Hurricanes to Honor 1975 and 1976 National Championship Teams This Weekend

Nov. 1, 2006

Coral Gables, Fla. – The 1975 and 1976 Miami swimming teams won the National Championships in back-to-back seasons, and will return to campus to attend this year’s 2006 homecoming weekend.

Attending this year’s homecoming festivities will be Jan Michaelis Bilthouse, Jodi Yambor, Janet “JB” Buchanan Kerr, Ruthann MacFarlane Joyce, Denise Wrist Parsons, and Debbie Massie Cavanaugh.

In 1975 Buchanan won the national title in the 50 and 100 breastroke. As a team, Buchanan, Yambor, and Wrist swam for the title in the 200 medley relay. All three swimmers earned All-American honors in back-to-back national title years.

Buchanan and Yambor were also a part of the 1976 national champions who won the 200 medley relay.

“We are planning for this to be a great weekend for the back to back National Championship swim teams”, said assistant athletic director, Connie Nickel.

On Friday, November 3 the former student-athletes will attend the swim meet between the Hurricanes and FAU at the Norman Whitten Student Union Pool at 3:00p.m. The meet will be followed by a reception in the Hall of Fame at 6:30 p.m. Later that night, a pep-rally will be held where they will be introduced at the University Green.

An Alumni Tailgate party will take place at the NE 1 Lot of the Orange Bowl Stadium, Saturday at 5:30 p.m. to honor the national champions, right before they are introduced onto the field during pre-game.

“The accomplishments they had here were tremendous, and I am glad we are able to honor them in this fashion”, said Nickel.