From the Desk of Dan Radakovich

From the Desk of Dan Radakovich

Dear Canes Community,

Spring semester classes conclude today and next week 70 of our student-athletes are set to earn their degrees from the University of Miami. It represents a major milestone in their life’s journey, and we couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.

Many people only see our student-athletes exceling during competition, but they also devote a considerable amount of time to their studies, training, community service and career development. It’s a remarkable balancing act that sets them up for success in whatever path they choose after Miami. I can’t wait to see what the future holds for our Canes graduates. Congratulations to all!

The world of college athletics is changing, with NCAA leadership and governance changes serving as the catalyst. We need to be ahead of the curve. One of our major tasks is to keep Miami in a prominent spot, positioning our University and our student-athletes to continue to accomplish great things in this challenging landscape.

May is a busy month for Miami Athletics with seven sports still in action and we will be cheering loudly for all as postseason play is just around the corner.

Our sixth-ranked baseball team improved its record to 32-12 overall and 17-7 in ACC play after defeating Georgia Tech 13-2 yesterday in Atlanta. The Canes belted four home runs and maintained their lead the ACC Coastal. Gino DiMare’s squad returns home for a three-game set with North Dakota State starting Friday at 7 p.m. We hope to see you at The Light!

Our women’s tennis team (17-5) is ranked 12th in the nation after advancing to the ACC Championship semifinals. Our men’s tennis team owns a 16-9 record and is currently ranked 31st in the country. Both tennis squads find out their NCAA Tournament draw tonight, starting at 6 p.m. with the men’s draw followed by the women’s draw at 6:30 p.m. You can watch on NCAA.com.

Our golf team is headed to NCAA Regionals as the seventh seed in the Tallahassee Regional, which will take place May 9-11. The Canes are one of 12 teams in the regional. The top four teams from each regional advance to the NCAA Championships in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Our track and field teams wrapped up the regular season this past weekend at the UNF Invite in Jacksonville. Debbie Ajagbe (hammer throw), Jeffrey Williams (shot put) and Russell Robinson (triple jump) all won their respective events, as did our women’s 4×100m relay team. The Canes now look ahead to the ACC Outdoor Championships, which start May 12 in Durham, N.C.

Our rowing team is preparing for the ACC Championships in Clemson, S.C., which will take place May 13-14. The Canes posted a solid showing in their most recent regatta, finishing sixth out of 15 teams at the Lake Wheeler Invite.

Our football team concluded spring ball on April 16 with our Spring Game at DRV PNK Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale. Inter Miami CF was a great host, and we appreciate all the fans who came out to see Mario Cristobal’s team in action for the first time. Season tickets are on sale now – click here or call 1-800-GO-CANES to secure your seats today!

Congratulations to defensive tackle Jonathan Ford, who was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL Draft. At least one Hurricane has been selected in 48 straight drafts, which is the fourth-longest streak of any program in the country.

The University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame welcomed its Classes of 2020 and 2022 at its 52nd Induction Banquet on April 21. It was a terrific event, and we appreciate everything the UM Sports Hall of Fame does year-round to promote our unparalleled history of success in college athletics. Congratulations to this year’s 18 inductees!

We take great pride in Athletics serving as one the University’s three pillars, and we also take great pride in our role in the University’s Ever Brighter campaign. Ever Brighter is UM’s most ambitious fundraising campaign ever, a $2.5 billion initiative that is accelerating our drive to shape a brighter future. As part of this campaign, Miami Athletics has an overall campaign goal of raising $225 million by 2025 which will directly impact our 400-plus student-athletes and equip us with the resources to compete at the highest level. Please visit miamihurricanes.com/everbrighter to learn how you can help!

Finally, we are about halfway through a very deep dive into an athletics master plan that will affect facilities and sport sponsorship.

Our Canes Community is stronger than ever thanks to your continued support. Please click here to sign up for our weekly Miami Athletics Report, which will keep you up to date on everything we have going on with all our sports. Thank you from all of us at Miami Athletics and Go Canes!

Dan Radakovich