A Message From The Athletics Director - December
Hurricane Fans,
The holiday season is upon us, a time to gather with family and friends and also reflect on how fortunate we are to work every day with so many remarkable student-athletes, coaches and staff at Miami Athletics.
Last week 26 of our student-athletes earned their degrees at UM’s Fall Commencement. I couldn’t be prouder of these outstanding young men and women and I can’t wait to see where their life’s journey takes them from here. Congratulations to all of our graduates, as well as the coaches and academic support staffers who helped them achieve their goals!
After capping the season with two straight conference wins our football team accepted an invitation to play Wisconsin in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on December 27. Kickoff is 5:15 p.m. on ESPN. This bowl will provide a memorable experience for our team – after all, there’s no place quite like New York during the holidays! The team will be staying in Times Square, and visiting iconic landmarks such as One World Observatory, the 9/11 Museum and Radio City Music Hall before facing the Badgers at one of the most famous stadiums in the world. We hope to see lots of Hurricane fans cheering us on in the Bronx! For ticket information call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit hurricanesports.com/tickets.
Many of our football players earned postseason accolades for their outstanding 2018 seasons, led by senior defensive tackle Gerald Willis III, who garnered second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America and Sports Illustrated. Junior linebacker Shaquille Quarterman earned first-team All-ACC honors, one of 11 Hurricanes to claim a spot on an all-conference team. Congratulations to all!
Football’s Early Signing Period kicked off yesterday, where 15 high school standouts signed letters of intent to play for the Hurricanes, including eight from the Sunshine State. Congratulations to all of those young men and we look forward to seeing you in Coral Gables.
Men’s basketball started a four-game homestand last night with an 80-73 win over Houston Baptist. Anthony Lawrence II led UM in scoring with 17 points, while Ebuka Izundu notched another double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds. The Hurricanes next host Florida Atlantic Saturday night at 7 p.m. before entertaining Campbell on December 29. ACC play tips off on Thursday, January 3, against NC State at Watsco Center.
Our women’s basketball team is ranked 24th in the AP Poll and 23rd in the Coaches Poll after a 71-53 win over Maryland-Eastern Shore this past Sunday. Katie Meier’s squad heads to Orlando this week for the Florida Sunshine Classic. The Hurricanes square off against two SEC teams, Vanderbilt and Alabama, respectively on Thursday and Friday night. We then return to Watsco Center on December 28 (Florida A&M) and December 30 (Central Michigan) for the Miami Holiday Classic.
Season tickets for both of our basketball teams are on sale now. If you haven’t secured your seats call 1-800-GO-CANES or visit hurricanesports.com/tickets. We can’t wait to see you at Watsco Center from now through March!
Haley Templeton capped a stellar four-year career with our volleyball team by earning both first-team All-ACC honors and AVCA All-East Coast honors for the second season in a row. Congratulations to Haley!
Our new Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility has not only been home to many football practices this fall, but numerous athletic events as well. I want to again extend my heartfelt thanks to Carol and her family for the lead gift for the facility. We have already raised more than $36 million but are not done yet — and we still need your support. Your donations will ensure that this facility continues to be one of the best in the country. Visit Give2IPF.com to pledge your support.
Our Building Women Champions campaign continues to build momentum. The campaign is 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.
Please mark your calendars for Sunday, February 3, as we hold our fifth annual Celebration of Women’s Athletics. This terrific event grows in scope every year thanks to the generosity of our fans and donors. Registration information is coming soon!
For the latest information on each of our varsity teams, please be sure to visit HurricaneSports.com or follow us on Twitter @MiamiHurricanes. We wish you and your family a joyous holiday. Enjoy this month’s magazine and we will see you in 2019!
Go Canes!
Blake James
