Miami Ohio University Athletics
MIAMI MONDAY
12/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | General
Dec. 7, 2009
Even with the temperature turning cold outside, the action is heating up inside for Miami athletics, as two sports (women's track and field and synchronized skating) opened their season this weekend while five other teams, including four at home, continued to compete against tough competition on the ice, in the water and on the hardwood.
 Several Miami hockey alumni were recognized at Saturday's game vs. Notre Dame.  | |
The Miami ice hockey team (11-2-5, 8-1-3-1 CCHA) was ranked tops in the nation for the eighth straight week this past week, earning No. 1 distinction in both the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine and the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports polls. (RELEASE) The RedHawks lived up to their ranking over the weekend, sweeping No. 15/14 Notre Dame in Steve Cady Arena with a pair of shutouts--the first time Miami has ever recorded back-to-back shutouts on the same weekend in program history. Miami picked up a 1-0 victory Friday night behind sophomore goalie Cody Reichard's second clean sheet of the year and a short-handed tally from freshman Joe Hartman. (RECAP) Saturday, Miami used three third-period goals to secure the sweep with a 4-0 win, as sophomore goalie Connor Knapp registered his second shutout of the year, giving the 'Hawks six straight wins over the Fighting Irish. (RECAP) Miami returns to the ice this weekend with a home-and-home series against Ohio State. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. in Columbus on Friday, Dec. 11, while action returns to Cady Arena Saturday night, Dec. 12, as the Buckeyes take on the RedHawks also at 7:05 p.m.
 Junior guard Rodney Haddix scored a game-high 15 points Wednesday vs. Dayton. | |
Men's Basketball (2-5) nearly upset local-rival Dayton Wednesday night in front of 4,280 people at Millett Hall, but fell 65-58. The RedHawks rallied from a late eight-point deficit to close within one in the final minute but Dayton knocked down its final six free throws to secure the win, despite a game-high 15 points from junior guard Rodney Haddix. (RECAP) Miami now faces a three-game, six-day stretch starting Tuesday, Dec. 8 at home against 2009 NCAA Tournament participant Temple at 7 p.m. On Thursday, Dec. 10, the RedHawks make the short trip south to face the No. 22/24 Cincinnati Bearcats at U.S. Bank Arena in a nationally televised contest on ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m. Miami wraps up the stretch with a home contest against Wright State Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. at Millett Hall. Radio broadcasts of all three games begin a half hour before tip-off on the Miami ISP Sports Network affiliate stations. Purchase your tickets today by calling 1-866-MUHAWKS, 513-529-HAWK or clicking HERE.
MEN'S BASKETBALL PHOTO GALLERY VS. DAYTON
Congratulations to sophomore forward/center Julian Mavunga, who was named Mid-American Conference East Division Player of the Week last Monday after recording his third double-double in four games with a career-high 18 points and a game-high 10 boards in an 82-58 Miami win over Evansville. (RELEASE)
Also congrats to Miami alum and former Miami head men's basketball coach Jerry Pierson, who is being inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2010 class. (RELEASE) Pierson lettered in basketball at Miami from 1964-66, was an assistant coach from 1969-83 and became the head coach of Miami men's basketball in 1984, leading Miami to the NCAA Tournament in 1985 and 1986. He was head coach until 1990 and now serves as Ball State's director of athletics development. The induction ceremony is March 24 in Indianapolis.
Women's basketball (1-6) dropped a pair of contests last week, falling to Kentucky 107-53 Tuesday night despite 22 points from freshman Courtney Osborn. (RECAP) Saturday, the women were unable to complete a late comeback and fell 68-60 at Butler, even with Osborn pouring in another 22 points. (RECAP) Osborn was named MAC East Division Player of the Week last Monday after averaging 22.5 ppg in the Pitt Thanksgiving Tournament. (RELEASE) Miami looks to get back on track at home this week, hosting Wright State Wednesday, Dec. 9, at 1 p.m. for the second annual "Class at the Court" before welcoming another local rival, Dayton, to Millett Hall Saturday, Dec. 12 at 2 p.m.
 An enthusiastic crowd was on hand for this weekend's Miami Invitational. | |
The Miami men's and women's swimming and diving teams hosted the Miami Invitational over the weekend and the women swam away from the field to capture the team title with 2,321 points--883 more than second-place Florida Gulf Coast. (RECAP) On the men's side, the RedHawks placed sixth with 1,221.5 points as Oakland University claimed the meet title. (RECAP) The men and women both return to the pool January 15 when they both host the Cincinnati Bearcats.
SWIMMING PHOTO GALLERY AT MIAMI INVITATIONAL
The women's track and field team was one of two Miami sports to open its season this weekend, as the RedHawks performed very well at the Oiler Opener (hosted by Findlay) to jump start its indoor season. Miami won four events Saturday as the 4x400 meter relay team of senior Margarita Pogorelov, redshirt sophomore Tasha Profit, sophomore Diona Graves and sophomore Rachael Clay won the meet's lone relay, while redshirt sophomore Rachel Patterson won the 3,000 meters, junior Kelley Miller won the mile run and freshman Ashley Zaper won the high jump in her first competition as a RedHawk. (RECAP) Miami now has over a month off before returning to the track Jan. 16, 2010 for the BGSU Women's Challenge hosted by Bowling Green State University.
The men's and women's cross country teams were recognized for their work in the classroom and on the course Wednesday, as each team had three members named to the Academic All-MAC Team, the most of any MAC school on either side. On the women's side, senior Kelsey McHugh earned the honor for the third time while junior Katie Lenahan and senior Amanda Mirochna were repeat selections. (RELEASE) For the men, senior Paul Krebs landed on the squad for the third time while senior Kevin Silver was named for a second time and redshirt freshman David Eichenberger earned his first honor. (RELEASE)
 The senior team performing its free skate Sunday at the Dr. Richard Porter Classic. | |
On the ice, synchronized skating began its 2009-10 season over the weekend at the Dr. Richard Porter Classic in Ann Arbor, Mich. as all three teams opened competition. The senior team finished third in the free skate and fourth in the short program while the junior team was fifth in the free skate and third in the short program, but was the top U.S. finisher. The collegiate team finished second, less than two points behind Delaware. (RECAP) Miami returns to action in January. The RedHawk junior team competes at the Junior World Qualifier Jan. 8-9 in Lowell, Mass, while the senior and collegiate teams compete at the Mid-America Championships Jan. 29-30 in Fraser, Mich.
SYNCHRONIZED SKATING PHOTO GALLERY
Three RedHawk football players were named All-MAC last week, so congratulations is due to sophomore offensive lineman Brandon Brooks, who was named to the second team, and junior wide receiver Armand Robinson and sophomore safety Anthony Kokal, who both landed on the third team. (RELEASE)
HawkTawk presented by Brick Street will be off this week as men's basketball faces Cincinnati Thursday night at U.S. Bank Arena on ESPN2 at 8:30 p.m.
GO REDHAWKS!!
