A Message from the Athletic Director: August 2021
Hurricane Fans,
It’s an exciting time in Coral Gables as the start of classes is just a week away and our fall sports have officially started practice for their 2021 seasons.
Our football team, which is ranked 16th in the country in the preseason USA TODAY Sports AFCA Coaches Poll, has been practicing under the lights at Greentree as they head into their second week of fall camp. Manny Diaz’s squad returns numerous starters on both sides of the ball, including veteran quarterback D’Eriq King. The Canes were picked second in the Coastal Division in the ACC preseason poll and two student-athletes – safety Bubba Bolden and punter Lou Hedley – were named first-team Preseason All-ACC.
As you know we open the season against top-ranked and defending national champion Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game on September 4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Tickets are available now and you can click here for more information. We hope to see you in Atlanta!
After the season opener we have a seven-game home slate at Hard Rock Stadium. For season ticket information click here. We can’t wait to see all of our fans back at Hard Rock!
Our soccer team played its first exhibition game last week against Florida Gulf Coast. The Canes have two more exhibitions before they open the 2021 season on August 22 at Cobb Stadium against FAU. Our volleyball team hosts an exhibition match at Knight Gym on August 20 before tipping off its season August 27 at the FIU Invitational. Cross country reported last week and began training for its 2021 campaign. Welcome back and best of luck to all our fall sports teams!
Our men’s basketball team released its non-conference schedule last week. The Canes open the season November 9 at Watsco Center against Canisius. We also have home games against UCF (November 13), Florida A&M (November 21) and Lipscomb (December 8). The Canes will also participate in the ESPN Events Invitational in Orlando Thanksgiving weekend, travel to Penn State for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge on December 1 and play Fordham in the Basketball Hall of Fame Invitational in Brooklyn December 12.
Season tickets are on sale now for both our men’s and women’s basketball teams. Click here for more information on men’s season tickets and click here for more information on women’s season tickets. We look forward to seeing you at Watsco Center!
On August 16 we launched CanesVault, a first-of-its-kind non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace which will showcase the deep history of Miami Athletics through the sale of one-of-a-kind digital collectibles. The collectibles will highlight great plays, milestones, championships, and traditions throughout the Hurricanes’ storied history. Hurricane Club members will receive exclusive access to limited edition NFTs as well as select pre-sales to new drops. Visit canesvault.com to learn more.
The recent news of Big 12 members Texas and Oklahoma moving to the SEC has sparked plenty of discussion nationwide on the Power 5 conferences. I can tell you that Miami has great trust and belief in what the ACC represents for our membership and our future. We have full alignment as a group, and I have full confidence that Commissioner Jim Phillips and the membership will do everything possible to best position our conference for long-term success.
We recently announced the launch of the Athletic Director’s Society, our next step in strategically building and developing the future of the department. The Athletic Director’s Society will enhance the pool of resources to build state-of-the-art facilities, attract and retain the nation’s best student-athletes and coaches, and provide those who wear the “U” an unparalleled collegiate experience. This much needed philanthropic giving society is for donors who commit to a major gift of at least $50,000 payable over a five-year period. While the Athletic Director’s Society is philanthropic in nature, members will enjoy unique stewardship opportunities and a deeper, more meaningful engagement with UM Athletics. To learn more about the Athletic Director’s Society, please click here or contact Parker Poliakoff at the Hurricane Club at 305-407-5794.
If you have any questions or need any assistance, please feel free to contact a member of our staff. For the latest information on UM Athletics, please be sure to visit our website — miamihurricanes.com – download our Miami Hurricanes app or follow us on our various social media channels. I hope that you and your loved ones are staying safe and healthy. Enjoy this month’s magazine!
Go Canes!
Blake James
