked No. 17 (USA TODAY Coaches Poll) and No. 21 (D1 Baseball). “This team has a lot of guys who haven’t played a huge part in winning, and we’ve gone to the College World Series the last two years. We’ve lost a lot of guys to professional baseball,” Morris said. “We have a lot of question marks…we’ve got a lot of guys who are going to have to get better to be like last year.” Miami’s strength will likely be its pitching, anchored by Mediavilla, or “Midtown” as he’s known to his teammates. A Rawlings All-American a season ago, Mediavilla went 11-2 with a 3.40 ERA as the team’s ace. Lepore went 9-0 as a sophomore, recording a rotation-best 2.20 ERA as the midweek starter facing talented teams like FAU and UCF each week. He will likely move into the weekend rotation, joining Mediavilla. Junior transfer Jeb Bargfeldt and sophomore Andrew Cabezas could also be pitching on the weekends. Bartow seems like a potential replacement for Garcia. Talented freshmen Evan McKendry and Gregory Veliz will also play major roles in their first seasons in orange and green. Miami’s top offensive returner is Ruiz, who was drafted in the 28th round by the Houston Astros, but elected to return for his senior season. A second-team All-ACC pick last year, Ruiz started all 64 games and batted .342 with four home runs and 57 RBI. Other talented returners include Chester, infielder Edgar Michelangeli (five home runs, 40 RBI), veteran first baseman Christopher Barr (25 RBI, 14 steals) and senior Randy Batista (two home runs, 26 RBI). Freshman Michael Amditis could earn the nod behind the plate as one of the best defensive catchers in recent Miami history, but will face competition from Joe Gomez and Alex Sanchez. Fellow newcomers like outfielders James Davison and Hunter Tackett, as well as do-it-all Michael Burns, will also be a factor in the season as Morris writes out his lineup card. “(I like) just how close we are really,” Chester said. “I know if you look at the roster we have 20 new guys or 15 or whatever it is, but we all have gelled so quickly and we’re really playing together as a team. I think the fall helped us that way.”
Six-time Major League Baseball All-Star and former Miami Hurricanes All-American Ryan Braun will serve as the special guest speaker at the First Pitch Banquet on Feb. 10 to kick off the Hurricanes’ 2017 baseball season. “I’m very excited to have Ryan back. He’s one of the truest definitions of a student-athlete you could ever have,” head coach Jim Morris said. “He was on a half-academic scholarship as well as a baseball scholarship here at Miami. He’s also one of the best players and most productive big leaguers we’ve had. To have him come back and talk to our guys, as an MLB All-Star, it’s something that is great for our players and great for our program.” The 2005 ACC Player of the Year, Braun batted .388 with 18 home runs and 76 RBI to go along with a .726 slugging percentage in his final season at Miami. In his three years with the Hurricanes, Braun totaled 45 home runs and 197 RBI. Miami qualified for the College World Series twice during his career (2003, 2004) and compiled a 136-49-2 record (.727 winning percentage). “It’s something I’m really looking forward to. The time I spent at the University of Miami was among the best baseball and life experiences I’ve ever had,” Braun said. “Every opportunity I have to get back is special for me. The baseball program is so meaningful to me, and was instrumental in my growth as a person and player. I’m still very good friends with a lot of the guys I played with, and I enjoy every opportunity I have to come back.” After a standout debut season in 2003, Braun was named the National Freshman of the Year by Baseball America and was a unanimous Freshman All-American. In his final season at Miami, Braun was a finalist for the Golden Spikes Award, awarded to the nation’s top amateur player. Braun was selected as the fifth overall pick in the first round of the 2005 MLB Draft by Milwaukee, and has been a mainstay in the Brewers lineup since making his major league debut in 2007. In 10 professional seasons, Braun has a career .304 batting average with 285 career home runs and 937 career RBI. Through the 2016 season, Braun has totaled 317 doubles, 43 triples, 181 stolen bases and a .544 slugging percentage. “I think going to Miami is something everybody who has gone there is proud of,” Braun said. “It’s something that we all take a lot of pride in. I think all the guys who have gone on to play professionally or in the majors, for all of us, there’s a special connection, a special sense of pride in having gone to UM and continuing to root for Miami and enjoying all of its successes.” Braun earned All-Star recognition in five of his first six seasons, and was named the 2011 NL MVP after batting .332 with 33 home runs and 111 RBI. He is a five-time MLB Silver Slugger Award winner, and batted .305 for Milwaukee in 2016 with 30 home runs and 91 RBI. 14
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Demetrius Jackson from the University of Miami football team has been selected as one of three Atlantic Coast Conference student-athletes that will hold voting power on proposed NCAA rule changes under the Division I autonomy process. Jackson will join Duke’s Madison Granger (track and field/cross country) and NC State’s Harli Hubbard (softball) as members of the ACC Autonomy Committee. The three ACC student-athletes will be invited to attend various ACC governance meetings and participate as members of the voting delegation at the 2018 NCAA Convention. “To be selected as one of three student-athletes in the ACC to participate as an NCAA autonomy representative is truly a fantastic honor,” Jackson said. “I look forward to sharing the voice of other student-athletes throughout the ACC, while enhancing their overall collegiate experience. I look forward to the work ahead with my fellow ACC representatives.” The NCAA Division I Board of Directors voted in August of 2014 to restructure how schools and conferences govern themselves, paving the way for student-athletes to have a voice – and a vote – at every level of decision-making. A council, established as part of that process, is responsible for day-to-day operations of the division and includes two seats for student-athletes, two for faculty and four for commissioners. “Student-athletes are at the core of the ACC’s mission, and the value of having them take part in the governance process is immeasurable,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “We look forward to Madison, Harli and Demetrius bringing their leadership, experience and the voice of their peers to our meetings.” The new model also granted flexibility to schools in the Atlantic Coast, Big 12, Big Ten, Pac-12 and Southeastern conferences to change rules for themselves in a list of specific areas within Division I. The legislative process for these 65 schools includes the three studentathlete representatives from each conference who vote on rule changes. Jackson is a three-year member of the Hurricanes football program. During his three seasons in Coral Gables, Jackson has helped the Hurricanes to three straight bowl games, has seen action in 17 contests and has made six starts. This past season, Jackson posted singleseason career highs in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks as he helped Miami rank 12th in the nation in scoring defense. Off the field, Jackson is a role model throughout the Miami community. Despite his busy schedule, the Miami native has logged more community service hours than any other Hurricane student-athlete. This past fall, Jackson was awarded the ACC Top Six Award for Service and was selected as the Miami Football Team’s Community Service Man of the Year. Jackson also has excelled in the classroom at Miami and has encouraged others to follow his lead, as he participates in 5,000 Role Models, a non-profit group in Miami, which serves as an in-school dropout prevention program. 15
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
After all the trips and phone calls and texts – not to mention all the rankings, announcements and general bedlam of modern-day college football recruiting – Miami head coach Mark Richt sat down on the afternoon of National Signing Day to review the Hurricanes’ 2017 class. He liked what he saw. “I thought we nailed it and we’re very excited about this class,” he said. Miami filled positions of need, especially at receiver, in the secondary and along the offensive live. Ten of the 24 players enrolled early, enabling them to get a head start on the off-season program. And two-thirds of the newest Hurricanes are from the Sunshine State. “When you have that many great players in your backyard, you have to make sure you are creating those relationships with those kids as early as possible,” Richt said. “This year, obviously having a lot more time to get into the high schools, spend time with the high school coaches in our tri-county area and in the state, and all the other places we went to. We just try to help them understand what we’re about, and getting faith and confidence that if they send their young men to our school, they’re going to get everything they need.” Here is a quick look at Squad 17. For more information visit www. miamisquad17.com. Trajan Bandy | DB | 5’9”/180 | Miami, Fla. | Columbus High School Consensus four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Chris Merritt at Columbus High School… Chose Miami over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Cincinnati, Clemson, Oklahoma and Colorado. Robert Burns | RB | 5’11”/215 | Miami, Fla. | Gulliver Preparatory School Four-star running back prospect by ESPN… Three-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and Scout… Coached by Earl Sims at Gulliver Prep…Chose Miami over offers from Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Florida State and Ohio State, among others. Amari Carter | DB | 6’2”/188 | Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. | Palm Beach Gardens High School Four-star safety prospect by ESPN…Three-star prospect by 247Sports, Rivals and Scout… Coached by Rob Freeman at Palm Beach Gardens…Chose Miami over offers from Auburn, Clemson, LSU, Michigan and Notre Dame, among others.
Jhavonte Dean | DB |6’2”/185 | Homestead, Fla. | Blinn College | South Dade High School Consensus four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Played for Nathaniel Hudson at South Dade High School…Comes to Miami with three years to play two seasons…Chose Miami over offers from Alabama, Arizona State, Cincinnati and Kentucky. DeeJay Dallas | ATH | 5’10”/191 | Brunswick, Ga. | Glynn Academy Consensus four-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Rocky Hidalgo at Gylnn Academy…Chose Miami over offers from Alabama, Auburn, Florida, Florida State and Georgia, among others. Navaughn Donaldson | OL | 6’5”/335 | Miami, Fla. | Miami Central High School Consensus four-star offensive line prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Roland Smith at Central…Chose Miami over offers from Florida, Florida State, Georgia and Louisville, among others. Zach Dykstra | OL | 6’6”/290 | Spirit Lake, Iowa | Spirit Lake High School Consensus three-star offensive line prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Josh Bolluyt at Spirit Lake High School…Chose Miami over offers from Iowa, Iowa State and Vanderbilt, among others. Zach Feagles | P | 6’2”/210 | Glen Rock, N.J. | Ridgewood High School Earned a three-star rating from ESPN and Scout…Chose Miami over offers from Rutgers and North Carolina…Son of 22-year NFL veteran and Miami alum Jeff Feagles. Jonathan Ford | DL | 6’5”/275 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | Dillard High School Consensus three-star defensive line prospect by from 247Sports, Scout and ESPN…Coached by Lorenzo Davis at Dillard High School…Chose Miami over offers from Kentucky, Tennessee, USC, Auburn, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma and West Virginia.
Jonathan Garvin | DL | 6’3”/222 | Lake Worth, Fla. | Lake Worth Community High School Four-star defensive end prospect by ESPN…Coached by Micah Mays at Lake Worth…Chose Miami over offers from Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Oklahoma and Tennessee, among others. Corey Gaynor | OL | 6’4”/285 | Parkland, Fla. | Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Listed as a three-star prospect by 247Sports, Scout and ESPN…Coached by Willis May at Marjory Stoneman Douglass…Chose Miami over offers from Arizona, Houston, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, UCF and West Virginia. Mike Harley | WR | 5’9”/160 | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. | St. Thomas Aquinas Consensus four-star wide receiver prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Roger Harriott at St. Thomas Aquinas…Chose Miami over offers from Kentucky, Louisville, Maryland, Michigan, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Kai-Leon Herbert | OL | 6’5”/285 | Plantation, Fla. | Plantation American Heritage School Consensus four-star offensive line prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Spent his senior season playing for former Miami Dolphin Patrick Surtain at American Heritage High School…Played three seasons for cornerbacks UM coach Mike Rumph at American Heritage High School…Chose Miami over offers Michigan, Auburn, Florida, California, Colorado, Georgia and LSU. Zalon’tae Hillery | OL | 6’6”/287 | Brunswick, Ga. | Glynn Academy Earned a three-star ranking from 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals…Coached by Rocky Hidalgo at Gylnn Academy…Chose Miami over offers from Florida, Kentucky, Alabama and Clemson.
N’Kosi Perry | QB | 6’4”/185 | Ocala, Fla. | Vanguard High School Widely regarded as one of the most dangerous dual-threat quarterbacks in the nation…Consensus four-star quarterback by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Edwin Farmer at Vanguard High School…Chose Miami over offers from Auburn, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida State and West Virginia. Brian Polendey | TE | 6’5”/230 | Denton, Texas | Guyer High School Consensus three-star tight end prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by John Walsh at Guyer…Chose Miami over offers from Arkansas, Colorado, Houston and Michigan, among others. Waynmon Steed | LB | 6’0”/221 | Miami, Fla. | Miami Central High School Consensus-three-star linebacker prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Roland Smith at Central…Chose Miami over offers from Colorado, LSU and NC State, among others. Derrick Smith | DB | 6’2”/200 | Jacksonville, Fla. | Trinity Christian Academy Consensus three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Verlon Dorminey at Trinity Christian Academy…Chose Miami over offers from USC, Mississippi State, North Carolina, Kentucky and Cincinnati. Jeff Thomas | WR | 5’10”/175 | East Saint Louis, Ill. | East St. Louis Consensus four-star wide receiver prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout...Coached by Darren Sunkett at East Saint Louis High School…Chose Miami over offers from Louisville, Oregon, Illinois, Michigan and Alabama among others.
Bradley Jennings, Jr.| LB | 6’2”/218 | Jacksonville, Fla. | Sandalwood High School Consensus three-star linebacker prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Adam Geis at Sandalwood…Chose Miami over offers from Florida State, Louisville, Michigan and North Carolina, among others.
Cade Weldon | QB | 6’2”/203 | Tampa, Fla. | Thomas Jefferson High School Consensus three-star pro-style quarterback prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Father Casey was 1991 Heisman Trophy runner-up under then-Florida State offensive coordinator Mark Richt…Chose Miami over offers from Kentucky, South Carolina and Wake Forest, among others.
D.J. Johnson | DL | 6’5”/240 | Sacramento, Calif. | Luther Burbank High School Consensus four-star defensive lineman by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by John Heffernan at Luther Burbank High School…Had offers from 100 schools...Chose Miami over Washington, USC, Ohio State and Alabama.
De’Andre Wilder | LB | 6’3”/202 | Opa Locka, Fla. | Miami Carol City Earned a four-star ranking by ESPN…Coached by Aubrey Hill at Carol City…Choose Miami over offers from Georgia, USF, Florida, LSU, Louisville and Alabama.
Evidence Njoku | WR | 6’6”/196 | Wayne, N.J. | Wayne Hills Consensus three-star prospect by 247Sports, ESPN, Rivals and Scout…Coached by Wayne Demikoff at Wayne Hills… Young brother of former Hurricane wide receiver David Njoku…Chose Miami over offers from Boston College, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri, Oregon and Penn State among others.
VIEW FROM THE U
BASKETBALL BY AMY LaBRIE
EBUKA IZUNDU
@CanesHoops
THE SERIES - MIAMI VS. VIRGINIA TECH Miami is 19-13 all-time against Virginia Tech, including 9-3 with Jim Larrañaga at the helm. The Hurricanes have won six of the last seven matchups against the Hokies and were 2-1 against them last season. In last year’s ACC Tournament quarterfinal matchup, Miami defeated Virginia Tech, 88-82. Davon Reed scored 17 points and grabbed three steals while Ja’Quan Newton dropped 10 points and recorded four assists. Miami is 9-4 all-time at home against Virginia Tech. Kamari Murphy grabbed 10 rebounds in Miami’s, 65-49, win over VT on Feb. 17 of last season. HOME COURT ADVANTAGE Miami has won 23 of its last 25 games at the Watsco Center, with a 10-2 mark this season, added to 13 straight victories in the 2015-16 campaign. In six seasons under Coach L, Miami is 73-22 overall at home, 40-7 in non-conference play at home and 34-15 in ACC action at home. In both 2012-13 and 2015-16, the Canes had just one loss overall at the Watsco Center. Year Overall N-C ACC Year All N-C ACC 2016-17 10-2 7-0 3-2 2013-14 8-8 5-2 3-6 2015-16 15-1 6-1 9-0 2012-13 14-1 6-0 8-1 2014-15 12-6 7-2 5-4 2011-12 14-4 8-2 6-2 Totals 73-22 40-7 34-15 R33D FROM DOWNTOWN Senior guard Davon Reed drained 7-of-10 shots from long range at NC State, setting his career high in threes made, on his way to a career-best 26 points. Reed has knocked down 44 shots from long range in the past 14 games. He hit seven at NC State and five against both Duke and FAU. For the year, he is 57-138 (41.3%) from downtown, hitting multiple 3-pointers in 16 outings, including three-or-more 10 times. Reed has hit at least one three in every game this season (22 games). In 2011-12, Malcolm Grant tied Jack McClinton’s school record (set in 2008-09) of 35 straight games hitting a 3-point shot.
2016-17 SCHEDULE Nov. 2 Barry (Ex.) ACCN E W, 73-62 Nov. 11 Western Carolina ACCN E W, 92-43 Nov. 16 at North Florida ESPN3 W, 94-56 Nov. 19 Penn ACCN E W, 74-62 AdvoCare Invitational, HP Field House, Orlando, Fla. Nov. 24 Stanford ESPN2 W, 67-53 Nov. 25 #21/22 Iowa State ESPN2 L, 56-73 Nov. 27 Florida ESPN2 L, 56-65 ACC/Big Ten Challenge Nov. 30 Rutgers ESPNU W, 73-61 Hoophall Miami Invitational, AAA, Miami Dec. 3 Wofford ESPN3 W, 74-57 Dec. 6 South Carolina State ACCN E W, 82-46 Dec. 16 Florida Atlantic ACCN E W, 76-56 Dec. 22 George Washington ACCN E W, 72-64 Dec. 28 Columbia ACCN E W, 78-67 Atlantic Coast Conference Schedule Dec. 31 NC State RSN W, 81-63 Jan. 4 at Syracuse RSN L, 55-70 Jan. 12 #20 Notre Dame ESPN L, 62-67 Jan. 14 at Pittsburgh RSN W, 72-46 Jan. 18 at Wake Forest ACCN L, 79-96 Jan. 21 at #18 Duke ESPN L, 58-70 Jan. 25 Boston College RSN W, 78-77 Jan. 28 #9/6 North Carolina CBS W, 77-62 Feb. 1 #15/16 Florida State ACCN L, 57-75 Feb. 4 at NC State ACCN W, 84-79 Feb. 8 Virginia Tech RSN 9 p.m. Feb. 11 at #4 Louisville ESPN2 2 p.m. Feb. 15 Georgia Tech ACCN 8 p.m. Feb. 18 Clemson RSN 12 p.m. Feb. 20 at #12/13 Virginia ESPN 7 p.m. Feb. 25 #18/19 Duke CBS 4 p.m. Feb. 27 at Virginia Tech ESPN2 9 p.m. March 4 at #14/15 Florida State ACCN 4 p.m. March 7-11 ACC Tournament, Brooklyn, N.Y.
IZUNDU BREAKS OUT AT NC STATE Sophomore Ebuka Izundu recorded 16 points, six rebounds, a block and a steal in 27 minutes at NC State on Feb. 4. He hit 6-of-9 of his shots from the field and was 4-of-5 at the line. Prior to the game against the Wolfpack, Izundu totaled 13 points, 28 rebounds (3.1/g), six blocks (0.7/g) and had no steals in the first nine ACC games of the season. He was 6-of-16 from the field and 1-of-4 at the line in the first nine league outings. As a rookie, Izundu totaled 10 points, two rebounds, two blocks and two steals in his six ACC appearances. He was 3-of-3 from the field and 4-of-6 at the line in his first year with the Canes. SCORING FROM THE HURRICANES This season Miami is 14-1 overall and 5-1 in ACC play when scoring 70+ points. UM has scored fewer than 60 points in five of its seven losses. Three Hurricanes are scoring in double digits: Davon Reed - 15.8 ppg, Ja’Quan Newton - 15.0 ppg and Bruce Brown - 12.1 ppg. Those three guys account for 59.0 percent (942 of 1597 points scored) of Miami’s scoring. In league play, Reed (17.7), Newton (14.5) and Brown (14.0) provide 65.7 percent (462-703) of Miami’s points. CANES FACING HUNGRY TEAMS Heading into the game against Virginia Tech, Miami will play its eighth ACC game against a team coming off of a loss. Miami (4-3) won at Syracuse, at Pitt, vs. Boston College and at NC State, but lost at Wake Forest, at Duke and vs. Florida State after previous losses. NEW ROLES FOR THE HURRICANES Of Miami’s nine available scholarship players, four are freshmen who did not play for UM last season, and only three of the returners played significant minutes for the Canes. Miami’s lack of experience not only equates to minutes played, but also to experience at their current position. Every player on the team has a new role this season, except senior forward Kamari Murphy. Ja’Quan Newton was the 2015-16 sixth man, and is now the Canes’ starting point guard. Davon Reed was a third option offensively as a junior, but is now a primary option. CANES IN NATIONAL STATS Miami is ranked in the top 100 in 14 NCAA statistical categories, through games as of Feb. 5. The Canes are 32nd in scoring defense (64.0), 11th in fewest fouls and No. 48 in field goal percentage defense (40.8%). UM is also No. 23 in rebound margin (6.7) and No. 94 in 3-point field goal defense (33.1). BRUCE BROWN - ACC ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM CANDIDATE (after Feb. 5 games) PPG RPG SPG APG DRPG A/TO Actual 12.1 6.5 1.6 3.3 4.7 1.7 NCAA Freshmen - - 10 - 15 24 ACC Freshmen 6 2 2 3 2 2 NCAA (Guards) - - 105 - 54 202 ACC (Guards) 4 1 8 - 2 17 NCAA (All) - - 116 - 250 215 ACC (All) - - 6 - 14 15 Stats are from NCAA.org. Only top 250 players are ranked.
VIEW FROM THE U
BASKETBALL BY ALEX SCHWARTZ
@CanesWBB
2016-17 SCHEDULE (17-6, 6-5 ACC) DATE OPPONENT RESULT/TIME (TV) Nov. 11 [14/20] at 19/19 Kentucky@ L, 82-66 (SECN+) Nov. 13 [14/20] vs. Albany@ W, 77-53 NOV. 16 [22/22] CHARLOTTE W, 80-46 (ACCN Extra) Nov. 20 [22/22] at --/RV St. John’s W, 62-50 (ESPN3) NOV. 25 [21/22] GRAMBLING STATE^ W, 89-61 (ACCN Extra) NOV. 27 [21/22] TEXAS TECH^ W, 74-56 (ACCN Extra) Dec. 1 [18/16] at 9/10 Ohio State! W, 94-89 (OT) (BTN) DEC. 4 [18/16] OLD DOMINION W, 66-56 (ACCN Extra) DEC. 6 [14/16] LOYOLA CHICAGO W, 81-43 (ACCN Extra) Dec. 16 [13/12] at FIU W, 69-49 (CUSA.tv) DEC. 19 [11/12] COPPIN STATE% W, 75-35 (ACCN Extra) DEC. 20 MAINE% W, 76-51 (ACCN Extra) DEC. 29 [11/11] 7/7 FLORIDA STATE* L, 81-66 (ACCN Extra) Jan. 2 [14/11] at Pittsburgh* W, 82-50 (ACCN Extra) Jan. 5 [14/14] at RV/23 NC State* W, 67-64 (ACCN Extra) JAN. 8 [14/14] 7/6 NOTRE DAME* L, 67-55 (ESPN2) JAN. 11 [14/14] 15/16 VIRGINIA TECH* W, 82-75 (ACCN Extra) Jan. 15 [14/14] at 9/8 Louisville* L, 63-59 (ESPN2) WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – University of Miami head women’s basketball coach Katie Meier registered the 300th victory of her career Thursday Jan. 22 [14/14] at RV/24 Syracuse* L, 81-48 (RSN/ACCN Extra) night at Wake Forest, guiding the Hurricanes to a 79-56 triumph at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum. JAN. 26 [17/17] NORTH CAROLINA* W, 100-88 (RSN/ACCN Extra) JAN. 29 [17/17] BOSTON COLLEGE* W, 58-51 (ACCN Extra) Senior guard Jessica Thomas had a team-high 20 points, as No. 16/16 Miami (17-5, 6-4 ACC) outscored the Demon Deacons by 23 in the second Feb. 2 [16/16] at --/RV Wake Forest* W, 79-56 (ACCN Extra) half to record its third straight win. Feb. 6 [16/16] at 5/5 Florida State* L, 80-71 (RSN/ACCN Extra) FEB. 9 VIRGINIA* 7 p.m. (ACCN Extra) “I’ve been the head coach at two wonderful places with great administrations,” Meier said of Miami and Charlotte. “A coach’s longevity or FEB. 12 CLEMSON* 2 p.m. (ACCN Extra) however many wins you have after so many years—somebody stuck by you and believed in you. Neither place did I show up and win right Feb. 19 at Duke* 1 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra) away. So, I have had faith and support and great players and assistant coaches. You can tell how great my assistants have been by how successful they are as head coaches.” Feb. 23 at Virginia Tech* 7 p.m. FEB. 26 GEORGIA TECH* 1 p.m. (RSN/ACCN Extra) Miami built a quick 13-4 lead and the Demon Deacons called timeout just four minutes and five seconds into the game. The Hurricanes’ lead March 1-5 ACC Tournament TBA (RSN/ESPNU/ESPN2)
@CanesWBB Beats Wake by 23 for Meier’s 300th Win
would stand at five, 19-14, after a first quarter that ended with a buzzer-beating basket in the paint by Wake Forest (13-9, 4-5 ACC) senior forward Milan Quinn.
BOLD CAPS - home game, played at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Fla. [#/#] - Miami’s Associated Press/USA TODAY Coaches Poll rankings @ - Kentucky Classic (Lexington, Ky.) In the second period, the Demon Deacons used a 9-0 run to surge ahead by three. Miami then scored five of the final seven points of the half, ^ - Miami Thanksgiving Tournament (Coral Gables, Fla.) with redshirt junior guard/forward Shaneese Bailey’s buzzer-beating runner evening the score at 31 entering the intermission. ! - Big Ten/ACC Challenge Wake Forest sophomore guard Ariel Stephenson scored 18 points in the first half, tied for the second-most Miami allowed to one player in a half % - Miami Holiday Tournament (Coral Gables, Fla.) * - ACC game this season and tied for the highest total before the break. All times Eastern and subject to change
The Hurricanes opened the third period on a 13-4 run, including seven consecutive points in a span of 53 seconds, to grab a nine-point lead, 44-35, just four minutes and one second into the frame.
Twitter: @CanesWBB Instagram: @CanesWBB
Facebook: /CanesWBB Website: HurricaneSports.com
Miami held Wake Forest without a point for the final four minutes and 32 seconds of the the session, closing on a 12-0 run in the last three minutes and seven seconds. The Hurricanes outscored the Demon Deacons by 18 points, 27-9, in the quarter and led, 58-40, entering the fourth period. In the final quarter, Miami only continued its strong play, extending the lead to as many as 24 points, en route to its second ACC win of the year by over 20 points. For Wake Forest, the 23-point margin was its second-largest defeat of 2016-17. “Our energy and [focusing on] what was important,” Meier said of what changed in the second half. “We were so focused on things that weren’t really that important; whether the shot was going to go in, our timing and stuff. We had to focus on what was important, which was defensive energy and scoring points in the paint . . . At halftime, I went at them as hard as I have gone at them all year.” Thomas had four assists and a season-high four steals to go along with the seventh 20-point outing of her career and fourth of the year. Fellow senior guard Adrienne Motley tallied 16 points and a co-game-high five assists for the Hurricanes, while junior forward Keyanna Harris added 10 points. Sophomore forward/center Emese Hof logged a game- and season-high nine rebounds, the most she had in an ACC game in her career. Stephenson, the lone Demon Deacon in double figures, led all scorers with a career-high 24 points, as Miami limited her to six in the second half, including zero in the third period. The Hurricanes held sophomore forward Elisa Penna, Wake Forest’s leading scorer, to three points on 1-of-8 shooting. Miami logged a season-high-tying 19 steals and forced Wake Forest into a season-high-tying 29 turnovers. The Hurricanes now have 38 steals in the past two games after tallying 35 in the prior five games combined. Additionally, Miami has forced 63 turnovers in the last two contests after forcing 54 in the previous four. “Well, people are doing their jobs,” Meier said of the defensive success. “[Junior forward] Khaila Prather gets in there and does her job. Bailey gets in there and does her job. Keke Harris and [junior forward/center] Erykah Davenport, they had a couple flat games and lost their starting spots. Then they got it back tonight with just their effort and energy.” Four Hurricanes set or tied season highs in steals in the win: Thomas (four), Cornelius (three), Hayes (three) and Hof (two). In the second half, the Hurricanes shot 21-of-36 (58.3 percent) and the Demon Deacons were 11-of-26 (42.3 percent) from the field. Miami also had a 29-12 edge in points off turnovers. Miami now has four victories on the road this season against teams that are either ranked or receiving votes in the USA TODAY Coaches Poll. Additionally, Meier, who has 224 wins in 12 years at Miami, is now one of eight active ACC head coaches with at least 300 career victories. To keep up with the University of Miami women’s basketball team on social media, follow @CanesWBB on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Mr. Dependable: Davon Reed by Morgan Meehan, Communications Intern
Aside from being named team captain three years in a row, head coach Jim Larrañaga and the rest of the coaching staff refer to senior Davon Reed as “Mr. Dependable”. This is a result of the consistency he exhibits in all aspects of his life and his undeniable leadership skills. There is a big responsibility that goes along with his nickname and Reed is grateful to have earned it from Coach Larrañaga and the coaching staff.
“Coach L doesn’t just give anybody anything,” the team captain said. “Since I stepped on campus, he has always insisted that he doesn’t care who you are, you have to earn whatever you receive. So to earn that from him has been an honor. “It’s a big responsibility, but I’ve always been a leader - I’ve always had to be a leader,” Reed said. “People have always looked to me, for some reason. It is just one of the qualities that God has blessed me with, I guess.” From the court to the classroom, the New Jersey native has shown persistent success over the last few years. As a junior, Reed was third in scoring, following two Canes players who are now competing professionally. He started all 35 games for a team that played in the NCAA Sweet 16 and tied for second place in the Atlantic Coast Conference. During his sophomore season, Reed had an early-season injury, almost forcing him to redshirt, but still managed to be named to the NIT All-Tournament Team. The same season, he improved from 2.4 points and 2.4 rebounds per game in five non-conference games to 9.2 ppg and 3.6 rpg in ACC play, helping Miami advance to the NIT championship game. Throughout his first season as a Cane, Reed was able to work his way into the starting lineup, despite being on a team with six experienced upperclassmen. Not only does Reed have a jam-packed basketball schedule, he also works in the athletics’ marketing department and has still managed to earn a 3.348 GPA while majoring in sports administration with a double minor in marketing and communications. As a junior, he was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches Honor Court, a national award “recognizing the talents and gifts that these young men possess off the court and the hard work they exhibit in the classroom.” Reed is also a two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree and has been listed on the All-ACC Academic Honor Roll all three seasons at Miami. He was named on the Dean’s List (3.5 GPA) twice, Athletic Director’s List (3.2) five times and has been on the Book Buster Honor Roll (3.0) five times. Reed’s former high school coach, Paris McClean, commented, “I value that [Reed] puts the student first in student-athlete. He is a heck of a basketball player, but he is also a beast in the classroom.”
Assistant Head Coach Chris Caputo goes on to say, “Davon is one of the guys doing homework on the plane ride home late at night, after playing a game. He is very workman-like in everything he does.” Caputo believes his success both in the classroom and on the court is directly correlated to his intelligence. “One of his biggest strengths on the court is his brain. He knows how to play. He takes good shots. He can play multiple positions. He values the defensive end of the floor. He is a communicator. All of those things that go along with being highly intelligent, he brings out on to the court. He has a great size for his position, and great length. He has got athleticism, and a high skill level, but I think what sets him apart, and what has made him a successful player for us, is that he is highly intelligent.” As Caputo said, his intelligence is a huge factor in his game, but so is his dedication and love for basketball. After his freshman Whether the NBA is in his cards or not, Caputo isn’t worried year, Reed and his father, David Reed, were less than thrilled about him after graduation. with his performance. “He has been such a good student and a mature individual “My dad was a little bit upset my freshman year because I that when the ball stops bouncing for him, he has a very bright settled too much on just shooting and pigeon-holing myself as future in any endeavor.” Caputo said. “Generally, intelligent, being a shooter, when I have way more in my game than just serious-minded, mature people have an opportunity to do well that,” Reed said. “Every off season I have been dedicated to in life.” improving on different areas of my game and making sure that Along with Caputo, McClean is also confident in Reed’s bright I am that versatile player that I have always been.” future, as he is a “tireless worker” and a “confident professional.” When looking at his stats and accomplishments, it is obvious that his time and commitment are also huge factors in his game. “I know that playing at the highest level is one of his dreams, it He has his eyes set on the prize, and that focused mindset is always has been,” McClean said. “And I know that is something why he has seen so much success. But he isn’t done yet. When he’ll strive for; though I don’t think something like that would asked where Reed sees himself next fall after graduation, he ever define Davon Reed. Davon defines Davon Reed.” responds without hesitation, “suiting up, getting ready for As the Miami Hurricanes take the court every game with an training camp to play in the NBA.” inexperienced team, Caputo is happy to have Reed to lead the less experienced players to another successful season, since Reed is a natural in that area. The bench and the court consist of an even amount of upperclassmen and newcomers, which is a learning experience for the Canes. Miami’s team has had to learn how to blend together to have success. “Last year, we had a team full of veteran players. That particular group had been playing together for about two years, so we had a lot of camaraderie and experience. We still had some things we had to work through, but we had each other figured out,” Reed said. “This year, we have a new team, new rules and new expectations.”
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced at its 2017 convention in Nashville that Miami Director of Athletics Blake James has been named Chair of the Division I Council. The Division I Council is a high-level group responsible for the day-to-day decision-making for Division I. Each conference is represented on the group. Athletics directors, athletics administrators, senior women administrators, faculty athletics representatives and student-athletes serve on the Council. “I look forward to Blake’s leadership on the Council,” NCAA President Mark Emmert said. “He’s been an important part of the success of that group for the last two years. His range of experiences in the membership will provide a great perspective as the Council addresses the challenges and opportunities through the next several years.” James will serve a two-year term as Chair, starting at the conclusion of the Council’s April meeting. “I’m honored to continue serving on the Council and look forward to the challenges in my new role,” James said. “I would like to thank the members of the Council for their vote of confidence and our staff at Miami, which has been extremely supportive.” James was named Miami’s Director of Athletics in 2013, after previously serving as UM’s Interim Athletic Director and Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Ticket Operations. James has been working in college athletics for 22 years.
22
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
DOWN. SET.
DELIVERED.
Bring us your problems. Your challenges. Your just about anything. Because we’re not just in the shipping business, we’re in the problem solving business. It doesn’t matter if you’re a big company or you’re just you, we’ll help make it happen. We’re 400,000 people around the world serving in more than 220 countries and territories, ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work. So bring us your ideas, your questions, your boldest business plans yet. ups.com/solvers
ups united problem solvers™
Official Corporate Sponsor of the Miami Hurricanes © 2015 United Parcel Service of America, Inc. UPS, the UPS brandmark and the color brown are trademarks of United Parcel Service of America, Inc. All rights reserved.
#ProCanes Report
NBA James Jones: Cleveland Cavaliers James Jones is playing in his 14th NBA season for the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers. Jones’s leadership and title experience has the Cavs on top of the East and in hot pursuit of the Larry O’Brien trophy once again. Jones has played in 25 games this year and has shot an unheard of 62 percent from long range, converting on 21 of his 34 three point attempts. Sheldon McClellan: Washington Wizards Sheldon McClellan is playing his first NBA season in the capital city with the Washing Wizards. McClellan went undrafted last spring but has proved to be a valuable role player for the wizards off the bench. McClellan is averaging 11 minutes per game and shooting a respectable 47 percent from the floor. NFL Jimmy Graham: Seattle Seahawks Former Canes hooper Jimmy Graham just finished his seventh season with the Seattle Seahawks. The pro bowler caught seven touchdowns on the season including one in the Seahawks’ road playoff loss to the Atlanta Falcons. The four-time pro bowler also racked up 923 yards on 65 receptions, the second most on the team. Erik Swoope: Indianapolis Colts Erik Swoope completed this past season with the Indianapolis Colts. Swoope caught 15 passes for 297 yards averaging 19.8 yards per catch. He also caught the first touchdown of his career in week 15 against the Vikings. NBA D-League Trey McKinney Jones: Fort Wayne Mad Ants Trey McKinney Jones starts on the wing at the small forward position for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the Indiana Pacers D-League affiliate. Jones is second on the team in scoring 17.7 points per game while shooting an efficient 59 percent from the field. Overseas Rion Brown: Joensuum Kataja Basket (Finland) Rion Brown is starting at the four for Joensuun Kataja Basket in Finland. Brown is leading the team in scoring with 18 points per game and also contributing 5.5 rebounds and 3 assists per game as well. Brown is also leading the team in three point percentage converting on a scorching 46 percent of his attempts. Ivan Cruz Uceda: Cafes Candelas Breogan Lugo (Spain) Ivan Cruz Uceda is a key contributor off the bench for Cafes Candelas Breogan Lugo in Spain. Cruz Uceda has played in 19 games this year averaging around nine points and five boards in 17 minutes per contest. Guillermo Diaz: San Lorenzo de Almagra (Argentina) Guillermo Diaz is part of the lethal backcourt for San Lorenzo de Almagra in Argentina. Diaz is averaging 11 points and shooting over 61 percent from the floor, an impressive mark for a guard.
26
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
Julian Gamble: Telekom Baskets Bonn (Germany) Julian Gamble starts at center for Telekom Baskets Bonn based in Germany. Gamble is averaging 10.4 points, one of only three players scoring double digits. Gamble is also ripping down 5.7 rebounds, a mark that leads the team. Malcolm Grant: KK Tajfun Sentijur (Slovenia) Malcolm Grant starts at small forward for KK Tajfun Sentjur in Solvenia. Grant is averaging 10.1 points per game while also shooting a scorching 47 percent from distance. Tonye Jekiri: Bandirma Kirmizi (Turkey) First year pro Tonye Jekiri is starting at center for Bandirma Kirmizi in Turkey. Jekiri is all over the glass posting an average of 9.8 rebounds per game, a mark that leads the team. Jekiri has played in all 19 games this season adding 11.3 points per game on 61.4 percent shooting. Reggie Johnson: Mono Vampire Bangkok (Thailand) Reginald Johnson starts at the five for Mono Vampire Bangkok. Averaging a double double with 18.3 points and 13.3 boards per contest, Johnson is a force to be reckoned with in the paint. DeQuan Jones: Lille Metropole Basket (France) DeQuan Jones mans the starting small forward position for Lille Metropole Basket in France. Jones leads the team in scoring posting 18.2 points per game while adding five rebounds. He has played in all 16 games so far this season. Kenny Kadji: Trabzonspor Medical Park Basketbol (Turkey) Kenny Kadji has played in all 15 games this year for Trabzonspor Medical Park Basketbol in Turkey, starting at the power forward position. Kadji contributes 14 points and 5.8 rebounds per game while shooting 61 percent from the field. Donnavan Kirk: Fukuoka Rizing (Japan) Donnavan Kirk is starting at power forward and posting 10.6 points per game while adding 5.9 boards. Kirk has been a lethal from downtown converting on 41 percent of his three pointers. Shane Larkin: Saski Baskonia Vitoria (Spain) Shane Larkin starts at point guard for Saski Baskonia Vitoria in Spain. A true floor general Larkin leads the team in both scoring and assists with 13.1 and 5.1, respectively. Angel Rodriguez: Cholet (France) Angel Rodriguez is the starting point guard for Cholet, a French Team. Rodriguez dishes out 3.1 assists per game while also scoring 11.6 points per game and shooting 37 percent from threepoint range. Rodriguez also does significant damage from the charity stripe as he leads the team in free throws made and attempted shooting an impressive 89.4 percent from the line. Durand Scott: Enel Basket Brindisi (Italy) Durand Scott starts at the three for Enel Basket Brindisi in Italy. Scott is dropping 16.2 points per game the second highest total on the team, in addition to totaling 5.5 rebounds and 1.4 steals.
We’ll Get
EASTERN & There!
Proud to be the Official Airline of U Miami Athletics
NIGIA GREENE
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL FAVORITES Basketball Player: LeBron James Food: Philly steak and cheese Movie: “The Purge” series Place to Eat on Campus: Subway Song to Listen to Before a Game: J. Cole songs Part About Living in Miami: The beautiful weather
Sport Other than Basketball: Tennis TV show: “Spongebob” Vacation Spot: Miami Video Games: Call of Duty and Titanfall 2 Color: Red Fun Fact: I dabble in video games from time to time Afraid of: Insects
CHRISTIAN LANGMO MEN’S TENNIS
FAVORITES Athlete: Odell Beckham Jr. Athlete (Tennis): Andy Murray Pro Sports Team: Miami Dolphins Movie: The Wolf of Wall Street TV Show: The Office Meal: Sushi
Midnight Snack: Olives Ice Cream: Phish Food (Ben & Jerry’s) Candy: Sour Patch Kids I wish I could travel to (where): Paris Place on Campus: Starbucks by the lake Musical Artist: Tony Bennett
KAMARI MURPHY MEN’S BASKETBALL
FAVORITES Athlete: LeBron James Athlete in Another Sport: Tom Brady Pro Sports Team: Cavaliers Food: Soul Food Midnight Snack: Peanut Butter and Jelly Video Game: 2K FIFA
Class at UM: Sociology Professor at UM: Dr. Marvin Dawkins Ice Cream: Strawberry Cereal: Frosted Flakes Movie: Gone in 60 Seconds TV Show: Power Musical Artist: Young Thug and Drake
RJ MCINTOSH FOOTBALL
FAVORITES Athlete: Kevin Durant Beach: Fort Lauderdale Musical Artist: Drake Meal: Soul Food Movie: Friday
Day of the Week: Saturday Color: Blue Place in Miami: Flanigans Sport other than football: Basketball Place on campus: The fountain Candy: Twix
University of Miami Athletics, in partnership with Miami native and the star of CNBC show “The Profit,” Marcus Lemonis, announced the ‘Match Marcus’ fundraising campaign for Student-Athlete Excellence at a Hurricane Club pregame celebration before Miami’s appearance in the Russell Athletic Bowl on Dec. 28. The ‘Match Marcus’ campaign challenges the University of Miami community and Canes fans to raise a total of $2 million to support UM student-athletes in their pursuit of excellence. For every donation to the campaign, Lemonis will match half of the total - resulting in up to a $1 million gift from Lemonis. “I’m a big believer that as you experience success in life, you really have to remember where you came from and how you got there, and the people that got you there,” Lemonis said. “That’s very important to me. I’ve always been grateful to the University of Miami for years for really giving me something to look forward to.” All funds will be directly used by the athletics department to enhance the student-athlete experience and resources in the classroom, in competition and in life skills and career development. Lemonis jumpstarted the ‘Match Marcus’ campaign with a $250,000 check presented to Director of Athletics Blake James at the celebration outside Camping World Stadium. “On behalf of our 400+ talented student-athletes, we truly appreciate Marcus’s commitment and leadership to give and inspire others to get involved with our program and supporting student-athlete excellence,” James said. “Marcus has motivated and inspired countless people through his business career, and we are honored to have his partnership in Building Champions at the University of Miami. For information on how to make a gift in support of the MatchMarcus Campaign or to track our progress, visit MatchMarcus.com or call the Hurricane Club at (305) 284-6699.
29
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
Compliance Item: Student-Athletes and Agents There have been numerous national media reports regarding agents having impermissible encounters with collegiate student-athletes. The actions of an agent are governed by the professional players’ associations (NFLPA, MLBPA, etc.) so NCAA rules primarily outline what a student-athlete may do in relation to an agent. Below are some frequently asked questions about this topic so you may gain a basic understanding regarding the NCAA’s rules in this area: Q: Would prospective or enrolled student-athletes jeopardize their amateur status and become ineligible for intercollegiate athletics if they retain an agent? A: YES. The basic rule is that student-athletes are ineligible for participation in an intercollegiate sport if they have ever agree (orally or in writing) to be represented by an agent for the purpose of marketing their athletics ability or reputation in that sport. Q: How would the NCAA find out if a student-athlete did sign with an agent? A: Information comes to the NCAA from a variety of sources. For example, it may come from the student-athlete or the institution, the student-athlete’s ex-girlfriend or boyfriend, a disgruntled teammate, or a competing agent or runner. If the NCAA receives credible information that suggests that a violation may have occurred, it will follow up. Q: What benefits can agents provide to enrolled or prospective student-athletes without jeopardizing their amateur status? A: NONE. Any benefits (i.e., cash or other gifts or services) agents or their firm or agency provide to studentathletes would constitute compensation for their athletics talent and abilities, regardless of the value of the benefit or whether the benefit is used. Q: Can an agent send a gift to a student-athlete’s mother or girlfriend? A: NO. A student-athlete’s friends or relatives can-not receive any benefit that would be an impermissible benefit if received by the student-athlete, with-out jeopardizing the student-athlete’s amateur status. Below are additional guidelines for athletics department staff members: • No athletics department staff member of a member institution may serve as an agent, or represent, directly or indirectly, any individual in the marketing of athletics ability or reputation to a professional sports team or a professional sports organization, unless that staff member is acting in his or her capacity as a member of the institution’s professional sports counseling panel. • An athletics department staff member may not receive benefits for facilitating or arranging a meeting between a student-athlete and an agent, financial advisor or a representative of an agent or advisor. Maintaining compliance is essential to the success of our athletic programs. We ask that all Canes fans and supporters assist us in following the guidelines listed above. As always, your efforts to help the University of Miami maintain a culture of compliance are greatly appreciated. Sincerely,
Craig Anderson Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Athletics Compliance | University of Miami Athletics Schwartz Athletic Center | 5821 San Amaro Drive | Coral Gables, FL 33146 Direct: (305) 284-2692 | Fax: (305) 284-2276 | hurricanesports.com/compliance
31
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
Shalala Pledges Major Gift at CWA Event Former University of Miami President Donna Shalala pledged a major gift to the Edna Shalala Women’s Athletics Fund at the third annual Celebration of Women’s Athletics event. Shalala will match all gifts up to $100,000 for the CWA, which will take place on Sunday, February 12, 2017. The event starts with an awards brunch at 11:30 a.m. at the Watsco Center Fieldhouse, followed by Miami’s women’s basketball game against ACC rival Clemson at 2 p.m. The Hurricanes are currently 14-4 and ranked No. 14 in both the Associated Press and USA TODAY Coaches Polls. “Donna has long been a generous supporter of women’s athletics at Miami,” said Jennifer Strawley, Deputy Athletics Director and Senior Woman Administrator. “We are honored that she continues to remain engaged in our CWA event and thrilled that she is serving as the catalyst for our latest fundraising efforts to support all of our women’s programs.” The Celebration awards brunch will honor current Miami female student-athletes from each of UM’s nine women’s programs for excellence on the playing field, as well as in the classroom and community. All proceeds from the event go to the Edna Shalala Women’s Athletics Fund, which provides UM female student-athletes with first-class opportunities to compete, study and prepare themselves for life after athletics. Former UM women’s basketball standout and current Mayor of Dania Beach, Fla., Tamara James, will be the event’s keynote speaker. James played for the Hurricanes from 2002-06 and is the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,406 career points. She was elected mayor of her hometown this past November. Tickets to the Celebration of Women’s Athletics are $50 per person. Sponsorships for the Celebration are also available. For $1,000, a Table Sponsorship will include a table at the brunch, table recognition and recognition in the program. For $2,500, Presenting Sponsors will receive a table at the brunch with a student-athlete, recognition on the back cover of the program, visible recognition during the brunch and an announcement of recognition during the women’s basketball game. Title Sponsorships are $5,000 and includes a table at the brunch with a student-athlete, recognition on the front cover of the program, visible recognition during the brunch and an announcement of recognition during the women’s basketball game. For more information, visit www.2017CWA.eventbrite.com or contact the Hurricane Club at 305-284-6480.
32
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
MOM FRIENDLY. DAD READY.
Official Grill
â„¢
of the
Miami Hurricanes!
Hurricane Club Members! Visit www.LynxGrills.com/Hurricanes for an exclusive offer just for you!
Running Down Her Dream By David Villavicencio, HurricaneSports.com
Shakima Wimbley’s trophy case is packed. 13 individual ACC titles. One team ACC indoor championship. 14 First Team All-ACC honors. Seven ACC records. 2014 ACC Women’s Track Freshman of the Year. Two-time ACC Women’s Track Performer of the Year. Three ACC Women’s Track MVPs. The achievements are abundant and those are just from her outstanding performances at the conference level. Wimbley, who is arguably the most accomplished long sprinter in ACC history, has also earned nine All-America honors over her first three years in NCAA track and field. The senior was the bronze medalist in the women’s 400m at the 2016 NCAA Outdoor Championships and helped the Hurricanes reach the women’s 4x400m final for the second consecutive year. While the 400 meters is Wimbley’s favorite event, the explosive sprinter has a chance to make ACC history in the 200 meters. Undefeated in the event at the ACC Indoor Championships, she hopes to become the first four-time 200-meter indoor champion in ACC history. “I’m happy to be in that position, but it still doesn’t make me feel like I have anything in the bag,” Wimbley said. “The other competitors are just as good and you don’t know who’s going to sneak up, you don’t know who’s going to come up and have their awesome moment. I just have to stay focused. Yeah, I’m in first place, but my motivation is to keep going and keep getting better.” Despite all of her success, Wimbley is still hungry and striving for bigger things like an individual national championship – an accomplishment that has eluded her so far in her NCAA career despite being one of the elite sprinters in the country. “I feel like the time and the talent part has always been there,” Wimbley said. “But I will say the mental side of me has kept me back because sometimes in races I will physically feel great and be able to run awesome times, but in my mind I doubt. “I used to worry about competition and before I could even run the race I would think about where I’m going to finish, so when the gun goes off I’m not clearly focused and ready to run well because mentally I’m not there. Now I just quiet myself and I clear my mind. I get in my blocks and I hit the spot where I need to finish the race strong and focus on my technique. That’s in the past. I felt like mentally I held my own self back. It was never a physical issue. I feel like the talent was always there and now I just believe in it and trust in it more.” It’s hard to believe that an athlete as gifted and accomplished as Wimbley had self-doubt, but the senior believes her past experiences have helped her become stronger and have her poised for a monumental final season at Miami. “I had so many chances to become the national champion or make world teams and it was because my mentality that I didn’t make it,” Wimbley said. “I was putting other people ahead of myself and not trusting in my training completely. And the pain of losing when you know you’re better than someone else and you can compete at a higher level, it gets old and you just tell yourself, ‘Hey, I don’t want to be in this boat anymore. What do I need to do?’ So I kind of put that down and I talked to coach [Amy] Deem and she changed this preseason and she made it fit. It was tougher, but it made me a lot stronger.” Wimbley and Deem have a great relationship that has grown stronger since the two met years ago. Deem has been by Wimbley’s side as she has climbed to the top of the ACC and beyond, and it’s that time spent working together that has forged an unbreakable bond. “Coach Deem is a special lady,” Wimbley said. “I know I have frustrated her a lot in the past, but she has never quit on me. She did not give up on me. She still believes in me. She still trusts in me and she took it step-by-step with me and that just created a level of loyalty and trust for that lady. Sometimes I think that I was placed in the best hands possible because she’s helped me grow, and not only on the track, even with my academics. She is just pushing me to be the best that I can be and I really appreciate her for that.” Deem always saw the potential in Wimbley, even when she was at Dillard High School and just starting to figure out how to run in her long and lanky body. A legendary track coach that has been at Miami over a quarter century, Deem has coached national champions, All-Americans and Olympic gold medalists. She has enjoyed working with Wimbley and watching her blossom into the star she is today. “She’s had tremendous growth in the program,” Deem said. “Even from physical and mental growth. She came in and she had very little core strength, she has very long levers, very long limbs and just the control from a physical standpoint, just the growth of her getting stronger and being able to control her movements. It’s been fun to watch from that side.” But Deem knows the mental aspect has often been Wimbley’s biggest hurdle and the two have worked hard to help her overcome it. An avid track fan, Wimbley follows meets all over the world and knows what each of her peers have done almost instantaneously. Because of her deep knowledge of what others have done, Wimbley often found herself in awe of the other accomplished runners on the biggest stage. “That’s been kind of a challenge as a coach,” Deem said. “Getting her to kind of step away from that and just focus more on her abilities. She clearly loves track and follows it, but at the same time I think she’s finally at a point where she sees herself in the same light as her peers. At one point, someone would have been more like an idol or someone that she looked up to and never quite saw herself at that level and I think in the last two years she’s gotten to a point she sees that, ‘wait a minute I can do this, too.’ “She’s always wanted to be there, but that true belief that she belongs there is the final piece of the puzzle and one of the things that we’ve worked on this year,” Deem said. “To train more consistently, to do things even when she doesn’t feel like it. She always trains hard, but just to work through those few days she doesn’t necessarily feel great and just really truly believing that she’s a person that could be on the world stage if she chooses to be.”
Wimbley is the ACC leader in the 200m, 300m, 400m and ran the anchor leg on Miami’s ACC-leading 4x400m relay. The Hurricanes’ standout has rarely been tested in 2017, but she stepped up when challenged in the 400m at the Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational at the end of January. Kendall Ellis is a familiar foe to Wimbley and she was the biggest challenge the Hurricanes’ star has faced this season. Ellis, who is an All-American at USC, hails from Pembroke Pines, Fla., and has been racing against Wimbley since their youth. The two ran a tight 400m race at the McCravy Memorial Meet, with Wimbley edging out Ellis and posting a then world-leading time of 51.28 seconds. “It gives you confidence,” Wimbley said of rising to Ellis’ challenge. “Mid-race I saw that I was behind her and I was pretty close, so I told myself, ‘do not give up until that line.’ That to me was more important than running that fast time. For the first time ever I was in a scary situation and I held my composure, I held on and I was like, ‘I can fight until the line, I can do this, I’m strong enough, I can do this, I still have energy.’ So for me to be able to get through that situation, that made me more proud of myself than actually running that fast. Even before the race, the way I handled my emotions I was able to talk positive things to myself instead of negative. I was like, ‘okay I ran 36 (seconds in the 300m) last week. I feel pretty good. It’s just another 100 meters.’ Everything I was thinking about was with positive reinforcement. I was able to step to the line and compete and it felt really good, so I think that’s an upside.” Wimbley’s hard work and determination do not go unnoticed by her teammates. Sophomore Brittny Ellis trains daily with Wimbley and values the opportunity to work so closely with such an elite runner. “It’s awesome to be able to train with her,” Ellis said. “She is someone that pushes me in practice. I know if I can keep up with her then I am in good shape. It’s been an awesome experience. She’s a great leader and can always pick us up if we are having a hard time. It means a lot knowing that I have a tight knit support group within the 400 meters. She has done so much at such high levels and that is inspiring to me and pushes me to want to get there, too.” Ellis and fellow 400-meter runner Aiyanna Stiverne are two of Wimbley’s closest friends on the Hurricanes and the trio makes up three-fourths of Miami’s 4x400m relay. Wimbley believes their relationship on and off the track has helped them all excel over the past couple years.
“It’s been amazing having Aiyanna and Brittny here,” Wimbley said. “That probably was one of the best things to happen to me at Miami because I know that if I push myself, it will push them and they will push me to be better. I know Brittny looks up to me and I feel like me being positive has an effect on them, too.” A quiet leader who prefers to lead by example, Wimbley knows her voice is heard when she speaks up. “When I speak out at meets, my teammates hear it and they feel in their hearts,” Wimbley said. “Being on a relay with them, I know they will always give 100 percent and I always want to run for them. They always put me in a great position and they always push me, especially Aiyanna. She always has motivating things to say to me. We come from the same place in Ft. Lauderdale and have been competing with each other for so long. She’s just like, ‘You got it. You know you’re the best,’ and that helps pick me up. It’s just great to have somebody like her on my team.” The trio of Wimbley, Ellis and Stiverne will look to repeat their success from 2016, where they all reached the 400m final at the ACC Indoor Championships. Currently, Wimbley leads the ACC in the 400m, while Ellis is second in the conference and Stiverne is tied for third. “Aiyanna has pushed her at times at practice when she’s needed it and I think it’s a good reality check because if she’s not on her game, they’re right there,” Deem said. “The fact that they’re together working every day, they go out there and try to push each other. We want them to push her and vice versa because it makes everybody better.” Deem believes the additions of Stiverne, who joined the Canes prior to the 2016 season after spending two years at UTEP, and Ellis have helped Wimbley elevate to her current level of success. She also feels Stiverne and Ellis have improved by training with Wimbley, giving Miami a dangerous triple threat in the 200m and 400m, as well as strengthening their elite 4x400m relay team. “I think it’s a much better dynamic than even it was last year because Brittny is a year older, a little more comfortable and stronger in the workouts,” Deem said. “If Shakima is off a step or two, they’re right there pushing her and it’s a good thing. I think they help each other get through the tougher workouts and it’s good to have your individual time to train, but it’s also good to have your group on those harder days to really motivate you and push you through. They’ve all benefited from training and competing together.” Wimbley’s demeanor is noticeably different in 2017. The self-confidence that she has been working on is starting to show on the track and that means bad news for her competitors. While she has begun to trust in her abilities completely, she has not let her talent and success get to her head. In fact, Deem believes Wimbley’s mindset is the right combination of confidence and hunger. “I think she’s handled it extremely well and I hope that she continues to do that,” Deem said. “I think that will help her in more ways than one to achieve her goals this year and moving forward post-collegiately. I think one of the biggest things is that she puts so much stock in how good certain people are and not enough in herself. “It’s not a lack of respect. I think any given day she knows people are going to step up. Nobody is going to say, ‘You’re is Shakima Wimbley. Here’s a national title. I don’t care if she’s the preseason favorite or number one returning athlete, someone always comes out of somewhere. For her, it’s about continuing to build confidence and each race get stronger and stronger mentally to continue throughout the season.”
VIEW FROM THE U
TRACK AND FIELD / CROSS COUNTRY BY DAVID VILLAVICENCIO
@MiamiTrack
2017 TRACK SCHEDULE
Canes Among Best in Division I
Miami currently has eight national indoor qualifiers
With just one regular season meet remaining on its schedule, the University of Miami track and field program has its sights set on the indoor championship season.
Senior Ebony Morrison currently ranks 12th in the women’s 60m hurdles, while sophomore Michelle Atherley is 12th in Division I in the women’s pentathlon.
The Hurricanes will compete at the Tiger Paw Invitational on Feb. 10-11, their final indoor meet before the ACC Indoor Championships and NCAA Indoor Championships.
Carlos Mangum is Miami’s lone male ranking in the top 16 of his event, sitting 12th in the country in the men’s weight throw.
The trip to Clemson will serve as one of the final opportunities for Miami student-athletes to earn a spot in the NCAA championship meet. The top 16 marks in each individual event area and top 12 relays qualify for the NCAA Indoor Championships in College Station, Texas on March 10-11. Miami currently has eight marks that qualify for the NCAA meet, seven by the Hurricane women and one by a Miami man. Senior Shakima Wimbley leads the way for Miami, as her NCAA-leading 400m time is one of three marks that she qualifies for nationals with. Wimbley is also currently 10th in the women’s 200m and runs anchor on Miami’s 4x400m relay. The Canes have two other talented sprinters in the top 16 of the women’s 400 meters. Sophomore Brittny Ellis sits eighth in the country, while senior Aiyanna Stiverne is tied for 15th.
Mangum was one of seven Hurricanes to qualify for the 2016 NCAA Indoor Championships a year ago. He, along with Wimbley and Morrison, will look to make a return trip to the national meet in 2017.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD DATE MEET 1/13-14 Virginia Tech Invitational 1/20-21 Rod McCravy Memorial Invitational 2/3-4 Meyo Invitational 2/10-11 Tiger Paw Invitational 2/23-25 ACC Indoor Championships 3/10-11 NCAA Indoor Championships OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD DATE MEET 3/17-18 Hurricane Invitational* 3/25 Hurricane Twilight Meet* 3/30-4/1 Florida Relays 4/7-8 Hurricane Alumni Invitational* 4/22 Michael Johnson Invitational 4/28 Tom Jones Invitational 5/12-14 ACC Outdoor Championships 5/25-27 NCAA East Preliminary 6/7-10 NCAA Outdoor Championships
* - Home Meet
MAKING MOVES AT THE MEYO INVITE
The Hurricanes had a record-setting weekend at the Meyo Invitational hosted by the Universty of Notre Dame.
Miami traveled to South Bend, Ind., to compete at the site of the 2017 ACC indoor Championships and the results were positive. “I’m really excited about how we did,” Miami director of track and field/cross country Amy Deem said. “We came in with a plan of some things we wanted to get done specifically at this track, because it is a great track to run certain events, so we were excited to come here and I was pleased that we executed the plan. I think we put ourselves in a great position three weeks out of ACCs. I think we have improved ourselves a little bit nationally this weekend. I’m just excited with how well the team responded. We challenged them and they really stepped up and got it done.” The Hurricanes broke three records on the first day of action at Loftus Sports Center on the University of Notre Dame campus.
While Miami currently has eight marks inside the qualifying standard for the NCAA Indoor Championships, they have several others within striking distance of earning their way to College Station.
Shakima Wimbley won the women’s 200m with a Meyo Invitational meet record time of 23.19 seconds, smashing the previous meet best time of 23.51 seconds set by Georgia Tech’s Ashlee Kidd in 2006.
Kristina Knott currently is 19th in the women’s 60m and Erika Voyzey sits 25th in the women’s high jump.
Gabrielle Hesslau smashed her own school record in the women’s 5000m, finishing 13th overall with a time of 16:51.38. The senior’s previous best time of 17:22.61 was set at the 2016 ACC Indoor Championships.
Miami also has five other marks that rank among the top 50 in their respective events, with three coming on the women’s side and two from the men’s team. Gabrielle Hesslau’s school record 5000m time is 44th in the country, while Atherley is 36th in the women’s 60m hurdles and Amy Taintor ranks 34th in the women’s pentathlon. Myles Valentine (31, 60m) and Henri Delauze (42, 400m) round out Miami’s top 50 marks.
In addition to Wimbley’s record-setting run in the 200m, the Hurricanes broke the school record in both the men’s and women’s 5000m.
Sean Grossman also set a school record in the men’s 5000m, posting a personal-best time of 14:41.46. The junior placed sixth in section 1 and was 20th overall while breaking Jon Scheiner’s UM record time of 14:52.13 from Feb. 27, 2007. Other highlights included Isaiah Taylor’s victory in the men’s 60m dash, a trio of Canes reaching the final in men’s 60m and women’s 60m hurdles, and Carlos Mangum’s runner-up finish in the men’s weight throw. But the Hurricanes’ top performance on the final day of competiton came in the women’s 4x400m relay, as Aiyanna Stiverne, Brittny Ellis, Michelle Atherley and Shakima Wimbley combined to win with a time of 3:31.88 that broke the Meyo Invitational and facility record. The time also ranks second in school history and makes the Hurricanes the second-fastest team in the country.
WE’LL GET YOU BACK IN THE GAME.
UHealthSportsMedicine.com
OFFICIAL SPORTS MEDICINE PROVIDER FOR THE MIAMI HURRICANES, MIAMI MARLINS, AND THE U.S. SAILING TEAM
Greener Pastures at The U By Tom Symonds, HurricaneSports.com
Making the transition from high school to college is one of the biggest life-altering events for any future student-athlete. Moving away from home, making new friends, playing on a new team, living in a new area and adjusting to the college life style can be a difficult task for anyone. But what if you added another wrinkle to the equation? What if you added major reconstructive knee surgery to the laundry list of first-year college factors? Welcome to the freshman season of University of Miami women’s basketball guard Nigia Greene. Greene, a soft-spoken yet talented basketball player from Atlanta’s St. Francis High School, began her collegiate experience in the fall of 2013. She was going through all the normal highs and lows of a first-year student-athlete until her collegiate career was turned upside down after she tore her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in her right knee and was forced to miss her entire freshman season. “She has a real deep deep heart and to see her struggle was just hard because you could just see it on her face – she doesn’t share a lot – but you could just see the daily conversations that she was having with herself,” head coach Katie Meier said. “On the surface, she just doesn’t want to be a problem. She never wants it to be all about her.” For some first-year student-athletes, the blow of tearing an ACL and being forced to miss her entire first season might have been enough to force a transfer back to closer to home.
Greene had been down this road before. Heading into her junior season of high school Greene tore the ACL in her left knee and was forced to miss the entire season. “I knew it was a pretty bad injury and I knew it took a while to get back from it,” Greene said of learning about her first ACL injury. “I knew it was a long process and I didn’t think it would happen to me. It’s an uncomfortable feeling. It doesn’t disappear.” As prospective colleges learned of Greene’s injury in high school, some began to look else where for a future guard, but Miami remained committed. Greene came out of high school rated as a four-star recruit by ESPN and was ranked as the ninth-best player at her position and the No. 41 overall prospect. She finished her senior season by averaging 18.0 points per game and led St. Francis to a 25-6 record. “Miami was one of the only schools that really kept reaching out to me and kept letting me know that they still believed in me and that they still wanted me to come here,” Greene said. “When I came on my visit, that’s when I realized that this was where I needed to be.” To Greene, Miami had it all – a beautiful campus, smaller classes, tropical weather, but most of all, Meier provided her student-athletes with a strong sense of family. It is that sense of family that sold Greene to attend the Miami. It also was that sense of family that helped her rebound from her second ACL injury.
“Coach Meier called me and told me to keep my head up and to keep working hard and to just stay focused on the bigger picture. Not every student-athlete gets that type of call,” Greene said. “It made me feel like I was part of a family because she was one of the first people that called me and it made me feel like this was home. I felt like if I ever needed anything I had a family here that would be able to help me out. “Talking to Coach Meier after I got injured my freshman year and having her telling me that she understands and that she is with me every step of the way meant a lot.” Since suffering her second ACL injury, Greene has battled through several nagging injuries and has played in 71 games. “Coach Meier cares about you as a person and not just as a player,” Greene said. “She wants the best for you at the end of the day. She wants you to be successful in whatever you do.” This season, Greene has seen action in 22 of 23 contests and is averaging just over 14 minutes per game. “She is a really soulful young lady,” Meier said. “She’s very deep. She works a lot of things through. She processes things and she doesn’t make irrational decisions. She’s not immature or irrational. She does not make quick, emotional decisions.
She wants to be there and she wants to come through. She wants to be counted on and I just want her to be happy.” As the 5-foot-10-inch guard comes down the home stretch of her collegiate career, Greene believes that hard work pays off. “If you put in the time and you put in the effort and stay disciplined, things will go your way,” Greene said. Greene hopes that the hard work her and her teammates have put in over the past four years translates into a dream ending of winning an ACC Tournament title. “I think our depth is something that few teams in the ACC have,” Greene said. “We are a very deep team. If we can put it all together, I definitely think we could win the ACC title. There is no doubt in my mind. “We know that every day, practice and game, there’s a chance for us to grow and learn new lessons whether it’s a win or a loss there’s always something to learn and there’s always something to get better at. As we get deeper into the season, everyone’s just trying to clock in, so to speak, and be ready for anything. We just need to say strong and stay together.”
A Second Family at The U for Wagner and Vallverdu by Kevin Ivany, Communications Assistant Contributions by Chris Beltran, Communications Intern
Eight ITA All-America honors, eight All-ACC selections, eight Sweet 16 appearances, four Elite Eight berths, three NCAA Singles Championship Final Fours and 265 singles wins in eight seasons. Accolades built to represent an entire tennis team, but at the University of Miami these numbers constitute two illustrious careers and important pieces to head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews’ coaching staff. Even though associate head coach Laura Vallverdu and student assistant coach Stephanie Wagner’s playing careers at The U may have concluded, their love for Miami has continued to flourish. “Steffi and Lau will do anything for the team and it is really because they love the University of Miami,” Yaroshuk-Tews explained. “They know how much the school has given them and continues to give them and they are grateful of everything they have received from Miami. And I know it is mutual because the University is grateful for them.” For both Wagner and Vallverdu, choosing to leave their homes of Amberg, Germany, and Valencia, Venezuela, respectively, was surprisingly simple due to the idea of playing in a city and environment that felt close to home. “I used to train in Miami—I knew the area very well. I had a lot of friends in Miami and it was as if they were my second family,” Vallverdu said. “I had people here, my brother, [Daniel, an All-American on the men’s tennis team], was already attending Miami and he was only a semester ahead of me.” According to Wagner, deciding to play at The U was “very spontaneous.” “At first I didn’t want to come to the United States and play college tennis, but my brother, [Albert], a year older than me, was at Louisville and he told me to definitely go on a college visit, if I were to get an offer,” Wagner said. “That is what happened, I came to Miami, I met the coaches, as well as the team, and that is how I decided that I wanted to be here right away. I didn’t want to look at any other schools because I felt comfortable here and knew I would be in good hands.” From the day these women landed in Coral Gables for their respective freshman seasons, up until this upcoming weekend’s Miami Spring Invite, for which they will be coaching, there has been a competitive nature that they have carried to help them become the winningest players in the history of the program. “Coach Lau refuses to lose,” junior Silvia Fuentes said. “I think she hates losing more than she loves winning. She’s always pushing us, and herself, to be great in everything we do.” Graduating with 131 career singles victories in the spring of 2010, Vallverdu ranked first in all-time wins at Miami before her ex-teammate, Bianca Eichkorn, reached 133 the following year. Last season, Wagner ended her career with 134, surpassing both of them. Although these numbers may say otherwise, winning was not always easy for both Vallverdu and Wagner. Like all great players, both recalled a defining moment in their careers that helped develop and mature them into who they are today. Vallverdu called to mind competing in ITA South Regional Championships during the fall of her freshman season as being one of those moments, remembering a second round match set for 8 a.m. “It was miserable, rainy and cloudy. I was miserable, I thought I was too good for this and I went in and I lost it,” Vallverdu said. “And Paige, I will never forget [what she said]. I dropped my bag and in a positive way she told me, ‘If you are able to change this arrogant attitude that you have and channel it in the right way you are going to be one of the best players in the country.’” At first, being a 19-year-old kid, Vallverdu said, “I didn’t understand what she was saying.”
However, as the season progressed, it started to sink in and now as a coach it is something she explains to incoming freshman who wear the Canes’ colors. “We talk about this with the girls,” she said, “discussing the learning curve. I tell them, you have been playing tennis forever, it doesn’t matter if you are a freshman. Just adapt and move on.” As for Wagner, Vallverdu and Yaroshuk-Tews both described her as being “lazy” during her freshman year, but when it was time to turn it on, she would do just that. “Now that she is done, I can say this. She is a friend, but I still feel like she is my player. Steffi was soft,” Vallverdu said. “She was so tough mentally; however, she didn’t know she could be tough physically . . . She was a little lazy during practice. She would pretend to practice, but once you’d tell her, ‘Let’s go, you have to play this girl,’ she would turn it on. It is unbelievable what the best kids can do, and you can’t really teach that. You either have it or you don’t.” “Steffi came in as a total hothead. She was both soft and lazy, but she could hit a winner from anywhere on the court,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “But this was a kid who decided to listen. She very easily could have decided to push me away and decide to be stubborn and be average, but she made the decision to be exceptional.” By playing from within and listening to her coaches on how to improve each and every day, Wagner not only spent her four-year career as a student of the game, but a teacher as well. “She helped me so much last semester and is always supportive and there for me,” junior Sinead Lohan, the sixth-ranked player in the nation, said. “I know I can always go to her no matter what. She has matured a lot and she sees what’s happening and understands from both the player’s side and coaching side.” Once it was all said and done, and both Wagner and Vallverdu had to hang up their rackets, one thing remained in the back of their minds: The University of Miami. “I think it says a lot about the sense of unity we have at The U,” Fuentes said. “It’s so hard to leave Miami because that would mean to leave our family. Our bond as a team is very strong.” Continuing her sixth season as a member of Yaroshuk-Tews’ staff and second as the associate head coach, Vallverdu still loves every bit of being part of The U.
“It’s cheesy, but honestly, to me, it means my life because it has not only given me so much, I have given them a lot, and it just makes a nice healthy relationship, if you want to call it like that,” Vallverdu explained. “Especially with Paige, we don’t talk about it often, but she knows this and I can’t thank her enough. I think it means my life and I have built my life and everything I have around here.” After graduating from Miami in 2010, Vallverdu spent one season as an assistant coach at Barry University, where she studied sports psychology, before returning to what she calls her “second family.” There, she helped guide the Buccaneers to a 27-1 record and their first national championship, and she was named the ITA Division II South Region Assistant Coach of the Year. However, as she explained, there was still something missing, which was uncovered when Yaroshuk-Tews gave her a call and offered an opportunity to work alongside her at Miami. That way she could get a better feel for Division I coaching while earning a master’s degree. “Number one, she is a true Hurricane, through and through. She was the type of kid who would die for me. She would die for me; she would die for the program,” Yaroshuk-Tews said of why she wanted Vallverdu on her staff. “She was one of those kids who if I were to say go at a red light, she would go. She put that much trust in me. She has a really good perspective on tennis, communications and people—she has people skills and she is not afraid to tell me when I am wrong.” Six years after Vallverdu and with a full collegiate career under her belt, Wagner sat in a nearly identical situation of not wanting to leave what she too refers to as “second family” or the game of tennis. Like Vallverdu, Wagner was also granted an opportunity to spend a season with the team from the sideline. “Steffi Wagner really has a special place in my heart,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “She went through a lot her freshman year, she was in the hospital, she had mono, she just went through a lot. To still have her around the program helping us and to still have her visible and around the team is really big.” With the start of dual matches around the corner, Vallverdu and Wagner will once again be doing everything in their power to help the Hurricanes conclude each match with a victory.
VIEW FROM THE U
MEN’S TENNIS BY KEVIN IVANY
@CanesMensTennis
2016-17 SCHEDULE January 20 22
St. Johns University University of North Florida
W, 4-0 L, 2-4
February 4 10 12 19 25
Troy University Mississippi State University Florida Atlantic University Clemson University Florida Gulf Coast University
W, 6-1 3 p.m. 3 p.m. 12 p.m. 3 p.m.
East Tennessee State University Boston University Georgia Tech University of Minnesota at Florida State University at University of Louisville at University North Carolina
4 p.m. 4 p.m. 12 p.m. 10 a.m. 1 p.m. 12 p.m. 2 p.m.
at Wake Forest University Boston College University Notre Dame at NC State at Duke University University of Virginia Virginia Tech ACC Championships
12 p.m. 3 p.m. 12 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 3 p.m. 3 p.m. 12 p.m.
March
Three games in to an 11-match home stretch, the University of Miami men’s tennis program has earned two victories under first year head coach Aljosa Piric. The Hurricanes have defeated St. John’s University, 4-0, and Troy University, 6-1, while falling to the University of North Florida, 4-2. In Piric’s debut at the helm, UM earned a shutout victory over the Red Storm on Friday, January 20. The Hurricanes kicked the afternoon off strong, earning a pair of doubles victories to take the crucial first point of the match. Junior Christian Langmo and his sophomore teammate Dane Dunlap defeated Daniel Skripnik and Ognjen Trejgut, 6-3. Immediately following the earned match point, the duo of senior Jesse Flores and junior Nile Clark closed out their match against Andrei Crapcenco and Alex Roszkowski, 6-3. The Hurricanes continued to dominate early in singles play, with all six competitors – Lomacki, Langmo, Flores, Andrews, Dunlap and junior Kevin Bondar – taking opening set victories of their respected matches. At No. 6, Dunlap earned his first-career dual match victory and the second point of the match for UM with a straight-set victory over Adolfo Blanco, 6-3, 6-2. At No. 5 while celebrating his birthday, Bondar took down Ognjen Trejgut, 6-4, 6-3, to give the Canes a 3-0 lead with four matches left in play. Langmo sealed the first victory of the season, delivering a strong performance against Alan NunezAguilera winning both sets, 6-2, 6-3. Two days later, the Canes returned to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center in a battle against the Ospreys. In a closely contested match from start to finish, the Hurricanes got off on the right foot, as Lomacki and Clark teamed up to defeat Jefta Kecic and Yannick Zuern, 7-5. On courts one and three, the senior tandem of Andrews and Flores, along with Langmo and Dunlap, both came from behind to force tiebreakers in their respected matches. Trailing 3-5, Langmo and Dunlap won the next two games and entered a tiebreaker, after splitting the following two games. In the tiebreaker, the pair dropped the match, 6-7(1), to Jonathan Deautriell and Sahil Deshmukh. On court one; the seniors battled No. 12 Jack FindelHawkins and Lasse Muscheites, ultimately falling, 6-7(3).
Trailing 1-0, heading into singles play, UM was never able regain control of the match, ultimately falling 4-2. Following a two-week break, the Canes faced the Trojans of Troy Saturday, Feb. 4. The Hurricanes opened up the match with a pair of doubles victories, to take the one point advantage over the Trojans. Andrews and Flores took down Jaiqi Duan and Filip Mansson, 6-1. Moments later, Clark and Lomacki clinched the point, 6-2, defeating Andy Lau and Hassan Ndayishimiye. In Singles play, No. 86 Lomacki put the Canes up 2-0, while earning his second dual match victory of the spring season, downing Lau, 6-3, 6-4. At No. 6, Bondar placed the Canes at match point, 3-0, after defeating Christopher Tasker, 7-5, 6-4. Needing only one more victory UM looked to court No. 4, as Andrews was in a heated battle with Belcora. Trailing 3-5 in the opening set, Belcora earned the next three games to pull ahead 6-5. Andrews earned the next point to force a tiebreaker. In the tiebreaker, Belcora won the first three games, but Andrews would even it back up at three apiece. Belcora then made it match point, 5-3, before the senior once again evened it all up. The native of England would then win a point off a drop shot, following an impressive rally by both competitors. With set point on the line, Andrews reeled in Belcora towards the front of the net, before lobbing a shot to the back right corner, for the point. Following the opening set victory, Andrews never looked back winning the match, 7-6 (5), 6-1, to give the Canes the match clinching 4-0 lead. After falling in the opening set to Ndayishimiye, 1-6, Langmo battled back to take the final two sets, 6-3, 6-4. At No. 3, Flores gave Miami a 6-0 lead after he took down Moreno, 6-4, 5-7, 1-0 (10-5). At No. 5, Dunlap dropped his match to Amer Bedwan, 3-6, 6-4, 1-6. Miami will return to the Neil Schiff Center this weekend for two home matches. Beginning Friday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m., the Hurricanes will host No. 16 Mississippi State, before facing FAU on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 3 p.m. The Canes will wrap up the month of February, facing Clemson University on Sunday, Feb. 19 at noon, in their ACC opener, before taking on Florida Gulf Coast University Saturday, Feb. 25 at 3 p.m.
6 10 12 17 19 26 31
April 2 7 9 14 15 21 23 26-30
2016-17 ROSTER Max Andrews 6-2 Sr. Manchester, England Rice/ Academia Sanchez-Casal Kevin Bondar 5-8 Jr. Calabasas, California Oaks Christian HS Nile Clark 6-2 Jr. Philadelphia, Pa. Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School Dane Dunlap 6-0 So. Laurel Springs Online Washago, Ontario, Canada Jesse Flores 6-1 Sr. Oakville, Ont., Canada UCF Niclas Genovese 6-2 Jr. Zug, Switzerland Institut Montana Zug Christian Langmo 6-3 Boca Raton, Fla. Palm Beach Virtual
Jr.
Piotr Lomacki 6-1 Jr. Warsaw, Poland Sopocka Akademia
VIEW FROM THE U
SOCCER BY ALEX SCHWARTZ
@CanesFutbol
@CanesFutbol Sets 2017 Spring Schedule University of Miami head soccer coach Mary-Frances Monroe announced Monday the team’s schedule for the 2017 spring season. The Hurricanes are set to play six matches over the next three months, five of which will take place at Cobb Stadium. “We are very excited about our spring schedule,” Monroe said. “We have some great games we will play, including two against foreign teams.” First up for Miami will be a Feb. 14 home affair at 8:30 a.m., against a Canadian college, the University of Victoria. The Hurricanes’ other match that month will be Feb. 24 at noon versus UCF, also at home.
2017 SPRING SCHEDULE DATE
FEB. 14 FEB. 24 March 25 APRIL 1 APRIL 13 APRIL 15
OPPONENT
TIME
UNIV. OF VICTORIA (CAN) 8:30 a.m. UCF 12 p.m. at Florida Atlantic 6 p.m. BARRY 1 p.m. PERUVIAN U-21 NAT’L TEAM 8:30 a.m. FIU 2 p.m.
BOLD CAPS denotes home match at Cobb Stadium in Coral Gables, Fla. Website: HurricaneSports.com Twitter: @CanesFutbol Facebook: /CanesFutbol Instagram: @CanesFutbol
Miami’s lone road contest of the spring will be its only matchup in the month of March. Monroe’s team will travel to Boca Raton, Fla., to take on Florida Atlantic March 25 at 6 p.m. The Hurricanes will play a trio of matches in April, all at Cobb Stadium. The first is an April 1 meeting against Barry at 1 p.m. After that, Miami is set to face the Peruvian U-21 National Team April 13 at 8:30 a.m. To conclude the spring slate, the Hurricanes take on FIU April 15 at 2 p.m. Miami is coming off a superb 10-8-1 (5-5-0 ACC) campaign in 2016, during which it reached the ACC Championship, logged a pair of top-25 victories and set a program record for conference wins. Last spring, the Hurricanes won all four of their matches and did not concede a goal, outscoring their opponents by a 14-0 margin. To keep up with the University of Miami soccer team on social media, follow @CanesFutbol on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
VIEW FROM THE U SWIMMING & DIVING BY CAMRON GHORBI
@CanesSwimDive
Canes Top Nova on Senior Day, Prepare for ACC Championships The University of Miami swimming team cruised to a 162-98 dual meet victory over Nova Southeastern on Senior Day at the Whitten University Center Pool as a final tuneup for the ACC Swimming & Diving Championships. Miami’s four seniors – Angela Algee, Cameron Davis, Christina Leander and Julia Schippert – were recognized in pre-meet festivities for their outstanding careers, then led the way in the team’s third dual meet win of the season in their home pool. “They were who they are,” head swimming coach Andy Kershaw said after the victory. “I told the team before the meet that they were going to lead us, and that if the team did what the seniors did, we would have big performances. That’s exactly what happened.” Three of the four seniors were members of Miami’s top entry in the 200 medley relay that opened the day with a first-place finish. Leander, Schippert and Algee teamed with freshman Iliana Oikonomou to win the event in a time of 1:43.15. Leander earned her first individual win on Senior Day with a time of 54.51, with sophomore Roxanne Yu ending in second (57.22). Algee kept the momentum going for the Hurricanes with a win in the 200 fly (2:00.18), and freshman Iliana Oikonomou won the 50 free (23.34) before the first intermission of the day. “I go back to what we talked about before the meet – getting the process down,” Kershaw said. “They’ve been practicing the process, and when they focus on that part, it comes together. I think we saw that today and I think the previous meets have helped us pinpoint some things that they needed to work on specifically.” Schippert, who finished second earlier in the day in the 100 breast, earned her first individual win of the day in the 200 breast (2:17.72). Another sweep – this one in the 500 free – was led by Davis (4:56.68, first). Algee then picked up another win in the 100 fly (54.30). The Hurricanes now begin preparations for the ACC Swimming & Diving Championships in Atlanta. Action begins Feb. 13. “They certainly should have confidence,” Kershaw said. “Confidence is one of the keys for any athlete, but especially for a swimmer as you go into these last couple of weeks leading into conference championships and NCAA Championships. They should have tons of confidence, because they’ve earned it. They’ve done the work all year.”
VIEW FROM THE U
GOLF BY TOM SYMONDS
@HurricanesGolf
2016-17 SCHEDULE Date Event 9/24-25
Mary Fossum Invitational
NO. 14 MIAMI WOMEN’S GOLF LOOKS TO CONTINUE ITS STRONG PLAY The No. 14-ranked University of Miami women’s golf team returns to action began play at the 2017 UCF Challenge in Orlando on Feb. 5. The Hurricanes will look to continue their strong play, as they will be in search of their fifth consecutive top-three finish. THE WORD ON THE CANES The Miami women’s golf team has been a model of consistency throughout the 2016-17 season as it has finished in the top three in each of its tournaments this year. The Hurricanes are coming off a third-place finish at the 2017 Florida Challenge, where they posted backto-back rounds of 301. The Hurricanes posted an impressive 2016 fall season during which they posted three top-three finishes, including a dominating performance at the Mary Fossum Invitational, as Miami won by 40 strokes. Miami finished the fall campaign with a 286.22 team average. DEWI CONTINUES TO DOMINATE The Canes are led by sophomore standout Dewi Weber, who has posted top-10 finishes in each of her last seven tournaments during back to the 2016 spring season, including last week at the Florida Challenge when she tied for sixth. Additionally, Weber claimed individual crowns at two of the three tournaments in the fall, winning outright titles at the Mary Fossum Invitational and the Betsy Rawls Invitational. COMPETING TEAMS (Rankings based on GolfStat. com) No. 20 UCF, Clemson, Daytona State, East Carolina, Iowa State, No. 10 Kent State, Kentucky, No. 14 Miami, Mississippi State, Old Dominion, SMU, No. 17, Texas, UNC-Wilmington, USF, Wisconsin and Tulane.
Result/Time 1st/12
East Lansing, Mich.
10/9-10
Jim West Challenge
3rd/15
Houston, Texas
10/17-18
Betsy Rawls Longhorn Invitational 2nd/14
Austin, Texas
1/30
Florida Challenge
NOTING THE CANES Dewi Weber -Averaging a team-best 70.27 heading into the UCF Challenge. -Tied for sixth last week at the Florida Challenge. -Won medalist honors at the Betsy Rawls Invitational. -Captured medalist honors at the Fossum Invitational. -2016 NCAA National Runner-up.
Lecanto, Fla.
2/5-7
UCF Challenge
Orlando, Fla.
2/19-21
Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate All Day
Filippa Moork -Tied for 12th at the Betsy Rawls Invitational to close out the fall season. -Tied for 20th at the Jim West Challenge. -Has posted a scoring average of 73.73 -One of three freshmen on this year’s roster.
New Orleans, La.
2/27-3/1
Hurricane Invitational
Coral Gables, Fla.
Delfina Acosta -Tied for 14th at the Florida Challenge to open the spring season. -Tied for 15th at the Jim West Challenge. -Opened the 2016-17 season by finishing third at the Fossum Invitational. -The only senior on this year’s roster. Renate Grimstad -Tied for sixth last week at the Florida Challenge. -Posted a season-low 69 in the final round of play at the Jim West Challenge. -Tied for 22nd at the Fossum Invitational. -One of three freshmen on this year’s roster. Macarena Aguilera -Tied for 35th at the Betsy Rawls Invitational. -Tied for 44th at the Fossum Invitational in her Miami debut. -One of three freshmen on this year’s roster. UP NEXT The Canes return to action in New Orleans on Feb. 1921 for the Allstate Sugar Bowl Intercollegiate.
3/31-4/2 Bryan National Collegiate
Greensboro, N.C.
4/21-23
ACC Championship
Greensboro, N.C.
5/8-10
NCAA Regional
3rd/11
All Day
All Day
All Day
All Day
All Day
TBD 5/20-23
NCAA Championship
Sugar Grove, Ill.
All Day
VIEW FROM THE U
ROWING BY DAVID VILLAVICENCIO
@CanesRowing
2016-17 SCHEDULE Sept. 24 Oct. 16 Oct. 22-23 Nov. 4 Mar. 11-12 Mar. 18 Mar. 31 Apr. 8-9 Apr. 29 May 13-14 May 26-28
Barry Scrimmage Head of the Indian Creek Head of the Charles UCF Cardinal Invite Governor’s Cup Sarasota Regatta Knecht Cup UCF ACC Championships NCAA Championships
2016-17 ROWING ROSTER
@CanesRowing Adds Tessa White-Parsons White-Parsons expected to make immediate impact for Hurricanes
University of Miami head rowing coach Dave Sanderson announced the addition of Tessa White-Parsons to the Hurricanes rowing family. White-Parsons joins the Canes prior to the 2017 spring season and is eligible to compete immediately for Miami. “We are thrilled to have Tessa join our team this semester,” Sanderson said. “She brings a wealth of racing and training experience with her that will help the team. Like everyone on the squad, we are excited to work with Tessa to help her improve and excel so she can contribute to team speed throughout the spring season and beyond.” An accomplished rower from Auckland, New Zealand, White-Parsons won the silver medal in the U19 four event at the 2016 New Zealand Championships. She also took gold in the U18 lightweight four at the North Island Secondary School Championships and was a silver medalist in the U18 lightweight four event at the New Zealand Secondary School Championships. “The place Miami trains out of, both on campus and out at the boathouse, is amazing and definitely a place I want to be,” White-Parsons said. “I’m really excited for the chance to experience the American student-athlete college life and become part of a team I see as having the potential to go far. I’m excited to improve my own rowing.” A Hurricane legacy, she is the younger sister of former All-ACC Second Team selection Caitlin White-Parsons. She is also the daughter of two-time world champion Roger White-Parsons, who was part of the 1982 and 1983 world champion New Zealand 8+ and competed for the Kiwis in the 1984 Olympics. “Part of the reason I chose Miami was that I already felt a little bit a part of it because of my sister who just graduated in May,” White-Parsons said. “She always told me how amazing her experiences here were and after seeing all the photos and videos of her time here I knew I would love it, too.” In addition to White-Parsons, Miami signed five incoming freshmen rowers during the fall signing period. Fiona Aronson, Julia Giannotta, Kathleen Hanson, Emily Kean and Morgan Sherman are set to join the Hurricanes prior to the 2017-18 academic year.
Name Alexa Aguilar Halle Alitz Alyssa Basdavanos Bridget Boland Loretta Brueckner Kristen Bufkin Karina Cepeda Katelyn Cordero Hannah Dougherty Tatiana Esparza Maren Gierlatowicz Colleen Gillis Marlene Gonzalez Alexandra Gunner Nicole Habina Tyler Harrison Kristen Klein Kira Koziak Kate Lewandowski Jackie Lippincott Taegan Lynch Kayonne Markes Madeline Martinez Jane Moore Alexandra Novo Madeline Parente Katarzyna Pasternak Glorianna Perrotte Ariannie Peña-Aleman Taylor Richard Katie Robinson Tessa Rogari Nicole Rotkovitz Cristina Salinas Julia Saltonstall Caroline Shaw Virginia Sideleva Laine Stern Victoria Stewart Nichole Tatte Catherine Tayler Demetra Vlahos Mary Vollmar Alex Ware Tessa White-Parsons Elise Wiley Marissa Williford Lauren Wilson Lily Wittle
Pos. Yr. Row Jr. Row Fr. Row Jr. Row Sr. Row Fr. Row Jr. Cox Fr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Cox Fr. Cox Fr. Row Sr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Jr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Cox So. Row Jr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Jr. Row Jr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Cox So. Row Jr. Row So. Row Fr. Cox Jr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Jr. Row So. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Sr. Row Fr. Row Fr. Row Jr. Row Fr. Row Jr. Row Jr. Row So. Cox So.
Transform your career with a UM master’s degree.
Now Online.
Online Master’s Programs: Sport Administration Business Administration Finance Accounting Health Informatics Nursing Informatics Communication Public Administration
LEARN MORE:
miami.edu/online 800.411.2290
EMESE HOF UTRECHT, NETHERLANDS How much did you international playing experience help you adjust to the high level of play in the ACC? It really helped me a lot; because of the experience with European/World championships you’ve already been in the scout/prep/quick turnarounds schedule. Also, because we’ve played against diverse teams, I feel like I’ve seen a lot of different tactics, which helps to understand other plays and concepts easier. What basketball players do you look up to or try to emulate? I look up to a lot of players, you can learn something from everyone; players of my position who I’ve played against during world championships, but also the greats like Candace Parker and Elena Delle Donne. What is it like to represent your country in international competition? It is awesome. To represent your country is a huge honor, and to hear your own national anthem before a game always gives me goosebumps.
What is the best part of living/going to college in Miami? I’m definitely not complaining about the location and the weather. I love that I’m able to go outside in shorts whenever I feel like it (or go to the beach on a rare off day)! What is your favorite moment from your time at The U so far? Beating FSU in the ACC Tournament to advance to the semifinals. It’s always a rivalry and we had something to make right!! What makes playing for Coach Meier so great? She’s a great coach and an even better person. She’s a tough one, but it’s always tough love. She demands the best of everyone, and it’s great to learn from/under her. I also love that there’s still room for personal growth, you don’t get pushed into limitations (just a shooter/passer etc) What are your goals for the rest of the season? Our goal is to host the first round of NCAAs. At this moment it’s tough, but that is the goal. Last year (losing in the first round of the NCAA) was not what we wanted or hoped for, so we’re all driven to prove ourselves this year and show what we’re really made of.
UM SPORTS HALL OF FAME
UMSHOF BASKETBALL HONORED JAN. 28 The Miami athletic department and the UM Sports Hall of Fame honored some of its basketball UMSHoF members at halftime of the Canes victory over North Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 28. Present for the ceremony were UMSHoF President Gerard Loisel, 2017 inductees Coach Katie Meier and Steve Edwards, Francis Savage, Coach Ferne Labati, Vicki Plowden, Tamara James, Kym Hope, Julie Cohen, Eric Brown, Wayne Beckner, Octavia Blue and UM Athletic Director Blake James.
UMSHOF PRESENTS HURRICANE CLUB WITH PROCEEDS FROM CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT The UM Sports Hall of Fame presented a check for $14,500 to the Hurricane Club from the proceeds of the 24th Annual UMSHoF Celebrity Golf Tournament, presented by DiMare Fresh, and hosted by All American Greg Mark. The check presentation took place at halftime of the Canes victory over North Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 28 at the Watsco Center. Present for the ceremony were UMSHoF President Gerard Loisel, UM Athletic Director Blake James, Paul DiMare of DiMare Fresh, UMSHoF member and golf chairperson Tracy Kerdyk and Chris Cohen, assistant athletic director for major gifts for the Hurricane Club. In the three years that the UMSHoF has partnered with the Hurricane Club for the golf tournament, nearly $40,000 has been raised for student-athlete scholarships. 52
HURRICANE MAGAZINE
FEBRUARY 2017
FM I
I
20
1
U
SITY O
M A
7
ER V I N
February 27, 2017
Hosted by
Charles Johnson
Go to
CanesBowl.com for details or call 305-284-2775