Miami Ohio University Athletics
MIAMI MONDAY
2/21/2011 12:00:00 AM | General
Feb. 21, 2011
MIAMI MONDAY
OXFORD, Ohio -- Nine different Miami University teams compete in 19 events over a course of seven days as winter and spring sports converge in an action-packed week.
Two of the sports--women's swimming and diving and women's track and field--are competing in Mid-American Conference Championships, ice hockey wraps up its regular season play this weekend, and men's golf begins its spring season ... plus much, MUCH more!
MEN'S GOLF
THIS WEEK: After a long winter break, the Miami men's golf team is ready to resume play with its opening tournament of the 2011 spring season. The RedHawks are in Houston, Texas for the Rice Intercollegiate, Feb. 21-Feb.22. Miami will play 36 holes on Monday and one final round of 18 holes on Tuesday. The RedHawks are coming off a successful fall season in which they finished in the top six in six of the seven tournaments they participated it, including a win at the Cardinal Intercollegiate in Louisville, Ky. on Sept. 21. Individually it was a great fall as four times the Miami golf team was awarded with MAC Player of the Week honors. Blake English earned the award on Oct. 7, while Austin Kelly took it home on Oct. 19. Nathan Sutherland won the honor twice, on Sept. 30 and again on Oct. 28.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
THIS WEEK: With just four MAC games remaining, Coach Charlie Coles' first-place RedHawks play two important games this week. On Wednesday night (7 p.m.), 9-3 Miami travels to Akron to play the 7-5 Zips. Then, in the opening game of a men's-women's hoops doubleheader on Saturday, the RedHawks host 7-5 Bowling Green (11 a.m.) at Millett Hall.
LAST WEEK: Last Wednesday night, in an overtime thriller, Miami erased a 13-point deficit and defeated first-place Kent State. Nick Winbush (26 points and 12 rebounds) and Julian Mavunga (17 and 17) led the way. Last Saturday, James Madison's Devon Moore hit the second of two free throws with under three seconds left to break a 69-69 tie and hand Miami a heartbreaking 70-69 loss Saturday in a back-and-forth ESPNU BracketBuster game at the JMU Convocation Center.
Video highlights of Miami-Kent State game
Recap of Miami-James Madison game
At halftime of Saturday's men's game, six esteemed individuals will join Miami University's Cradle of Coaches Association. Jerry Angelo, Elaine Hieber, Dave Jennings, Rob Patrick, Gary Quisno and Pam Wettig comprise the Cradle of Coaches Class of 2010-11.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
THIS WEEK: In an attempt to improve its seeding in the upcoming MAC Tournament, Miami travels to Buffalo on Wednesday (7 p.m.) to take on the 6-7 Bulls. Then, the RedHawks return to Millett Hall on Saturday to entertain 6-7 Akron (2:30 p.m.).
LAST WEEK: Coach Maria Fantanarosa's team made an impressive comeback last Thursday against Kent State, but the women were unable to complete the comeback, falling, 72-64, Thursday night to the Golden Flashes. Sophomore point guard Courtney Osborn had another impressive performance, scoring 23 points. On Saturday afternoon, the RedHawk women had a balanced offense, but was unable to overcome a hot shooting Tracy Pontius in a 73-61 defeat to Bowling Green. The RedHawks fell to 10-16 overall and 2-11 in the MAC standings.
Recap of Miami-Kent State game
Photo Gallery from Miami-Bowling Green game
It's a Friends and Family Saturday at Millett. For just $29.95, a group of four is able to attend both the men's game against Bowling Green and the women's game vs. Akron. Fans purchasing that package also receive four Miami caps and four McDonald's Extra Value Meals.
WOMEN'S SWIMMING AND DIVING:
THIS WEEK: It's the biggest week of the year for Coach Dave Jennings' RedHawks as Miami travels east to Athens for the MAC championships. The Red and White, runner-up to Toledo last year, aims for its second conference title in the last three years and its 10th in the last 16. Miami compiled a 7-2 record in dual meet competition, including a 4-1 mark against MAC competition, so the RedHawks will be one of the favorites in 2011. Competition begins Wednesday night (7 p.m.) and continues Thursday, Friday and Saturday with sessions each of the last three days at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Senior breaststrokers Kelsey Vehr and Megan Brunn lead the RedHawks.
BASEBALL
THIS WEEK: Coach Dan Simonds' team hits the road to Wilmington, N.C. for a trio of games in the Tar Heel State. Friday's opener has Miami facing West Virginia (12 noon). On Saturday, the Red & White face hosting NC-Wilmington (4 p.m.). The weekend closer matches Miami against Marist (10 a.m.).
LAST WEEK: In Friday's season opener at Charleston, S.C., A two-out double in the top of the 11th inning spoiled Miami's 2011 debut as Marshall escaped with a 4-3 win in the College of Charleston Invitational. The RedHawks had rallied from a 3-0 deficit with a run in the bottom of the ninth to force extra innings. On Saturday, host Charleston, the nation's 20th-ranked club, topped Miami by a score of 6-2. Then on Sunday, three RedHawk pitchers held Kentucky to five hits and Ryan Kaup drove in the go-ahead run in the seventh inning, lifting Miami to a 3-1 victory over the Wildcats. Tyler Melling allowed just two hits and an earned run over 6.0 innings, while Sam Dawes picked up his first save by pitching retiring six of the eight batters he faced in the final two innings. Kaup went five-for-11 during the weekend and leads the RedHawks with a .545 batting average.
Recap of Miami-Charleston game
SOFTBALL
THIS WEEK: The RedHawks ride a bus down to Louisville for their second tournament of the season, playing five games in three days. In Friday's only game, Miami tangles with Wright State (5 p.m.). Saturday's opponents include Boston University (2 p.m.) and SIU-Edwardsville (4 p.m.). On Sunday, the `Hawks again face SIU-Edwardsville (10 a.m.), then play host Louisville (2 p.m.).
LAST WEEK: Miami compiled a 3-2 record at the UCF Courtyard by Marriott Invitational in Orlando, Fla. Last Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Junior Jessica Simpson started both games on Friday, beating Delaware, 10-1, then losing to powerful Notre Dame in the nightcap, 3-2. Coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly's team swept both games on Saturday, outlasting UIC, 1-0, in a pitching dual in the morning, then beating the host UCF Knights in the afternoon, 6-5 In Sunday's championship game, Miami competed hard, but fell to the undefeated Fighting Irish, 4-1. Kayla Ledbetter led all RedHawk hitters by collecting nine hits in 14 at bats for a .643 average.
WOMEN'S TRACK & FIELD
THIS WEEK: Coach Kelly Phillips' troops compete this Friday and Saturday at the 2011 Mid-American Conference Men's & Women's Indoor Track & Field Championships at Bowling Green State University's Perry Field House. Miami has been competitive in the team standings each of the last three years--fourth in 2010, third in 2009 and third in 2008--and aims for its first-ever indoor championship this weekend. Distance runners Rachel Patterson and Kelly Miller (defending mile champion) are two individuals who will be among the favorites.
LAST WEEK: Six RedHawks won event titles, including four of six field events, to lead the Miami University women's track and field team to a runner-up finish Friday evening at the Ball State Quadrangular. The RedHawks totaled 144.5 points while Western Michigan won the four-team meet with 158.5 points.
ICE HOCKEY
THIS WEEK: Miami's hockey team (17-9-6 overall, 14-7-5 CCHA) takes a long bus ride to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. this week for a regular-season-ending series against eighth-place Lake Superior State (10-13-9). Mathematically, the RedHawks still have a chance to tie Michigan in the final CCHA regular-season standings, but it would take two Miami wins over the Lakers and two Northern Michigan victories over the Wolverines. Despite being idle last weekend, Coach Rico Blasi's icers clinched a home berth in the second round of the upcoming CCHA Playoffs--March 11 (7:35 p.m.), 12 (7:05 p.m.), and 13 (if necessary, at 7:05).
WOMEN'S TENNIS:
THIS WEEK: Like the RedHawk softball team, Miami's women's tennis squad (5-4) will compete in Louisville, Ky. for a pair of matches. Coach Anca Dumitrescu's team takes on Austin Peay on Friday (5 p.m.), then North Texas on Saturday (12 noon). The doubles team of Megan Martzolf and Stephanie Danesis take an 8-1 record into the action.
LAST WEEK: Miami gave Kentucky everything it could handle last Saturday afternoon, but a depleted lineup cost the RedHawks a chance at an upset, 4-3, at the Boone Tennis Complex. The RedHawks swept the three doubles matches, but could only win a pair of singles matchups.
The deadline for ordering Miami's GoDaddy.com Bowl commemorative mini-helmets is this Friday, Feb. 25. Season ticket holders, Red & White Club members and football alumni wanting to own a "little" piece of history should call the ticket office this week to place their orders. The helmet, which was worn for the only time in the 35-21 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Jan. 6, 2011, features a number from the helmets worn in the 1960s, the "M" worn on the helmets from the 1970s and stripes from the helmets worn in the 1980s. Miami turned back the clock that night to represent the historic opportunity to move from double-digit losses to double-digit wins in a two-year span. Mini-helmets are available for $21.25 each, plus $10 for shipping and handling, to. All throwback mini helmets will use the number "11". To order your mini-helmet, please call the Miami Athletic Ticket Office at 513-529-HAWK.
--www.MURedHawks.com--
