Miami Athletics Celebrates 2022 Graduating Class
5/12/2022 10:28:00 AM | General
OXFORD, Ohio— This spring and summer, 100 student-athletes will graduate from Miami University, reaching a significant and long-awaited milestone in their college careers. Commencement ceremonies in Oxford this weekend offer a chance for family, friends and the campus community to celebrate an exceptional group of RedHawks. While their experience over the past four to five years has been anything but normal due to the COVID-19 pandemic, these students have persevered and represented the Red and White well, both in their sport and away from it.
"This group of student-athletes has made an incredible impact at Miami as we pursue our mission of Graduating Champions," said Director of Athletics David Sayler. "We appreciate and honor the success and accomplishments of our students, especially in light of the grit they have shown in adjusting to the challenges of the pandemic through the last 26 months."
Miami's graduating student-athletes have consistently demonstrated academic excellence, athletic excellence and citizenship excellence. These traits have been recognized in the Mid-American Conference's award standings, as Miami has captured an unprecedented three consecutive Cartwright Awards (2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, since the award was not presented in 2019-20). Before this graduating class arrived on campus, no MAC school had ever earned the Cartwright Award in back-to-back years. The RedHawks also brought home the Reese Trophy in 2018-19 and 2020-21 as the top men's athletic program in the MAC and earned the Jacoby Trophy in 2018-19 as the top women's athletic program in the MAC.
Over 90% of graduating student-athletes had a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and that number was 3.5 or higher for more than half of the class. Miami Athletics has posted a department GPA of 3.0 or better for 34 semesters in a row, including a program-record 3.64 in the spring of 2020. Last year, every Miami team posted at least one semester with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
This year's graduation candidates include 28 students with double majors and 17 students receiving a master's degree. The graduates are set to receive 50 degrees from the College of Education, Health and Society, 30 from the College of Arts and Science, 25 from the Farmer School of Business, nine from the College of Engineering and Computing, two from the College of Creative Arts, and two from the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science.
Since 2017, the RedHawks have won MAC championships in football (2019), volleyball (including a fourth straight title in the fall of 2019 and a tournament trophy in 2017), men's swimming and diving (three championships in the last four years), men's cross country (2018), men's outdoor track and field (2021), women's tennis (2019 regular season and 2019 tournament, 2022 regular season), and softball (2019, 2021, 2022). Miami has also swept the MAC field hockey titles for the past five seasons, with 'super senior' graduates having earned all nine possible championships (five regular-season, four tournament). In addition, the Miami synchronized skating team has captured two collegiate national titles (2019, 2022) and earned a sixth-place finish at the senior world championships (2022).
There have been a myriad of postseason victories, all-league honorees, and memorable moments. There have also been hundreds of All-Academic competitors representing Miami Athletics in the MAC and NCHC; the department produced nearly 300 MAC All-Academic performers over its first two Cartwright Award campaigns.
This has all come against the backdrop of three school years in a row that have been disrupted by COVID. Seasons were shifted, events were canceled, schedules were condensed, rosters were shorthanded, competitions were held in empty venues: The list of challenges could go on and on. But through it all, the tenacity and determination of Miami student-athletes has shone through, and the department is proud to graduate champions from one of the most unique and tested classes to ever come through Oxford.
The RedHawks have also continued to make a difference in the community, with literally thousands of volunteer hours accumulated over the past few years. Before COVID hit, Miami student-athletes had served over 4,600 hours in each of the past two school years. Even through the restrictions of the pandemic, that number remained well over 1,000 in 2020-21 and 2021-22, with Miami student-athletes reaching out to impact over 50 schools, non-profits, hospitals, businesses, children's charities, local families and assisted living facilities last year.
For every student-athlete who has ever walked across the platform and earned a diploma from Miami University, it's an impressive achievement that will set the stage for future success in life. But for the class of 2022, between the difficulties its members have faced and the accomplishments they have assembled, it may be even more meaningful.
Congratulations to our 100 graduating RedHawks! Love and Honor!
"This group of student-athletes has made an incredible impact at Miami as we pursue our mission of Graduating Champions," said Director of Athletics David Sayler. "We appreciate and honor the success and accomplishments of our students, especially in light of the grit they have shown in adjusting to the challenges of the pandemic through the last 26 months."
Miami's graduating student-athletes have consistently demonstrated academic excellence, athletic excellence and citizenship excellence. These traits have been recognized in the Mid-American Conference's award standings, as Miami has captured an unprecedented three consecutive Cartwright Awards (2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, since the award was not presented in 2019-20). Before this graduating class arrived on campus, no MAC school had ever earned the Cartwright Award in back-to-back years. The RedHawks also brought home the Reese Trophy in 2018-19 and 2020-21 as the top men's athletic program in the MAC and earned the Jacoby Trophy in 2018-19 as the top women's athletic program in the MAC.
Over 90% of graduating student-athletes had a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0, and that number was 3.5 or higher for more than half of the class. Miami Athletics has posted a department GPA of 3.0 or better for 34 semesters in a row, including a program-record 3.64 in the spring of 2020. Last year, every Miami team posted at least one semester with a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher.
This year's graduation candidates include 28 students with double majors and 17 students receiving a master's degree. The graduates are set to receive 50 degrees from the College of Education, Health and Society, 30 from the College of Arts and Science, 25 from the Farmer School of Business, nine from the College of Engineering and Computing, two from the College of Creative Arts, and two from the College of Liberal Arts and Applied Science.
Since 2017, the RedHawks have won MAC championships in football (2019), volleyball (including a fourth straight title in the fall of 2019 and a tournament trophy in 2017), men's swimming and diving (three championships in the last four years), men's cross country (2018), men's outdoor track and field (2021), women's tennis (2019 regular season and 2019 tournament, 2022 regular season), and softball (2019, 2021, 2022). Miami has also swept the MAC field hockey titles for the past five seasons, with 'super senior' graduates having earned all nine possible championships (five regular-season, four tournament). In addition, the Miami synchronized skating team has captured two collegiate national titles (2019, 2022) and earned a sixth-place finish at the senior world championships (2022).
There have been a myriad of postseason victories, all-league honorees, and memorable moments. There have also been hundreds of All-Academic competitors representing Miami Athletics in the MAC and NCHC; the department produced nearly 300 MAC All-Academic performers over its first two Cartwright Award campaigns.
This has all come against the backdrop of three school years in a row that have been disrupted by COVID. Seasons were shifted, events were canceled, schedules were condensed, rosters were shorthanded, competitions were held in empty venues: The list of challenges could go on and on. But through it all, the tenacity and determination of Miami student-athletes has shone through, and the department is proud to graduate champions from one of the most unique and tested classes to ever come through Oxford.
The RedHawks have also continued to make a difference in the community, with literally thousands of volunteer hours accumulated over the past few years. Before COVID hit, Miami student-athletes had served over 4,600 hours in each of the past two school years. Even through the restrictions of the pandemic, that number remained well over 1,000 in 2020-21 and 2021-22, with Miami student-athletes reaching out to impact over 50 schools, non-profits, hospitals, businesses, children's charities, local families and assisted living facilities last year.
For every student-athlete who has ever walked across the platform and earned a diploma from Miami University, it's an impressive achievement that will set the stage for future success in life. But for the class of 2022, between the difficulties its members have faced and the accomplishments they have assembled, it may be even more meaningful.
Congratulations to our 100 graduating RedHawks! Love and Honor!
Miami Hockey Head Coach Anthony Noreen 12-6 Postgame
Sunday, December 07
Miami Football Head Coach Chuck Martin, Silas Walter & Eli Blakey 12-6 Postgame
Saturday, December 06
Miami Men's Basketball Evan Ipsaro & Head Coach Travis Steele 12-6 Post Game
Saturday, December 06
Miami Hockey Head Coach Anthony Noreen 12-5 Postgame
Saturday, December 06