Devon Hill is already an AllAmerican and ACC Champion. Next goal‌ London 2012
www.HurricaneSports.com
May 14, 2012
Get to Know Miami Hurricane Student-Athletes Stefanie Yderstrom, Carina Cuculiza, Katie Guest
Video of the Week Men’s Tennis Highlights
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Photo of the Week
Miami’s spring 2012 graduates
2011-12 Calendar of Events
Click the text below for more information about each Hurricane athletic event
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Game of the Week
Student-Athletes Graduate in May The Department of Athletics said goodbye and good luck to 47 senior studentathletes as they ended their academic careers at the University of Miami. Congratulations to the graduates and best of luck in the future.
Save the Date May 16
Chicago Coaches Dinner The Westin Lombard 70 Yorktown Center, Lombard, Ill. 7 p.m.
May 23
Hurricane Club Spring Tour Lost Lake Golf Club 8310 Southeast Fazio Drive, Hobe Sound, Fla. 33455 5:30 p.m. Reception, 6 p.m. Dinner
June 5
UM Alumni Association and Hurricane Club Spring Tour
Baseball vs. Florida Gulf Coast
Miami wraps up its home baseball schedule on Tuesday, May 15 with a midweek matchup against Florida Gulf Coast at 6 p.m.
2012 Football Schedule 9/1 at Boston College 9/8 at Kansas State 9/15 vs. Bethune-Cookman (Band Day) 9/22 at Georgia Tech 9/29 vs. NC State (Family Weekend) 10/6 vs. Notre Dame at Soldier Field 10/13 vs. North Carolina (Hispanic Heritage Day) 10/20 vs. Florida State (Homecoming) 11/1 vs. Virginia Tech 11/10 at Virginia 11/17 vs. USF (Senior Day) 11/24 at Duke 12/1 ACC Championship (Charlotte, N.C.)
Quick Links > Are you following the rivoting Raising Canes series on HurricaneSports.com? Here’s a link to 50+ plus episodes on YouTube. > The UM Ticket Office can now be reached through Live Chat during standard business hours. > UM Athletics and Spanish Broadcasting Systems have inked a deal to bring Spanish language radio broadcasts to CIMA 106.3 FM. > UM has launched a ProCanes Monday Morning Recap that highlights the exploits of Miami alums in the NFL. > Text “canes” to 55888 to join the Canes Mobile Fan Club.
@HurricaneSports Tweet of the Week
@allCanesBlog: Hey #CanesFam #TheU is currently in 44th place in the voting to bring Game Day down here. You can vote here : http://www.gamedayvote.com
Thea Vock diving
Thea Vock is a sophomore diver on the University of Miami’s swimming and diving team from Dearborn, Mich. The youngest of four siblings, she comes from a family full of athletes. Having older brothers lead the way into the collegiate sport ranks, inspired her to follow suit. Jared Vock played collegiate soccer at the University of South Florida, while Colin Vock played hockey for the University of Vermont. Seeing her older brothers thrive playing collegiately, inspired Thea to work her hardest to achieve her dream of diving for the University of Miami. Thea was a six-time national champion and two-time world team member, making her first senior national appearance at the age of 13, before coming to the university. She was drawn to the University of Miami for a multitude of reasons. First was her great appreciation for the university’s campus. “The campus is beautiful. I knew it was where I was supposed to be,” she said. Her admiration for the coaching staff was another reason. “My coach Randy Ableman has had a lot of success with his divers and I knew he and I would work well together.” Finally, the proximity to her home in Clermont, Fla., drew her in. “It’s also close to home so I
could go home if I ever needed to,” she added. These reasons made the decision an easy one for her. The importance of family cannot be overstated for Thea, she credits them with all of her success to date, as well as her inspiration to keep excelling in her field. The person she credits with have the biggest influence in her life is her mother. “She was the one that took all five of the kids to every sports practice and every competition. If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t have ever gone to practice or gone this far in diving. Thea and her mom Lilyan share a special bond, which is very dear to her heart. “She means everything to me, she is my best friend and we can talk about anything.” Thea gives her mom the brunt of the credit for what she has accomplished in diving, however she was not the only family member which Thea drew inspiration from. Seeing brothers Jared and Colin excel at their respective sports provided her with extra incentive to excel. However, it was her brother Colin’s career-threatening injury which encouraged her to work harder to be a better diver. “He loves what he does and he never gives up. He’s had surgeries and other injuries and he still gives it his all every day. He motivates me
to want to do better and achieve my goals.” She credits him as being her favorite athlete because of how he handled himself and subsequently triumphed during that difficult period in his life. When Thea is not competing, she is practicing to improve, but when she does have time to herself, she enjoys going to the beach, shopping and listening to music. Although she is young, Thea has a great understanding of what it takes to succeed thanks to the strong examples set by her family. Her message to the youth is equally as powerful: “Never give up. Every sport has its ups and down and not giving up when it gets hard is what makes you stronger and more successful.” Thea Vock is a well-rounded student-athlete who has very ambitious goals for her future in diving and equally as ambitious goals for her scholastic career at the University of Miami. “I want to make the NCAA meet all four years I am here and pass all my classes with great grades!” Something tells me Thea will put in the time and effort to successfully accomplish these goals. By Dov Aronovitch, UM intern
Michael Broad
INFIELDER | JUNIOR | AVENTURA, FLA.
They are stories of perseverance. Stories about growing up, becoming men and being a part of a family. One-by-one, we hear from them. These are the Miami Hurricanes...
Click here to learn more about Michael
I became a Hurricane because when you live in South Florida, it’s pretty much every kid’s dream to be a Miami Hurricane. When you watch the Canes on television, you think, “Man, I want to do that. I want to be a Miami Hurricane.” The Canes win championships and have always been doing great things, and you just want to be a part of it. Having former “U” players in the pros come back is great because they were where I am right now. I watched Jon Jay and Ryan Braun and lots of other guys play on the same field I play and practice on each day. I watched them have fun out there and watched their progress. Now, they are professional baseball players. It gives you a real sense of “I’m where I’m supposed to be. I’m on the right path.” Former players are here all the time. Jon Jay actually just came back after the World Series. He was talking about what it took for him to get there. He said it really took a team grind. They were 10 games out and it really took mental strength and adversity to get to where they are today – World Series champions. Personally, I love it when people are jealous of you because they are not where you are. I take that as a sense of pride and I’m happy about it. That’s something you have to always think about when you play any sport at the “U”. Growing up, I always wanted to play for Miami, but as I got older I was on teams that traveled a lot to different places around the nation. I went on a lot of unofficial visits to different schools and took a look and was really amazed by some of those institutions. I knew I always really wanted to go to the University of Miami, but it did not hurt me to look around at others, like every kid does. However, I knew Miami was where I wanted to be. Coming to Alex Rodriguez Park [then Mark Light] is an experience al its own. I’m not sure if it was the history or when I was younger, but coming to the games and seeing Mark Light Field packed every night with fans was awesome. I remember saying to myself, “One day, I want to be where he is” when I looked at the players on the field and in the dugouts. The Little League World Series opened up a lot of doors for me and exposed me to some experiences that I will never forget. Coach [Jim] Morris knew who I was after the Little League World Series. I went to some UMiami camps and they knew who I was. It really opened up a lot of doors before I even got here. The experience of the Little League World Series was something that you never expect, but when you get there it’s amazing. At 12 years old, it’s not something that you really understand. In the championship game, I was on the mound and I was told we brought a record with that game and over 42,000 in attendance. You don’t really realize how many people were there at that age. You just look around and see a massive amount of people. Devon Travis, the second baseman for Florida State, was my second baseman on that little league team. We still keep in touch and he’s doing pretty well up in Tallahassee. The legacy of Miami is what you hear as a freshman because it is your job to uphold it. You have to change your mentality to be more of a fighter. There’s a lot more than just you here. It’s about keeping the University of Miami tradition alive. If baseball wasn’t a part of my life, then I honestly don’t know what I would be doing right now. I would probably be at a much smaller university.
I played football for fun in high school. I was the starting cornerback and occasionally a slot receiver. I really just played football to stay in shape for baseball. It was just to maintain strength and endurance. I come from a middle class, working family. We lived in a gated community. My parents are divorced. When I was younger, my dad lived in Boynton Beach and my mom lived in Boca Raton. The community I lived in was small, but the surrounding communities were huge and a lot of kids lived there. That community made up the Boynton Beach Little League Team, and I had a lot of friends on the team. I wear a gold baseball glove emblem around my neck. Some people where a cross of Jesus or a Jewish star, but I always have a baseball glove. I listen to a little bit of everything when it comes to music. Recently, I’ve been listening to a lot of what Cade [Kreuter] put on my iPod. I’m sure there’s some Katy Perry on my iPod. I like a little bit of everything. I like country, hip-hop, rap – you name it.
I was equally close to both of my parents. My dad was my baseball dad. Anything with baseball was done with him. Hanging out with my friends was done through my mom because she would say “Michael, you play so much baseball, have some fun.” They both balanced everything out and brought something different to the table. I started playing baseball when I was six with Tee Ball. If I were a super hero, then I would want super strength. When people see the “U” baseball, whether it is a big game or a smaller one, we have to go out there and work hard. I want people to see us a tough and talented. In my down time, I’m a movie person. I can sit and watch movies all day long. When I really want to relax, I’ll lie down and watch TV all day. I’m not big on going out all of the time. I like to just relax. If I’m down or unmotivated, I think of all the people who said I would never go to the University of Miami and I shouldn’t be where I am today. That has always pushed me and I keep moving forward from that.
2012 Hurricane Club Membership Renewals 2012 Annual Contributions: $7,860,215 2012 Active Hurricane Club Members: 4,160 40for40 Campaign Participants: 849 @ $35,050 States Represented: 41 Countries Represented: 4
Goals • Raise $10.1 million for scholarship support • Increase Hurricane Club to 5,500 active members • Achieve a 40 percent participation rate among active members in the 40for40 Campaign in honor of the Hurricane Club’s 40th anniversary, with each member increasing his or her annual gift by $40
Click here to Renew your Hurricane Club Membership Please use your Account ID and your security password. If you do not have your security password, use the password reminder link at sign in.
Important 2012 Dates • 05/25 Donation payment plan charge #5 • 05/31 Priority deadline for Notre Dame and away-game tickets • 06/15 Priority Points update #2 • 11/15 Priority Points update #3
Click here for 2012 Giving Opportunities Brochure
Please Note: • Only Hurricane Club members at the Orange Level ($250+) and above are guaranteed priority to order tickets for the Miami vs. Notre Dame game, October 6, 2012 at Soldier Field in Chicago. Don’t miss out on your opportunity! Increase your annual giving level or join the Hurricane Club today. • 2012 Member Packets (Canes Care Packages) will be mailed beginning in June to those Hurricane Club members that have renewed for this giving year.
Events Chicago Coaches Dinner - Chicago, Wednesday, May 16, 2012 Featuring Head Football Coach Al Golden, Art Kehoe, Jedd Fisch and George McDonald Distinguished guests include: Ted Hendricks, Michael Irvin, Russell Maryland, Jarrett Payton, and Ed Reed Location: The Westin Lombard, 70 Yorktown Center, Lombard, Ill. Time: 7 p.m. Click here for more information and to register. Hurricane Club Spring Tour – Hobe Sound, Wednesday, May 23, 2012 Featuring Head Football Coach Al Golden, Brennan Carroll, Paul Williams and Hurlie Brown Program Emcee: Don Bailey, Jr. Location: Lost Lake Golf Club, 8310 Southeast Fazio Drive, Hobe Sound, Fla. 33455 Time: 5:30 p.m. Reception, 6 p.m. Dinner Cost: $25 Hurricane Club members, $30 non-Hurricane Club members Includes dinner of prime rib or fresh catch. Program will also include a raffle and auction. Advance registration is required; R.S.V.P. by Friday, May 18, 2012 by calling the Hurricane Club at 305-284-6699. University of Miami Alumni Association and Hurricane Club Spring Tour New York, Tuesday, June 5, 2012 Featuring Head Football Coach Al Golden, Jedd Fisch and Mark D’Onofrio
FROM WIDE RECEIVERS TO WEEKEND WARRIORS
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CONCUSSIONS
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Getting to Know U STEFANIE YDERSTROM | SR | ÖSTERTÄLJE, SWEDEN Favorite professional team? Miami HEAT.
Favorite TV show? Grey’s Anatomy.
Favorite accessory in your wardrobe? My white Converse and earrings.
Favorite candy/dessert? Sour candy / cheesecake.
Early morning workouts make me want to... Get it over with.
Favorite saying?
Remember yesterday, dream about tomorrow, but live today.
CARINA CUCULIZA | SO | MANAGUA, NICARAGUA What one superpower would you like to have? Flying.
Favorite Coach Rizzo saying?
Different strokes for different folks.
Favorite golf movie?
The Greatest Game Ever Played.
What is one thing on your bucket list? Skydiving.
Favorite sport other than golf?
Tennis. What team not on your schedule would you most like to play? UCLA.
KATIE GUEST | SO | TORONTO, ONTARIO If you could visit one place in the world, where would it be? Tibet.
Favorite holiday?
Halloween. Best. Day. Ever.
If you could invite three peopel to dinner, who would they be? Jackie Kennedy, Michelle Obama and Betty White.
What’s one thing on your bucket list? Swim in the ocean with a blue whale.
Nobody knows...
I can sing every word to Build Me Up, Buttercup.
I can’t go a week without...
Watching myself walk into a wall.
Liat Zimmerman Liat Zimmerman is not your typical Israeli. The freshman newcomer to the women’s tennis team hates hummus. “I’m disgusted by the smell, everyone on the team loves it and they joke with me a lot about it, but I would much rather be eating an American peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” Liat is from Yehud, Israel, and when asked what it is like growing up there, she had a tough time explaining it. “It is very different. The country is small, but the people are very warm, much like many of the Latin American people I have met so far.” She claims that her transition to Miami has been exciting, but not too difficult. “Everything is a new experience, the people have been welcoming, and there is a large Jewish community in Miami which I have been able to experience in the past,” said Zimmerman. As an international player, she played in the Orange Bowl five times, each time staying with a Jewish family in the area. “I am trying to keep in contact with them, but so far I have been busy as you would imagine.” As a tennis player, the biggest change for her has been the transition from being an individual competitor to becoming part of a team and a university where athletics are coveted so highly. “So far I have enjoyed the realization that I am playing for something larger than myself,” said Zimmerman. “I decided to come to Miami because when I first spoke with Paige [Yaroshuk-Tews] she sounded extremely genuine and I knew instantly that it would be a good match” According to Liat, tennis is not historically popular in Israel but the game is starting to gain momentum. Currently, Israel sports the No. 12 ranked women’s tennis player in the world, Shahar Peer. “I have gotten to know her since we had the same coach, and I really think she is doing a lot for the sport of tennis in my country,“ Zimmerman said. In addition to Peer, Liat is one of only a few competitive women’s tennis players from Israel. In the past, she has made the Israeli Federation Cup team as one of five representatives. The freshman is unique in that she is from a country where the majority of people her age are in the military, due to Israel’s mandatory conscription laws for both males and females. If she had not been granted a waiver to compete as a student-athlete for the University of Miami, Liat says she would
most likely be in the process of serving her two years in the Israeli military. “All of my friends back home are in the military, which leaves me nothing to do if I ever go home,” said Zimmerman. However, she has been impressed with the structure of the program at UM, her teammates, coach Yaroshuk-Tews, and the level of competition she has experienced so far. Therefore, Liat claims that the challenge of competing at this level parallels that of military service in her country in many ways, which speaks volumes about the state of women’s tennis at the University of Miami. Zimmerman plans on playing all four years of her eligibility here at Miami, and when asked what she hopes to accomplish here at The “U,” Liat responded humbly, “I want to be the best tennis player I can be, and improve as much as possible. I want to have the knowledge that I did everything possible to reach my potential, and hopefully do so in the process.” by Andrew Luer, UM intern
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