Top 22 Moments of 2022 Presented by TradeStation

We’re counting down the Top 22 Moments of 2022 presented by Trade Station. From game‐winning buzzerbeaters and milestone wins to walk‐off home runs and even a national championship, this list has it all (in no particular order).

Check back through New Year’s Eve for daily additions as we count down the Top 22 of 2022.

moments by: Christy Chirinos Cabrera

Another Title in the Books

May 14

Miami’s women’s track team entered the final day of the ACC Outdoor Track & Field Championships in sixth place.

It finished the meet with the fourth conference title in program history.

A strong finish on the final day of competition pushed the Hurricanes to the top of the standings and gave them their fourth ACC title following previous championships in 2018, 2006 and 2005.

Pacing the Hurricanes that day were thrower Debbie Ajagbe, who won the gold in the discus and was named the ACC Field MVP, and sprinter Moriah Oliveira, who won the gold in the 400 meters.

“I’m proud of all of our teams, but especially proud of this group. They just really, really wanted it,” Hurricanes track & field director Amy Deem said. “We had to work really hard to get to this point. I don’t think anybody coming into the championships, except us, expected us to do this. From the first day to the end, they just kept fighting and kept fighting. I’m just very, very proud of this group.”

Vallée Breaks Records and Wins a Title

March 17

Her second dive of the day didn’t exactly go the way she hoped.

But Mia Vallée wasn’t deterred.

The third-year diver knew she could work her way up the scoreboard and that’s what she did, in record-breaking style.

The ultimate result? A national championship in the 1-meter springboard.

“It’s crazy to think about because I have been able to step it up in finals recently a lot better than I used to,” said Vallée, who posted an NCAA Championships-record score of 365.756 to win the national title. “I knew once I made finals, I knew I was going to be able to dive my best. I wasn’t going to hold anything back.”

Vallée is the 14^th diver to win a national championship under Hurricanes head coach Randy Ableman. Along with her title in the 1-meter springboard, she earned All-American recognition on the 3-meter springboard and was named the ACC Women’s Diver of the Year.

Moore Beats the Buzzer

January 26

Veteran guard Charlie Moore was one of the Hurricanes’ unquestioned leaders last season, all the way through Miami’s magical NCAA Tournament run.

And one of his biggest moments came in January when his half-court heave at the buzzer gave the Hurricanes a 78-75 win over Virginia Tech.

With 1.8 seconds left in regulation, Moore and the Hurricanes took the floor after a timeout, the guard thinking he might have just enough time to put up a quality shot.

He wasn’t wrong.

His last-second heave banked off the glass, fell in and set off a wild celebration on the Miami bench and left an arena full of Hokies fans stunned.

“My coaching staff, they showed a great play for me and my teammates executed it very well,” said Moore, who finished with 13 points and earlier in the game notched the 500^th assist of his college career. “Coming out of the timeout, I knew my coaches and my teammates trusted me to take this shot…I just wanted to get a shot up, give us a chance to win and it happened to go in. I’m excited. My teammates are excited for me. I’m just happy we came out with a win.”

A Rivalry Series

March 30

After tough back-to-back road losses against ranked opponents, Miami’s men’s tennis team returned to Coral Gables looking for a bounce-back win.

That win came in dominant fashion against a familiar foe.

Miami won its fourth straight over rival Florida State with a 4-0 sweep of the Seminoles at the Schiff Tennis Center back in March.

It marked the Hurricanes’ third win over a top-30 opponent and their fourth over a ranked team.

Miami won the doubles point and later picked up singles wins by Benjamin Hannestad, Bojan Jankulovski and Franco Aubone to secure the victory and improve to 13-6 on the season.

The Hurricanes would go on to advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Kam Kinchens’ Record-Tying Afternoon

November 12

In nearly four decades as a coach, Kevin Steele has seen plenty.

But even Miami’s veteran defensive coordinator was stumped when asked if he could remember a performance like the one safety Kam Kinchens had in Miami’s 35-14 win over Georgia Tech.

Kinchens, a sophomore, tied a Miami school record with his three interceptions against the Yellow Jackets, one of which he returned for a 99-yard touchdown.

That chilly November afternoon in Atlanta, Kinchens became the 12^th Hurricane to snag three picks in a single game and the first to do it since Kenny Phillips, one of his mentors, did the same in 2006.

Kinchens also notched a team-high eight tackles in the win.

After the game, Kinchens – who at season’s end was named a first-team All-American by multiple media outlets, including the Associated Press – could only smile when asked if he ever envisioned tying a school record also shared by Miami legend Sean Taylor.

“I’m not going to lie to you, I probably did,” Kinchens said. “That’s the goal. You chase the greats. That’s the goal going into every game, chase the greats.”

Dancing Into The Second Round

March 18

After a history-making run through the ACC Tournament, Miami’s women’s basketball team advanced to the NCAA Tournament and opened play there with a 78-66 win over South Florida.

Five Hurricanes scored in double figures and 10 Hurricanes scored at least once in what was a team-effort win over the Bulls.

The win was also a memorable for head coach Katie Meier, who notched the 400^th victory of her career that day in South Carolina.

“I want to give a ton of credit to South Florida because they are very had to score against and I always have so much respect for them,” Meier said after the win. “I had my two steady eddies that keep me sane [in Karla Erjavec and Kelsey Marshall], but it was the other players, too. I think we had 29 points off the bench and that is the game.”

Another Sweet Run

May 7

Miami’s women’s tennis team isn’t just an NCAA Team Championship Tournament regular.

It’s a Sweet 16 regular.

The Hurricanes have made 24 appearances in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Team Championship Tournament, the most recent coming in May after a 4-1 win over UCF in the tournament’s second round.

The 24 Sweet 16 appearances rank ninth among all Division I programs and the win over UCF pushed Miami’s record to 57-35 in the NCAA Team Championship Tournament, including a 27-1 mark on the Hurricanes’ home courts at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center.

Notching individual singles wins that day were Eden Richardson, Daevenia Achong, Isabella Pfennig, Maya Tahan, Audrey Boch-Collins and Tatyana Nikolenko.

“Honestly, this is such a cool group. To be able to do it with this group is just [truly awesome],” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “They’re just fun. They’re so enjoyable and they’ve earned this. Sometimes you earn it all year and it doesn’t work out, but this year it does. So, let’s enjoy it.”

The team finished the year ranked ninth in the country.

Coach L Hits 700 Wins

November 19

Hurricanes men’s basketball coach Jim Larrañaga has always respected the history of the game.

In November, he made some pretty big history of his own.

With Miami’s 74-64 win over Providence – Larrañaga’s alma mater – the coach recorded the 700^th victory of his illustrious 39-year career.

He became one of just 34 Division I coaches to reach that milestone and needless to say, his players past and present were thrilled, as were more than a few of his coaching colleagues.

“700 wins, some of those at my expense and you and I both know that…Look back and say ‘700, oh my gosh.’ Good job, big fella,” former North Carolina head coach Roy Williams shared in a video message to Larrañaga.

Said Larrañaga of his milestone, “I think the thing I’m most proud of is my longevity. It takes a lot of years in coaching, especially head coaching, to reach a milestone like 700 victories. But I’m really, really proud of all the assistant coaches that I’ve had and players that I’ve had the privilege of coaching to help me reach that milestone.”

Adding to a memorable stretch for the coach? Weeks after he recorded his 700^th win, Larrañaga was named a first-time nominee for the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.Finalists for the Naismith Hall of Fame will be announced in February.

Vovk Makes Her Mark

November 27-29

Hurricanes swimmer Tara Vovk joined the Miami program earlier this year.

She’s wasted little time making an impact.

The graduate student who hails from Slovenia broke a trio of school records last month at the SMU Invitational.

She set new Miami marks in the 200-yard individual medley (1:57.22), 100-yard breaststroke (58.89) and 200-yard breaststroke (2:10.24). She was also a part of the 200-yard free relay team that set a new school record of 1:30.16.

Her time in the 100-yard breaststroke also set a pool record at the Robson & Lindley Aquatics Center.

“Tara was definitely a leader for us in the pool. She’s walking away from this meet with four school records, one pool record and some of the fastest times in the country,” head swimming coach Andy Kershaw said after the meet. “More importantly, she has been a great teammate out of the pool. She works hard, earns her results and lifts up her teammates.”

Not only is Tara Vovk representing 🇸🇮 in Australia at the World Championships, but she’s representing all of us at the 🙌 ! Good luck, Tara! pic.twitter.com/gzsnmy94qo

— Miami Swim & Dive (@CanesSwimDive) December 13, 2022

Olivencia Joins The U

June 13

Janice Olivencia grew up playing golf in Puerto Rico, never imagining the opportunities the sport would afford her.

Golf helped her earn a college degree. Travel the world. Represent her country.

It’s also helped give her a coaching career that has now brought her to Miami.

Olivencia, who served as an assistant and associate head coach Florida for a decade, was named the Hurricanes’ new head coach in June.

Needless to say, she’s embracing the opportunity to lead a program that has made history on and off the course.

“I’m a competitor, so my objectives are high. I want to contend for championships. I want to win a conference championship. I want to be able to put my team in the best place to succeed, as individuals and as a team,” said Olivencia, who was a two-time All-American at the University of Texas and played professionally on the Ladies European Tour before getting into coaching. “I want them to be able to achieve, to be All-Americans, to be able to play in different amateur events throughout the year…I want us to be one of those teams that is always relevant at the end of the day. My vision is to get Miami to the top. At the end of the day, there’s no other reason why you’d want to do this.”

Olivencia and the Hurricanes will begin their spring season Feb. 5 at the UCF Challenge.

An NCAA Tournament Comeback

May 6

Miami’s men’s tennis team opened NCAA Tournament play in impressive style, notching a 4-3 comeback win over No. 45 USF back in May.

The Hurricanes were down 3-1 when they notched victories at first, fifth and sixth singles to secure the win and advance to the second round.

It marked the first time since 2018 the Hurricanes made it out of the opening round of the tournament.

“I am super excited for the guys and super happy that our team got an NCAA Tournament win against a tough South Florida team,” head coach Aljosa Piric said. “A lot of credit goes to [USF]. They are a very tough team to play against. They are well-coached and we have a lot of respect for them.”

A Resume-Building, Top 10 Win

November 5

If they wanted to advance to the NCAA Tournament for a second straight year, the Hurricanes knew they’d have to play some of their best volleyball late in the season.

That’s exactly what they did, winning six of their last seven regular season matches.

Among those wins was a comeback victory against 10^th-ranked Georgia Tech, with Miami rallying after dropping the first set to secure the 18-25, 25-22, 25-22, 25-22 victory.

In the match, outside hitter Flormarie Heredia Colon – an eventual ACC All-Freshman Team selection – tied her career-high with 18 kills and setter Savannah Vach totaled a match-high 45 assists.

“This was an important match against a good team and our players knew it,” Hurricanes head coach Jose “Keno” Gandara said. “I am so proud of them. They were tough. They were able to manager their emotions and their game and it paid off.”

Isaiah Wong’s March Madness Dunk

March 20

The Hurricanes men’s basketball team put together a season for the ages, capped by a magical March run that had Miami advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history.

To get there, the Hurricanes – a 10 seed entering the NCAA Tournament – had to notch a series of upsets.

First came a 68-66 win over seventh-seeded USC in the first round. Then, a 79-61 upset win over second-seeded Auburn sent the Hurricanes to the Sweet 16 for the fourth time. A 70-56 win over 11^th-seeded Iowa State followed before Miami’s magical run came to an end against eventual national champion Kansas.

But throughout March, the Hurricanes made big play after big play. One that stood out particularly? Guard Isaiah Wong’s thunderous dunk over Auburn’s Jabari Smith, an eventual top-three pick in the NBA Draft who is now playing for the Houston Rockets.

Wong’s dunk came with a little more than two minutes left in the first half, gave Miami a 33-27 lead and set the tone for the Hurricanes’ upset.

Wong finished that night with a game-high 21 points and according to ESPN Stats & Info, became the first player in Miami history to score 20-plus points in each of his first two NCAA Tournament games. He had 22 points in the opening-round game against USC.

“I was just coming off a screen, and they were icing it a little bit, so I just came in and snaked it and I had an open lane,” Wong said of his dunk over Smith. “I was imagining dunking it and I came in and got my good two steps in and I was in the air. I saw big man try to jump with me. I was like ‘Ooh, I hope he jumps with me’ and he did and I dunked it. It felt like an amazing experience when I did that.”

Beating ‘Bama

Aug. 21

Miami’s soccer team notched one of its biggest wins of the season when the Hurricanes beat eventual NCAA College Cup semifinalist Alabama in August.

Redshirt freshman forward Megan Morgan scored the first goal of her Hurricanes career – and the first of Miami’s season – in the 32^nd minute to put the Hurricanes on the board. Goalkeeper Melissa Dagenais finished the day with three saves to help the Hurricanes secure the win.

“It was just a rush of adrenaline,” Morgan said of her goal. “I got the perfect pass from Julia [Edwards]. To score the first goal in this game, it kickstarts our whole season. I’m just glad I could contribute to it.”

Said Hurricanes head coach Sarah Barnes of the win, “The team was really tough. We talked for a long time about being relentless and I thought the effort and energy from every person on the team made the difference today.”

Andrade the All-American

June 8

Décio Andrade came to Miami looking to compete against the best in the nation.

A former national champion at the Division II level, Andrade joined the Hurricanes after a successful career at San Angelo College with the hope that working with Miami coaches Amy Deem and Cory Young, he’d be able to continue growing at his events.

His first season as a Hurricane didn’t disappoint.

After winning the gold in the hammer at the ACC Track & Field Championships, the thrower placed seventh at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, his mark of 70.86m earning him All-America recognition.

He became the first Miami men’s track and field athlete to place in the top eight and earn All-America honors since Devon Hill accomplished the same feat in 2012.

“He has tremendous passion and maturity and he wants people around him that have that same passion and dedication to the sport and to their events,” Deem said of Andrade. “He’s very much a student of his event. He’s a sponge, always trying, always wanting to get better…You want athletes that are bought into the program, into your coaching philosophy and kids that just push and push and push to be the best they can be. Decio is all of that. He’s fun to watch, fun to be around and his energy and passion are contagious.”

Achong & Richardson’s Title Match Run

May 28

The women’s tennis double’s team of Daevenia Achong and Eden Richardson entered the NCAA Tournament ranked No. 13 in the nation.

They made it all the way to the national championship match.

During their tournament run, Achong and Richardson upset the second-ranked and second-seeded duo of Fiona Crawley and Elizabeth Scotty of North Carolina to earn a spot in the Elite Eight and secure ITA All-American honors.

Wins over 11^th ranked Peyton Stearns and Allura Zamarripa of Texas and 12^th ranked Ayumi Miyamoto and Lisa Marie Rioux of Oklahoma State followed.

Though Achong and Richardson came up short against the top-ranked and top-seeded team of Jaeda Daniel and Nell Miller of NC State in the NCAA Doubles Championship match, during their tournament run, they notched upsets of three higher-ranked teams and finished the year with a 29-11 record.

They were the third Miami pair to advance to the championship match and the first since 1988.

“I’m just so proud of them. I’m proud of the success they’ve had,” Hurricanes women’s tennis head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said after the championship match. “I’m proud of their seasons in singles and doubles, [as well as who they are] just as people. I think they have a little sour taste in their mouths, but they have a lot to be proud of and we’re obviously, very proud of them.”

YoYo’s Big Day

June 4

Slugger Yohandy Morales led the Hurricanes with 64 runs scored, 17 doubles, three triples, 18 home runs, 59 RBI, 156 total bases and a .650 slugging percentage last season and more than once, made his presence felt at Mark Light Field.

And one of his best performances came on one of the biggest stages.

Morales hit three home runs in Miami’s 11-6 win over Canisius to open regional play in Coral Gables and in the process, became one of just four Hurricanes to hit a trio of home runs in a postseason game following Lale Esquivel (1999), Kevin Brown (2001) and Scott Lawson (2010).

After the game, the third baseman downplayed his individual performance, choosing instead to focus on the Hurricanes’ victory.

“I was seeing the ball really well today, but I’m more excited about getting the win tonight,” Morales said. “It doesn’t matter if I go 0-for-4 or 4-for-4. All that matters is we won the game.”

Morales went on to spend part of his summer with the USA Collegiate National Team and was an All-ACC second-team selection.

“One for the Ages”

March 4

Destiny Harden has played plenty of basketball in her life.

But the forward from Chicago has never had a five minutes on the court like she did against Louisville during this year’s ACC Tournament.

With the Hurricanes facing a 15-point deficit with a little more than four minutes left of a quarterfinal game against then No. 4 Louisville on March 4, Harden scored 15 straight points – including a game-winning buzzer-beater – that lifted Miami to a 61-59 win over the Cardinals.

Harden finished with 27 points that night, tying a career high and the Hurricanes went on to advance to the ACC Tournament Championship Game for the first time in program history.

Their performance at the tournament helped them secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament, where they opened play with a 78-66 first-round win over South Florida before falling to eventual national champion South Carolina in the second round.

It was a historic postseason run for the Hurricanes – one that was undoubtedly keyed by a big performance from one of their biggest leaders.

“That performance by Destiny Harden is one for the ages. It’s one for the ages,” Hurricanes coach Katie Meier said after the Louisville win.

Said Harden, “Sharing those moments with my teammates meant the world to me…Even though we won games, it was more so being able to have those moments with the coaches and players at the same time.”

DiMare Marks a Milestone

March 23

Miami baseball has been a part of Gino DiMare’s entire life.

He was a standout player for the Hurricanes whose name still appears in the school record book. And before taking over as Miami’s head coach in 2019, he served as a recruiting coordinator, assistant coach and associate head coach for the Hurricanes.

And on March 23, he experienced one of his first significant milestones as the head of the program with the Hurricanes’ 7-1 victory over FAU.

That game – one in which the Hurricanes scored six runs over the final three innings to take control – marked DiMare’s 100^th win as Miami’s head coach. He is the second-fastest coach in program history to reach that mark behind only two-time national champion Jim Morris.

“I don’t want to downplay it, but I don’t know what to say,” DiMare said after his memorable night. “It’s nice to have people congratulating me, but it doesn’t really mean a whole lot [now]. At the end of the day, we’re just trying to win games. All I’m worried about is North Carolina now.”

For the record, the Hurricanes went on to sweep North Carolina in the weekend series that followed the FAU win and Miami finished the year with a 40-20 mark.

Vach Adds Her Name to Record Book

November 23

Hurricanes setter Savannah Vach notched the 4,000^th assist of her Miami career in the volleyball team’s regular-season finale against Florida State.

That day, Vach totaled a match-high 27 assists, along with three digs, a kill and a block. She is one of just four players in program history to total that many assists.

The Hurricanes finished the season with a 19-11 record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. It marked the first time since 2014 and 2015 that Miami made back-to-back tournament appearances.

Vach, meanwhile, was among national leaders with 1,159 assists this season. She was recognized as a second-team All-ACC selection and was named an East Coast All-Region honoree by the American Volleyball Coaches Association for the third straight year.

Game-Winning Stretch at the Pylon

October 29

In late October, Miami’s football team arrived in Virginia nursing injuries and in search of a key Coastal Division win.

The Hurricanes defense, kicker Andy Borregales and reserve quarterback Jake Garcia helped make that happen for Miami in thrilling fashion.

After the Hurricanes and Cavaliers traded field goals through regulation and three overtimes, Garcia scrambled for the end zone and stretched his arm out over the pylon to score on a 2-point conversion that lifted Miami to a 14-12 win over Virginia after four overtimes.

Garcia, who started in place of injured quarterback Tyler Van Dyke, completed 15 of 29 passes for 125 yards in the win, while Borregales connected on field goals of 38, 20, 42, and 37 yards.

Miami’s defense, meanwhile, was led by Mitchell Agude, who had seven tackles, and defensive tackle Leonard Taylor III, who finished with six tackles, 1.5 sacks, and four TFLs.

“I can’t say enough about the resiliency of the team,” head coach Mario Cristobal said after the win. “Just really proud of our guys for [their] effort, for [their] toughness and for playing hard the whole way through.”

Said Garcia, “It was a great and surreal feeling to see [the pylon] there and to know that you are walking away with a win after everything. I would like to give huge props to our coaches, offensive line, running backs and our defense. Our defense did a great job holding it back today. It was a great feeling to know that we ended the game like that today.”

Rowing Team Makes Program History

May 18

Miami’s rowing team earned the first top-20 ranking in program history this past May when it grabbed the No. 20 spot in the Pocock CRCA poll.

Prior to that May 18 ranking, the Hurricanes had made 14 separate appearances in the poll going back to 2004. But this marked the first time they cracked the top 20.

The ranking came after Miami posted its best performance at the ACC Championship since the league expended to nine teams in 2015. The Hurricanes placed fifth in the team standings with 52 points with the first varsity eight and second varsity eight boats each finishing in fourth in their grand final races.