A Message From The Athletics Director - July
Hurricane Fans,
Believe it or not, the 2018-19 season of Hurricanes Athletics is almost upon us! Our fall sports start their preseason camps next week as they help us kick off what promises to be another year of excitement and success both on and off the field.
Wide receiver Ahmmon Richards and safety Jaquan Johnson joined head coach Mark Richt at ACC Kickoff in Charlotte last week, where the conference media picked the Hurricanes to defend our ACC Coastal Division title. In addition, linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, cornerback Michael Jackson and safety Jaquan Johnson were all selected to the 2018 All-ACC Preseason Team. Congratulations to all three student-athletes!
Our soccer team opens its first season under new head coach Sarah Barnes at FAU on Friday, August 17. Miami’s home opener is two days later on Sunday, August 19, against FIU at 6:30 p.m. Come cheer on the Hurricanes at Cobb Stadium!
Keno Gandara’s volleyball squad is looking to return to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in the last six seasons. The Hurricanes tip off their 2018 season by hosting the Sunshine State Challenge at Knight Gym. Miami faces FAU on Friday, August 24, at 7 p.m., before a Saturday doubleheader against Florida Gulf Coast (11 a.m.) and UCF (7:30 p.m.). We hope to see you there for all three games!
Three of our track and field student-athletes participated in the IAAF U20 World Championships in Finland this month. Rising sophomore Symone Mason won gold as a member of the USA’s 4x400m relay. Incoming freshman Selina Dantzler, representing Germany, finished fourth in the shot put, while fellow incoming freshman Molly Caudrey, representing Great Britain, finished ninth in the pole vault. Congratulations to Symone, Selina and Molly on their terrific performances on the world stage!
Two Hurricanes – Wally Layland and Sinead Lohan — were recently nominated for 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year. The award recognizes graduating female college athletes who have exhausted their eligibility and distinguished themselves in academics, athletics, service and leadership throughout their college careers. Wally advanced to the NCAA Diving Championships in each of her four seasons, and was a four-time CSCAA Scholar All-American and two-time All-ACC Academic Team honoree. Sinead won 130 matches over four seasons and is one of just three four-time All-ACC selections in UM women’s tennis history. She was a three-time All-ACC Academic Team selection and won the 2018 ITA Southeast Region Arthur Ashe Leadership & Sportsmanship Award. Good luck to both Wally and Sinead, and thank you for being such great representatives of The U!
The ACC announced the 2017-18 Academic Honor Roll earlier this month and 200 UM student athletes made the list, setting a school record. Sixteen Hurricanes across eight sports made the ACC Honor Roll for the fourth time, including three student-athletes each from rowing, soccer, women’s swimming & diving and volleyball. Congratulations to all 200 student-athletes, and thank you to our academic services staff for their tireless efforts in helping these young men and women!
One of the greatest linebackers in NFL history – and Hurricanes history – will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on August 4. Ray Lewis, who was a first-team All-American for UM and a 12-time Pro Bowler for the Baltimore Ravens, will become the seventh Hurricane to be enshrined in Canton. Congratulations to Ray!
Enthusiasm for the Hurricanes’ upcoming football season continues to rise throughout South Florida and we are poised to sell out our season ticket allotment at Hard Rock Stadium for the first time in school history. Season tickets for men’s basketball are also on sale, featuring a terrific ACC home slate at Watsco Center. If you haven’t already secured your football or men’s basketball seats for 2018 please call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit hurricanesports.com/tickets.
The magnificent Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility is nearly complete, and our crowdfunding campaign that focuses on outfitting the interior continues to build momentum. Your donations will help us finish this project the right way, and elevate this facility to one of the best in the country. Visit Give2IPF.com to pledge your support.
We also recently launched the Building Women Champions campaign, an initiative that will enhance scholarship support, leadership development and career coaching for Hurricane female student-athletes. Please visit buildingwomenchampions.com to learn how you can help.
For the latest information on each of our varsity teams, please be sure to visit HurricaneSports.com or follow us on Twitter @MiamiHurricanes. We can’t wait to see you cheering on the Canes in August as we start our fall campaigns. Enjoy this month’s magazine!
Go Canes!
Blake James
