Miami Ohio University Athletics
MIAMI MONDAY
3/7/2011 12:00:00 AM | General
March 7, 2011
OXFORD, Ohio - A week of achievement by Miami University athletics teams is followed by the anticipation of even more excitement over the upcoming seven days.
Synchronized skating's collegiate team won its 13th national championship and an unprecedented seventh-straight national title, the first time that's ever happened in synchro at any level. (RECAP)
Miami's men's basketball team nailed down the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Mid-American Conference Tournament with a convincing victory over arch-rival Ohio last Friday night. (RECAP)
Among other highlights, a RedHawk diver and a coach were distinguished by their peers as the most outstanding in their sport, while the women's tennis team posted an overwhelming win over 40th-ranked Marshall.
SYNCHRONIZED SKATING
Last Week: Behind a score of 96.16, Miami University's collegiate synchronized skating team made history on Saturday evening at the U.S. National Championships, winning an unprecedented seventh-straight national title and capturing gold for the 13th time in program history. Coach Carla DeGirolamo's senior team finished second at the U.S. National Championships later Saturday evening to earn a berth to the ISU World Championships.
Upcoming: Next up for synchro is the World Synchronized Skating Championships in Helsinki, Finland, April 8-9.
MEN'S BASKETBALL
Last Week: Wednesday in Buffalo, the RedHawks dropped a 59-49 decision to the host Bulls, but they rebounded with a vengeance two nights later, topping Ohio, 76-66, on Senior Night at Millett Hall. Senior forward Nick Winbush, playing in his final home game, posted his third straight double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds while junior teammate Julian Mavunga added 23 points and 13 rebounds.
This Week: Miami, the No. 3 seed in the Mid-American Conference Tournament, will play at 2:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 10 at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. The RedHawks face the winner of the No. 6 Akron/No. 11 Eastern Michigan game in the quarterfinal round. The tournament concludes on Saturday.
Click here to go to Tournament Central
WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD
Last Week: At Notre Dame's Alex Wilson Invitational, junior Rachel Patterson, the MAC's 2011 5000-meter run champion, clocked a school-record time of 16:24.54 to place fifth in the 5K in a field of 18. She broke her own record of 16:32.01, which she set at last week's MAC Championships, however her time will not qualify her for the NCAA meet.
Upcoming: Miami women's track and field team next competes on March 25-26 at the Vanderbilt Black and Gold Meet.
MEN'S DIVING
Last Week: Miami junior JIM BERES took first place in three-meter diving competition Saturday (Mar. 5) at the Mid-American Conference Championships and, in the process, was named MAC Diver of the Year for a second consecutive season. As a team, Miami placed fourth with 485 points, trailing champion Buffalo (763.5). The RedHawks' KR LI, was named MAC Diving Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year.
This Week: Beres and teammates Chris Hoppler and MICHAEL GRAINGER have a short week of preparation before heading to his Columbus for NCAA Diving Regionals from Mar. 10-12.
WOMEN'S TENNIS
Last Week: Miami's women's tennis team squeezed out the doubles point and never looked back, winning five of six singles matches en route to a 6-1 upset victory over No. 40 Marshall Friday afternoon inside Hamilton's Riverside Racquet Club. The win was the RedHawks' (8-4) first over a top-40 team in school history.
This Week: The RedHawks are in the Sunshine State for matches at Central Florida on March 7 at 2 p.m. before facing Jacksonville March 9 at 9 a.m. to wrap up non-conference play.
ICE HOCKEY
Last Week: Coach Rico Blasi's RedHawks were idle last week, having earned a first-round bye in the CCHA Playoffs due to their third-place finish in regular-season play.
This Week: It wasn't until early Monday morning that Miami learned that Alaska would be coming to Oxford to take on the red-hot RedHawks at Steve Cady Arena. The two teams play a best-of-three series on Friday and Saturday (Mar. 11 at 7:35 p.m. and 12 at 7:05) and, if necessary, Sunday (Mar. 13 at 7:05) for the opportunity to advance to the CCHA Finals at Joe Louis Arena on Mar. 18-19.
Ice hockey tickets are available
SOFTBALL
Last Week: At the Buzz Classic in Georgia, Miami won one of four games, salvaging a 3-2 win over Connecticut in the finale. It lost twice to Georgia State and lost a 1-0 heart-breaker to Big Ten power Penn State.
This Week: Miami plays five more games on its road swing next Friday, Saturday and Sunday (Mar. 11-13). Its 2011 home debut is slated for Mar. 24 against Morehead State.
BASEBALL
Last Week: Coach Dan Simonds' team began spring break play in Winter Haven, Fla., losing on Saturday to Mount St. Mary's in extra innings, 3-2. It bounced back on Sunday with a 20-2 thrashing of Lehigh in game one, then losing in the nightcap to the Mountain Hawks by a 6-5 count.
This Week: Action in Winter Haven continues on Mar. 7 vs. Yale, Mar. 9 against Michigan State, Mar. 10 vs. Xavier, Mr. 11 against Air Force and Mar. 12 vs. Illinois State.
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Last Week: Miami fell at Eastern Michigan on Saturday in Ypsilanti, 82-74, in the first round of the MAC Tournament. The RedHawks finish the season at 11-19 overall. COURTNEY OSBORN led Miami with 17 points. She finishes the season with 520 points, the fourth-highest total in school history.
--www.MURedHawks.com--
