Vol. 99, Issue 7 March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
UM Alternative Breaks holds first in-person trips in two years NEWS // Page 2
2022 Grammy Awards staff picks NEWS // Page 9
Men’s basketball readies for Sweet Sixteen this weekend SPORTS // Page 11
Keep Dancing
Jim Larrañaga and the Hurricanes march on to the Windy City Miami head coach Jim Larrañaga smiles at the crowd after Miami’s win over the University of Southern California on Friday, March 18 in Greenville, South Carolina. The Hurricanes won the game 68-66.
Alex Carnochan // Senior staff photographer
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NEWS
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
News
CAMPUS NEWS
UM Alternative Breaks learn the joy of volunteering in first group out-of-state service trips in two years
Contributed photo
UM students pictured on a trip with UM Alternative Breaks during Spring Break 2022.
BY KRIS BERG
STAFF NEWS WRITER While many University of Miami students lounged on beach chairs and relished in their break from school work this spring break, participants of UM Alternative Breaks (UMAB) volunteered their time to charitable organizations across the country. After a two year hiatus caused by the pandemic, UMAB, a program through the Butler Center for Service and Leadership, has resumed their out-of-state spring break service programs. Every spring break, the UMAB program takes students on trips where they volunteer their services to various charitable organizations. This year, from March 14-19, four groups consisting of around 10 students took part in community
service events located across the country. The location and purpose of the various trips differ from year to year. This year, students worked with four different charity organizations: SBP Houston in Houston, TX; Greenhouse17 in Lexington, KY; IRC Abilene in Abilene, TX; and Families in Transition in Manchester, NH. Each organization that students volunteered with this break work toward mitigating a different social issue. SBP Houston has been rebuilding houses destroyed by Hurricane Harvey since 2017, Greenhouse17 provides housing and basic necessities to survivors of domestic abuse, IRC Abilene helps refugees integrate into the American workforce and education system and Families in Transition provides families
facing poverty with food and housing security. Most of the volunteers provided manual labor to these various organizations. James Hasell, a site leader at Greenhouse17 and senior music engineering major at UM, was proud of the extensive farm work he and his group of volunteers had accomplished. “I wish there was a before and after picture because when we first got there a lot of stuff wasn’t planted and the whole field was covered in tarps and bricks, and by the end we had planted a bunch of stuff and organized a lot of the farm grounds,” Hasell said. “We were able to help them do what would normally take them weeks or months.” Lauren Colaco, a site leader for SBP Houston and senior majoring in chemistry and psychology, says that she felt the trip was a success, despite the initial learning curve faced by volunteers. “A lot of us were quite unfamiliar with construction work, so it took us a little while to catch on, but over the trip we learned how to utilize these tools and how to overcome what we were scared of,” Colaco said. “Everyone coming out got a lot out of the service, were thankful for the experience and had a really good time meeting each other.” In addition to the program’s success in assisting the four organizations, this year’s trips are also notable as they are
the first collection of out-ofstate UMAB trips since spring of 2019. Although COVID-19 cases in the U.S. are currently low, the organization took steps to prevent participants from catching the virus, explains program co-chair Bao Duong. “We wanted to make sure that everyone felt safe. If the cases were high these trips would not be possible,” says Duong, a senior majoring in neuroscience. She explained that students were required to test negative prior to embarking, and that the university provided participants with PPE items. UMAB leaders and participants said that they encourage everyone to engage in service and partak in a UMAB trip. Duong said that the Butler Center works to make sure that all of the trips, including those held during fall recess, are relatively inexpensive so that all students can participate. “One thing that we really want to push is that education services should be open to all,” Duong said, adding that scholarships are also available for students who cannot afford the $225 housing and transportation fee. The diversity of participants also serves to benefit the program, says Butler Center organizer and program advisor Lindsey Woods. “I wouldn’t say there is one singular type of UMAB student,” Woods said.
UMAB is almost entirely student-run. “The site leaders are the ones who are truly coordinating all of the efforts at the local sites,” Woods said. “They’re working with their housing partners, they’re working with their community partners… They’re also leading reflections every night so that students can make meaning of their experiences.” These reflections gave participants an opportunity to look at the impacts of their service and reflect on the issues they are working to mitigate. Participants said that it was satisfaction that only comes from carrying out charitable work that was the most rewarding aspect of the program. Colaco said that one of the most memorable moments of her trip was after her group had received information about the elderly woman whose home they would be rebuilding with SBP Houston. “Imagine she’s going to be sitting here with a cup of tea after this is all over, she’ll be enjoying the new house that we helped construct for her,” Colaco heard a group member say. This statement, she said, captures the essence of the experience and the reason the program was created in the first place.
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
Students say changing COVID policies and housing shortages define ‘unsettling’ spring semester CAMPUS NEWS
BY MADDIE BASSALIK, HARVEY DUPLOCK, ISABELLA PAONE, ETHAN SHINN, HARRY QUILLEN & LETI MILESI-HALLE
CONTRIBUTING NEWS WRITERS After a momentary reprieve, students at the University of Miami are back on campus for the continuation of what some described as an ‘unsettling’ semester. Since January, the campus community has gone from two weeks of online instruction to attending classes on campus without masks. Although they are eager to resume their preCOVID college lives, some students said the uncertainty has made it more difficult to maintain focus throughout the semester. The first two weeks of remote learning at the beginning of the semester was seen by some students as an extension of their winter holiday, allowing them to stay home for a bit longer and spend more time with their families. But many confessed to having maintained the “on vacation” mindset beyond the semester’s opening week. “People didn’t take school as seriously,” said Mary Farlese, a sophomore communication studies major. “And by the time classes started in person, we were expected to already be very much into the semester, so it was a little difficult to readjust.” On the other hand, sophomore commuter student Ethan Gany said he
found it more difficult to access class materials once in-person classes resumed. “I definitely relied on being able to go back and watch recorded classes to study for tests,” Gany said, “and now I don’t have those recordings.” Others said the recordings were a crutch that gave them an excuse to not pay attention or skip class entirely, crediting in-person learning with motivating them to stay focused. “I am responsible for teaching myself less now that I am forced to pay attention more,” said sophomore political science major Sebastian Acuna. Ian Hormel, a sophomore business analytics major, agreed, highlighting access to recorded lectures as one factor in decreased effort during online learning. “Online notes and recorded lectures were easy to access when classes were online,” Hormel said, “but I would often use that as an excuse to not pay attention, and then I would fail to learn the topics properly.” The return to campus, however, did not come without its own obstacles to the student learning experience. Until the university dropped its indoor mask policy, many students agonized over wearing them. Freshman Caroline Turgeon called the mandates ridiculous, as students were “sitting on top of each other already” in crowded classrooms. “I almost enjoy my Zoom classes more
because at least I feel like I can breathe,” Turgeon said. Sophomore business law major Alex Bennett was glad to learn that the university had eliminated its indoor mask requirement on Feb. 28 after almost two years. “Masks make it much more difficult to understand professors and classmates when they speak in lectures, making it more difficult to learn,” Bennett said. Herbert Wellness Center staff fielded many complaints from students who were noncompliant with the mask mandate while they were actively working out. Devin DeDonatis, a senior fitness leader at the Wellness Center, said staff repeatedly had to ask students to wear their mask correctly and that about 60% of students consistently wore masks improperly while around 20% did not mask at all. Scott Levin, executive director of the Department of Wellness and Recreation, was sympathetic to student protest prior to the end of the mandate but held firm regarding the university’s indoor mask policy. “While I understand that wearing a mask while actively working out is an inconvenience for many, we are looking to protect our university community by continuing to require that masks be worn in all indoor public spaces,” Levin said before the mask mandate was rescinded Feb. 28. As students adjust to shifting COVID-19 policy, however, many are still
scrambling as they return from spring break to find housing for next year’s fall semester after a rush of housing requests filled University Village and Lakeside to capacity. Megan O’Brien, a freshman exercise physiology major, said she did not expect to be apartment hunting this early into her first semester. “It’s super hard to be a freshman and having to move off campus by myself, find roommates, and be able to afford rent on top of tuition and other fees,” O’Brien said. Some students have moved their housing search off campus to apartment complexes such as The Residence at Thesis, Red Roads Commons, The Standard, Vox Miami and House 57. Raeanna Dunkley, a sophomore biology major, said she felt pressure from The Standard to sign a lease agreement under a limited
NEWS
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period to prevent paying double the rent price. “A two-bedroom apartment went from $1,800 to $2,600 because of so many people not being able to stay on campus,” Dunkley said. “It made it harder for us because these condominiums know we don’t have anywhere else to go. They know that we don’t have any other choice.” And with new campus housing construction in the works, the dorm crisis will not end soon, administrators said. “Although there will be less housing available on campus over the next four years, the university remains committed to working closely with sophomores and upperclassmen to accommodate housing needs for all students approved for university housing,” said Jessica Brumley, vice president for Facilities Operations & Planning.
Isabella Paone // Contributing photographer
Sophomores Jillian DiMonda and Sara Hafemeister work in the Richter Library when the mask mandate was in place in February. DiMonda said wearing masks makes it harder to be motivated.
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THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
NATIONAL NEWS
UM community excited for this weekend’s Ultra Music Festival BY PATRICK MCCASLIN STAFF NEWS WRITER
For some students, Ultra Music Festival marks the most important weekend of the year, when textbooks and calculators give way to kandi bracelets and sleepless nights. For others, however, the three-day party at Bayfront Park in Downtown Miami March 25, 26 and 27 represents not just an opportunity to let loose, but a celebration of their very identity. “Without Ultra I wouldn’t have like 90% of what I do now,” said Steve Matousek, a fifth year electrical engineering major at the University of Miami and president of Equalizer (EQ) Collective. Matousek has attended Ultra Miami every year since 2017. When Matousek first attended Ultra, he was studying at the University of Dayton, Ohio. While at the festival, Matousek met a UM medical student. After meeting the student, Matousek realized that UM offered both a strong education and close proximity to his beloved Ultra. The following year, Matousek transferred to UM. “It never really occurred to me that someone could be that far in their education and professional career, almost done with their doctorate, and be able to go to a three day music festival,” Matousek said, referring to the Miller School of Medicine student he had met. This year’s headliners include Martin Garrix, Tiësto, Afrojack, DJ Snake,
Timmy Trumpet and David Guetta. Some students said this year’s lineup is one of the most diverse in the renowned festival’s history. “Kygo, specifically, has done a lot for the tropical EDM style and he influenced a lot of current artists like Calvin Harris or David Guetta,” said Sammy Sucholeiki, a freshman majoring in global health studies. Sucholeiki said he feels the festival is slowly expanding its offerings to non-EDM enthusiasts. “It’s kind of cool to see if Ultra is branching out a bit more,” Sucholeiki said. “We can see if in the next couple years they bring in less EDM and more of other kinds of music.” The Ultra siteground has multiple stages, each for a different subset of EDM culture. ‘Ultra Main Stage’ includes most of the headliners, ‘Ultra Resistance’ showcases rising stars, ‘Ultra Oasis’ features local artists and ‘Ultra Radio’ is the live version of a streamed show. Concertgoers can freely walk between the stages once they enter the park. When attending the festival, Sucholeiki recommends staying hydrated, carrying a fanny pack or holding your phone and keeping a buddy with you and a traveling light. This year marks Ultra’s return after a two year hiatus due to COVID-19. As previously reported, Ultra was canceled abruptly at the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 and was unable to open in 2021.
Michael Mok // Staff photographer
One of the Ultra stages in the process of being set up on March 21 at Bayfront Park. The EDM-based music festival, which is very popular among UM students, takes place on March 25 - 27.
Hunter Crenian // File photo
A few attendees of Ultra 2019 take a break from dancing as they sit in front of the “Ultra Worldwide” stage.
This year also marks Ultra’s return to Bayfront Park after an attempt to host the event in Virginia Key in 2019 was marred by transportation and logistics issues. In 2021, Ultra and the Downtown Neighbor’s Alliance (DNA), an organization representing the area surrounding
Downtown Miami, reached an agreement to set standards regarding noise mitigation, traffic, crime and safety in the local area. Historically, the DNA has lamented the festival, even suing Ultra in 2020. However, the DNA notes the importance of Ultra for small businesses who see massive
profits and young local residents. The Miami festival attracts upwards of 170,000 fans and has grown in international popularity since its inception in 1999, “producing events in 26 cities and 29 countries.” With its primary festival in Miami, Ultra is estimated to have earned nearly a billion dollars since 2012. As the city’s economy continues to recover from the pandemic, Ultra may provide a welcome boost. “You are going to raise the demand for the leisure and hospitality sector in Miami,” said Miguel Iraola, an economics professor at UM. “The city has the capacity and we are in this post Covid period, so those events are contributing to the normalization of this sector.” Iraola highlighted parties and concerts hosted ahead of and after the main event as potential additional boosts for a still-recovering economy. “Once you have those important DJs in Miami, they organize a lot of parties,” Iraola said. “I think this is generating a lot of activity in the city for more than just the Ultra event but also for the previous week.”
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
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Ketanji Brown Jackson’s South Florida roots and UM connection NATIONAL NEWS
BY JENNY JACOBY STAFF NEWS WRITER
Kentanji Brown Jackson’s nomination to the Supreme Court by President Joe Biden has already made headlines across the nation for potentially making her the first Black woman in Supreme Court history. At the University of Miami, her connection to the city and university is drawing attention from students and faculty alike. If confirmed by the Senate, Jackson, 51, will replace Justice Stephen Breyer, who was appointed by President Bill Clinton in 1994 and will retire at the end of the 2021-22 term. “I hope this opens doors for other Black women, especially because they are disproportionately represented in our government,” said Betsy Mullins, who serves as sophomore senator for the Student Government Association (SGA) and president of the Young and College Democrats at UM. Although she earned both her bachelor’s degree and law degree at Harvard University, Jackson has several significant connections to Miami. Jackson’s mother, Ellery Brown, served as principal for the New World School of the Arts at Miami-Dade College and her father, Johnny Brown, is an alumnus of the UM School of Law, class of 1977. He most notably served as the chief attorney of the MiamiDade County (MDC) School Board. During her nomination speech, Jackson detailed her moments as a young child with her father during his time as a UM law student. He was also one of the first black students to attend UM law school, according to News@theU.
She often sat at the kitchen table in the mornings, crayons in hand, watching her father as he read law contracts and torts. When she was in kindergarten, her father would make a 40-minute drive to her elementary school and he would make the long trip back in time for the start of law classes. “I did that every day because I knew it would help make a difference in Ketanji’s life. But we never deliberately set out and said we wanted to instill in her certain life lessons. We led by example,” Brown said during an interview with News@theU. “We always tried to put her in the best educational environments that we could find and then let her make the necessary adjustments and decisions from that,” Brown continued. Kentaji Brown Jackson attended Miami Palmetto Senior High School, graduating as part of the class of 1988. According to the New York Times, Judge Jackson has spoken in her 2013 swearingin as a judge about how much high school meant to her. Not only was she the class president and assisted in organizing class reunions, but above all, she was a top debater. During her high school career, she was reportedly encouraged to try out for the debate team by Mark Shapiro, a current law professor at UM’s School of Law. Her involvement in her Miami high school’s debate team would then go on to earn her the national oratory title from the National Catholic Forensic League Championships, the secondlargest high school debate tournament in the country. Now, after serving as a district judge for the U.S.
District Court for the District of Columbia, Jackson is set for confirmation hearings beginning on March 21. “Her rapid ascendance to be nominated to the highest court in the land should encourage every young child in Miami, specifically girls of color, including immigrants of what you can achieve with hard work,” said Landon Coles, president of the UM Student Government
Association. “Opportunities of this caliber have long not been available nor visible, however, every child with aspiration to enter the judicial system should take encouragement knowing that it can be done.” Democratic congressional leaders are aiming for a confirmation vote on April 8 to move a potentially historic candidate into the highest court in the nation.
“She cares about making sure that our democracy works for the American people,” Biden said in his official nomination press conference introducing Jackson. “She strives to be fair, to get it right, to do justice. That’s something all of us should remember. And it’s something I’ve thought about throughout this process.”
Tel Aviv University Sackler Faculty of Medicine American Medical Program/Tel Aviv University/Sackler Faculty of Medicine offers an outstanding four- year medical school curriculum, taught in English, leading to the M.D. degree. The Program is chartered by the Regents of the University of the State of New York and is accredited by the State of Israel. Students do their clerkships and electives in the hospitals in Israel, the U.S. and Canada. One of these hospitals, Sheba Medical Center, was selected by Newsweek magazine as one of the top 10 hospitals around the world for the last three years. Graduates participate in the National Resident Matching Program and return to the United States for their residency training. Since its commencement in 1976, over 2,100 alumni have completed their residency training at the most distinguished hospitals in the United States and Canada. www.sacklerschool.org provides extensive information about the Program. For further information, e-mail sacklermed@sacklermed.org Applications for the Class of 2026 are available on our website
A&E 6 OPINION
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
Opinion
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March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
In an alternate universe, I might have been pro-life BY PARI WALTER OPINION EDITOR
Young women today have grown up in a climate that politicizes their bodies to the point where having any opinion on their own bodily autonomy is viewed as a political stance. Debate on abortion has increasingly become a contentious political issue with focus on whether the pregnancy is carried to term rather than on what happens to both the mother and child once they go home from the hospital. Conversation on abortion in the U.S. is under constant scrutiny from both political parties, warping it to the point that little consideration is given to the welfare of those involved postpregnancy. With the mindsets of “pro-life” and “pro-choice” in constant conflict, there is little room for compromise or collaboration. That’s despite the fact that there is immense potential to simultaneously support expectant mothers and decrease abortion rates without the emphasis on banning abortion from the pro-life movement. Stopping abortion and banning abortion are two different goals fueled by different motives, and using the term “pro-life” to represent a view that is really “antiabortion” misrepresents what the movement is aiming to accomplish. Those who seek to stop abortions are advocating for education, access, and support to diminish the need for abortions. Those who seek to ban abortions without putting
systems in place to support the women affected are thinking only of themselves. If Roe v. Wade were to be overturned, pro-life legislators would have the opportunity to propose stricter abortion regulations. But then what? If conservative legislators want to see any successful abortion restrictions without the use of the authoritarian action that would be necessary to force women to carry pregnancies to term, they need to decrease the dissonance between their rhetoric supporting for the “sanctity of life” and the way they actually operate in passing legislation. Women facing unexpected pregnancies would need to be given the support they need to want to support the life they are carrying. Programs like the recently proposed Romney family plan, targeting financial support for families “from pregnancy through childhood” while “promoting marriage” would realistically lower abortion rates. However, some potential support systems face criticism from sociallyconservative Republicans, many of whom, like Florida senator Marco Rubio, still purport themselves to be pro-life. A study by investigators at Washington University in St. Louis among other research has proven that access to and knowledge of contraceptive methods prevents unwanted pregnancy, in turn preventing abortions. And yet, there is little advocacy in the prolife movement pushing for universally available
contraception. According to the Guttmacher Institute, in 2014, publicly funded family planning helped women avoid 2 million unintended pregnancies in the U.S., but the pro-life movement and family-planning services have pitted themselves against one another. The former has declared intentions to defund the latter if they continue performing abortions, and the latter ousted Planned Parenthood’s president, Dr. Leana Wen, in 2019 when she emphasized abortion as only one facet of their mission, emphasizing the importance of women’s health services as a whole. This all-or-nothing mindset on both sides leaves us at a stalemate where the missed opportunity is working in tandem to achieve what should be the ultimate goal -- improving support for unplanned pregnancies in an effort to reduce demand for abortions. As Bill Clinton used to suggest, abortion should be “safe, legal, and rare,” a concept that would require compromise from both extremes and definitely won’t be attained by simply banning the procedure. In 2018, the Feminists for Life of America, a group “dedicated to systematically eliminating the root causes that drive women to abortion,” advocated for on-campus child care and women’s health services to support pregnant and parenting students as they pursue their degrees, pushing against the common misconception that when a
student decides to carry her pregnancy to term, she has to drop out, drastically reducing future opportunities and increasing financial strain. The pro-life feminist movement, a strain of advocacy I had never even heard of before this week, pursues its goals of ending abortion in America by posing practical solutions to support mothers. And it does not as a whole support for criminalizing abortion. The movement also seeks to end stigmas surrounding motherhood, as stated by New Wave Feminists President Destiny Herndon-De La Rosa: “We want to expose the fact that so many women don’t actually have a choice when it comes to making an abortion decision because of the systemic patriarchy that says to operate and succeed in a man’s world, your fertility will make you a liability.” But these voices are lost in the muck of the current pro-life movement, where unwanted pregnancy is posed as a woman’s burden and conversation revolves around control over women’s bodies rather than their well-being. A future where pro-life arguments really are pro-life is conceivable, where the lives of mothers and their children matter more than any ulterior motive, but it would call for cooperation between the two extreme views on abortion. Until then, individuals need to find it in themselves to remove partisanship from the debate and really look at who is aiming to support families and create positive change.
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
OPINION
Op-ed: Surge in book-banning efforts must be stopped OP-ED
BY ANAYA JHAVERI STAFF COLUMNIST
It is through books that I see that other worlds exist beyond mine and ours. I’ve learned Atticus Finch’s teaching with Scout and traveled with Lyra using the “Golden Compass.” ‘Death’ has spoken to me as I ‘thieved’ more books than I should’ve. It is through books that I see that other worlds exist beyond mine and ours. Each story I read remains unparalleled. These stories resonate with me. I belong to an ever smaller group of people who still love the smell of dusty pages turned yellow from use. I belong to a community of bibliophiles. We soak in the ‘stupefying’ power of words and remind ourselves of what we can do and must do, inspired by characters who guide our lives. The very books that guided my childhood and taught me, and many others like me, are being challenged in an unprecedented manner. Lawyers, par-
ents, school boards and other are pushing for blatant censorship, filing petitions for certain books to be banned from schools and public libraries. The American Library Association recently said that during the last year it received about 330 challenges, each of them contesting several books. The book ban movement has never seen such a sharp rise, including several lawsuits against librarians across the country. Recently, many books that the ALA Office for Intellectual Freedom says have faced attempted bans from libraries, schools and universities contain themes involving race, gender and sexuality. “All Boys Aren’t Blue” by George Johnson, “Speak” by Laurie Halse Anderson, and “Gender Queer” by Maia Kobabe have seen widespread challenging from teachers and parents. “All Boys Aren’t Blue” has been targeted across
14 states. The list of the books targeted is long and wide. Those who want to ban books use many arguments to support their cuase.There are many arguments behind banning books. Groups like No Left Turn in Education claim books it wants to ban spread biased and racist ideologies that corrupt the perspectives of children. Others insist parents have the right to direct how their children are educated and brought up. The book banning has gone to some striking extremes. Pennsylvania’s Central York School District went as far as banning “I Am Rosa Parks,” a biography of the civil rights icon that’s intended for kids who are 5 to 8. This ban, which also included a Sesame Street book on racism, was later withdrawn. What’s not clear is what’s driving this sudden resurgence in book banning. Quiet, private conversations have always existed between librarians and par-
ents and in school board meetings about the content of certain books, but this recent hysteria goes above what we have seen before. A group of schools in Texas districts reported 75 attempts at banning books with explicit content in schools in the first four months of the 20212022 school year. Additionally, while the book banning movement is nothing new to America, the urgency and the politicization of the movement are. Predictably, librarians and authors across the U.S. are fighting back. Yes, some of these books could be viewed as potentially disturbing. Historical fictions like “Maus” are strikingly relevant portrayals of significant historical events, in this case, of the Holocaust. They are meant to be horrifying and possibly disturbing. They teach lessons. It happened. It’s history and like all occurrences of the past, it has a lesson to teach.
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The author of Speak, Laurie Halse Anderson, has spoken out against the book banning phenomenon. “By attacking these books, by attacking the authors, by attacking the subject matter, what they are doing is removing the possibility for conversation,” she said. “You are laying the groundwork for increasing bullying, disrespect, violence and attacks.” She also set up a page for other authors to guide them on what they should do, should their books be targeted or banned. The argument that kids are too young to be exposed to such dark and rather heavy themes is meritless. These books have lessons to teach and children have lessons to learn. The books bring different perspectives that everyone should grow up learning. These perspectives not only widen our world view, they also open up paths for more understanding of history, the current world and tolerance.
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A&E
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
Arts & Entertainment
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” brings live entertainment back to the Ring Theatre
UM senior Sam Evans plays Christpher Boone in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.”
BY LAYOMI ADEOJO
ASSISTANT A&E EDITOR Most plays don’t open with the phrase “Holy f—k,” but “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is not your average play. From March 4-11, the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre hosted its production of the play written by Simon Stephens, marking live theatre’s return to UM since the pandemic’s beginning. Based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon, the show follows Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old boy from Swindon, England, who sees the world differently than most people. When Boone becomes a prime suspect in the murder of his neighbor’s dog, he sets out to find the true murderer.
Embarking on a physical and emotional journey to solve this mystery, Boone encounters social obstacles along the way and makes life-changing discoveries. It’s a show full of twists and turns, one that starts somewhere and ends where few would expect. Although the play never outrightly mentions it, Boone’s behavior indicates that he has Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Sam Evans, a senior BFA musical theatre major who played the role of Boone, remarked that his favorite part of the production process was getting to work on the character. “It’s been a learning experience portraying him, because seeing the world
Jenny Abreu Photography // Contributed photo
through the eyes of Christopher has opened my own eyes to the world around me more,” he said. “I’ve gained an appreciation for how magnificent and special the way Christopher and people like him are able to see the world.” As the entire play is told through Boone’s eyes, the Ring’s production reflected this firstperson narration with tactical lighting and projections that took the audience to a school classroom, a train car, the streets of London and even outer space. “They add to the imaginative aspect of the show and allow the audience to be transported to the magical world of Christopher’s mind,” Evans said. Directed by Pulitzer Prizewinning playwright Niko Cruz, the production also utilized the
Ring’s round seating, which Evans said he has never done before as a performer. “[Cruz’s] direction of the show has been so artistic and expressive…it allows for a more intimate and immersive experience for the audience,” he said. While it certainly made the heartbreaking scenes that much more poignant, the script skillfully balanced those heavier moments with plenty of humor, giving the audience an honest, unfiltered view at what life is like for the character and those around him. “Christopher never lies, so the sense of honesty that comes with portraying the character is quite refreshing because we aren’t always able to be honest with ourselves and each other in everyday life,” Evans remarked. “Having the opportunity to express that unapologetic truthfulness on stage as Christopher is so freeing, and I
feel grateful to be able to share his story,” he said. When asked what he believed the audience would take away from “The Curious Incident,” Evans said the show would have people leave the theatre in a different place than they came in, with greater understanding. “This play and this production especially are about discovery and transformation,” Evans emphasized. “I’ve loved sharing this story with audiences and I think everyone can learn from it.” If you couldn’t catch this show run, don’t fret—the Ring will also be showing a production of Cabaret this spring. From April 21 through April 30, catch UM’s BFA and BA Theatre Arts majors as they transform the Ring Theatre to the Kit Kat Club. Head to the Ring Theatre’s website to learn more about Cabaret and purchase tickets, which go on sale April 7.
Jenny Abreu Photography // Contributed photo
Booke is a 15-year old boy from Swindon, England and is the main character in the play.
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
2022 Grammy Awards: Staff picks BY JARROD HOUSEKNECHT “Donda” at the last minute other There is no reason why “Kiss & ALEX EUBANKS than for drama purposes. It’s nice to Me More” should not win Best Duo/ A&E EDITOR & STAFF WRITER Predicting the decisions of the Recording Academy becomes more difficult as years progress. With surprise wins and snubs almost serving as a requirement for each year’s ceremony, no one can be certain who will take home the program’s most coveted awards. Slated to occur at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on April 3, the event will be hosted by Primetime Emmy Award-winning comedian Trevor Noah. With Recording Academy voting history, chart success and favoritism in mind, TMH staff took the time to compile predictions for who should and who will likely win this year’s awards. Simply a guessing game, predictions for the main award categories are below. Song/Album/Record of the Year The biggest awards of the night are dominated by Recording Academy favorites. With Billie Eilish, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift and Kanye West stacked up against newcomers such as Olivia Rodrigo and Doja Cat, there are tons of directions the categories could go in. When it comes to albums, Rodrigo’s “Sour” is the frontrunner. An impeccable debut from a rising star, “Sour” displays both strategic production and veteran-level songwriting. It would be nice to see Lil Nas X’s “Montero” or Doja Cat’s “Planet Her” take home a big award. Another impressive debut, “Montero” displayed Nas X’s growth from an internet meme to a reliant hitmaker and chart dominator, all while showcasing his most emotional work to date. “Planet Her” is without a doubt the most versatile project on the list, one that is still spawning hit after hit. It’s unclear why the Academy decided to extend the list to include Swift’s “Evermore” and West’s
see Gaga and Tony Bennett’s “Love for Sale” among the nominees but is also quite a surprise. Similarly surprising, the inclusion of Justin Bieber’s “Justice” is a joke, a project that is at best basic, trend-hopping pop. The song and record categories is a battle between Rodrigo’s “Driver’s License,” Eilish’s “Happier than Ever” and Silk Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open.” It would not be surprising to see “Driver’s License” get an edge in the song category, one meant to highlight the songwriting aspect. The stirring production of “Happier than Ever” and poignant mixing of “Leave the Door Open” makes these two the frontrunners of the record category, even though a nod to Nas X’s “Montero” or the Doja Cat and SZA collaboration “Kiss Me More” would be well-deserved. Best New Artist Olivia Rodrigo is going to win this award, as she should. Best New Artist is normally a confusing crop of nominees, and this year is no different. Outside of Rodrigo, the most likely artists to win hardly qualify as “new.” FINNEAS is an eight-time Grammy winner already and Japanese Breakfast and Glass Animals have made music for almost ten years. As nice as recognition for indie acts is, it’d be better to use this category to recognize new artists. Pop An occurrence not common in recent years, this year’s pop nominees are almost entirely composed from nominees for the larger awards. The only addition is Ariana Grande’s album and lead single “Positions,” which unfortunately feels like a random inclusion among the list. While Grande is without a doubt deserving of a few more Grammys following her major snub in 2020 for the massive “Thank U, Next,” this isn’t her year.
Group Performance. Easily the strongest track among the nominations list, it would be surprising for anything else to snatch it and would be the first win for both women involved. Following the theme of the main categories, both the Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Solo Performance trophies are a battle between Eilish and Rodrigo. When it comes to singles, both “Happier than Ever” and “Driver’s License” should and will win. While Doja Cat’s “Planet Her” is commendable, it doesn’t match up the dominant power that “Sour” and “Happier than Ever” likely have in the voting booths. R&B It would be massively disappointing to see Bieber receive an R&B trophy over the likes of Jazmine Sullivan and SZA who shape the landscape of the genre today. Bieber aside, the R&B category is the best showing of nominations this year. In the Best R&B Performance category, Sonic and Sullivan are clear frontrunners. While Sonic’s “Leave the Door Open” will likely take home the award, Sullivan’s “Pick Up Your Feelings” is the strongest showing within the category. In alignment with the performance category, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the Best R&B Song trophy given to “Leave the Door Open.” Again, “Pick Up Your Feelings” might just deserve it more, as well as SZA’s “Good Days” which dominated the streaming charts and saw her most successful single release. When it comes to albums, we are hopeful that Sullivan steals the award. A project defined by sexual empowerment, freedom and femininity “Heaux Tales” is the pinnacle of contemporary R&B. With Jon Batiste as a Grammy favorite nominated in the main categories, a win with “We Are” makes the most sense, but
honestly this category is anyone’s game. Rap Let’s be honest; the Grammys mailed it in with the rap categories this year. The nominees for Best Rap Performance are bleak. J.Cole’s track is forgettable, while Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s nominations are far from their best work. That leaves one. “Family Ties” by Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar is a fun track and a possible performance by the two would be exciting. Excluding J.Cole, Best Melodic Rap Performance is a great category. Doja, Nas X, West and Tyler, The Creator round out the nominees, and each has a great track representing them. “Wusyaname” is a phenomenal piece of work, which should’ve received major category nominations, but it will come down to Nas X’s “Industry Baby” or Doja’s “Need to Know.”. Best Rap Song could be an even race between its four main contenders. “Family Ties,” “Best Friend” by Saweetie and Doja and “Bath Salts” by DMX could be great for the award, but as toxic as Kanye is, “Jail” is the best track here. Tyler deserves to win Best Rap Album, he made the best album of the nominees (“Donda,” “Kings Disease 2” and *filler*) but I have a feeling he won’t. The Grammys tend to stick to having the major nominees dominate their genre categories (Taylor Swift’s last minute nominee somehow being quality enough for best album but not any genre nominations aside) and “Donda” outranks “Call Me If You Get Lost.” Life isn’t fair sometimes. Producer of The Year Jack Antonoff didn’t have the best year of the producers nominated, but the ballot is stacked in his
A&E NEWS
9
favor. While his competitors have a few singles and an album or two of material, Antonoff has five albums. The diminishing returns from Antonoff’s work should at least get him the Grammy before he’s milked of ideas. Either Rogét Chahayed or Mike Elizondo should be the real winner. Chahayed produced some of the best hits of 2021, including award favorite “Kiss Me More.” Elizondo produced the best rock of the year, and his work on Turnstile’s “Glow On” should have been nominated to help save the rock category. Alternative The lone bright spot to the Rock categories being an apocalyptic wasteland is that the Alternative category is almost impossible to screw up. St. Vincent, Halsey, Japanese Breakfast, Arlo Parks and Fleet Foxes all have a strong case. Parks had an excellent debut but may be overmatched by more proven artists. “Shore” was one of the most acclaimed albums of 2020, and Fleet Foxes have a prior Grammy nomination backing them. Japanese Breakfast and Parks double in the Best New Artist category, but “Jubilee” was more successful and Japanese Breakfast is the likelier winner. Halsey’s “If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power” is the wildcard. An excellent album featuring production by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, a win here would get more eyes on the award. St. Vincent had the best album of the bunch though, no doubt about it. Annie Clark has been nominated four times and won twice (pending here) so Clark’s mix of Academy favorite and superior material should get her the win here. Make sure to tune in on April 3 to see the final results for yourself.
Graphic credit: Izzy Dino
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A&E
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
A rock music revolution, led by student band Ex Monarch
Sydney Billings // Contributed photo
Members of Ex Monarch Amanda Pasler, Logan Renneker, Samantha Govero and George Stanton pose at a promo shoot.
BY AMANDA CRANE
CONTRIBUTING WRITER University of Miami Frost School of Music students hope to revolutionize alternative rock-music culture by adding a female sound to a maledominated industry. Sophomores Amanda Pasler, Eli Yaroch, Logan Renneker, Samantha Govero, George Staton and freshman Jake Sonderman are the current band members of Ex Monarch. It all started with a song. Pasler discovered her love of music at a young age through family influence as her dad
worked in audio production. This led to her majoring in music engineering with hopes of pursuing her passion professionally. As a songwriter inspired by artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, Pasler began to write the soft and emotional song, “Amelia.” Once Pasler realized she had something special, she consulted with Yaroch. Together they blended writing with lyricism to continue developing production. Yaroch had countless ideas as the pair sat working on it in a coffee house. The two tried many
different routes out and once they explored the rock path, they agreed it was what best encapsulated the authentic meaning behind the song. Yaroch has a selfproclaimed tendency to initiate big projects when excited. He quickly began bringing in the future members of the band as his faith in the project grew to help finish production. “I do a lot of studio work,” Yaroch said. “I’m in there a lot just recording and recording whatever I want. A lot of that is weird shit but some of it, like Ex Monarch, has turned out well.” In addition to being a songwriter, Pasler is their lead vocalist. Yaroch is a rhythm guitarist, producer and songwriter. Yaroch approached his “go-to” bandmate, Renneker, asking him to join Ex Monarch. After some persuasion, they brought him on board as lead guitarist. Govero happened to send Yaroch a text asking him for help with a class assignment and he responded by inviting her to join their band as their bass player. Staton was then brought on as a drummer with broad skills ranging from jazz music to metal. The most recent to join was Sonderman. Sonderman worked with the band on production and development from the beginning, only in mid-February did he join the band as an official guitarist. When they began playing with each other, the group knew that they had something rare. “It felt good,” Pasler said. “It felt natural, it felt right.” Initially, Pasler did not envision herself being in a band but Yaroch’s enthusiasm and insistence that it was the right move persuaded her. All
the members of the band now are eternally grateful for being brought together and agree that out of all their projects, Ex Monarch feels different. “I feel like this band has a good amount of feminine and masculine influence which I feel like balances it a lot,” said Pasler. The entire group’s unwavering confidence in their work speaks for itself. They all dream of recording multiple albums and eventually making it big while doing what they love with their friends. “We all are pretty willing to keep this going past graduation as well,” Govero said. “So, we have kind of planned for that if it continues to go the way it’s going.” The band’s commitment to the group as a whole and blending traditional alternative rock with a strong female lead makes their sound unique. Not only do they bring something fresh to the table, but they draw inspiration from leading talents from the early ‘90s. “There’s a gap in rock music now of female influence and I feel like there has been for a very long time,” said Pasler. “This project will change that.” The group confidently spoke on how they hope to revolutionize a genre once exclusive to males by bringing their unique vibe to the table. “Music, in general, is a male-dominated genre,” Yaroch said. “It’s always been and I feel like now in our generation we’re trying to change that.” The group came together in the fall of 2021, and they recently played their first live show on Feb. 19, 2022. Their
nerves were running rampant which showed them how much they truly care about the band and contributing their meaningful music to society. “I was really nervous the whole show,” Renneker said. “I was just trying to get my part right.” Additionally, they released “Amelia,” on Feb. 25 on all streaming platforms including Apple Music and Spotify. This release follows up their second live performance which occurred on Feb. 24. The group enthusiastically is gaining momentum and they hope this semester to finish their EP, line up more gigs and grow their social media platform. They made it known they do not want to be just another failed college band. They want to take Ex Monarch past college and all members collectively agreed their ultimate goal would be to tour. “A lot of times you get into a rock band with your bros and your band sounds exactly like the music you already listen to, ‘’ said Staton. “But if you have someone like Amanda or Logan who has very different musical tastes it really makes a nice blend of music.” Pasler expressed that there is a female-led rock wave that Ex Monarch intends to ride. Before she could even finish her sentence, bandmate Renneker jumped in. “We are the wave,” said Renneker.
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
SPORTS 11
Moving on: Hurricanes advance to Sweet Sixteen after taking down No. 2 Auburn, prepare to face Iowa State BY WYATT KOPELMAN
SPORTS EDITOR The veteran leadership was worth it. From being projected to finish 12th in the Atlantic Coast Conference and to now returning to the Sweet 16 for the first time in six years. A combined 41-point performance from Miami veteran guards Isaiah Wong and Kameron McGusty and a 56% second-half shooting mark helped power 10thseeded Miami past No. 2 seed Auburn in a 79-61 upset victory in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Sunday in Greenville, South Carolina.
Josh Halper // Photo editor
“I can’t be happier for my guys. They did such a fantastic job of executing the game plan,” Miami coach Jim Larrañaga said. “These guys were able to make plays, get into the open court. Auburn is a very high, up-tempo team, but we feel very, very comfortable in that environment as well. So, these guys ran for layups and made a lot of really good decisions in the open court.” Scoring 17 points off 13 forced turnovers, Miami (25-10) blazed on a 13-3 run in the game’s final 4 ½ minutes. Auburn (28-6) never trailed by less than eight points thereafter, ending its season in shambles after beginning the season 22-1. S i x t h year senior guard Charlie Moore, once again touted by Larrañaga as the Hurricanes’ “Chris Paul” involving his playmaking savviness, collected a team-most eight assists and nine rebounds, in addition to providing 15 points. “I’ve been keeping up with [Moore] since high school. I knew about him and knew who he was,” Miami
sixth-year guard Kameron McGusty said. “He just had such a long journey. He’s always been a great point guard. Every time I’ve seen him in college or high school, he was always getting his teammates involved, being a leader, able to score the ball with the best of them.” Junior forward Jordan Miller sparked the Hurricanes’ offense from the opening tip with six straight points, while tackling the responsibility of containing forward Jabari Smith, the Tigers’ leading scorer and highest-ranked commit in program history. The 6-foot10 18-year-old provided 10 points and 15 rebounds but was charged with four fouls. “We had a game plan, and we started Jordan on him, and Jordan did a tremendous job pressuring him, making him feel uncomfortable,” Miami sixth-year senior forward Sam Waardenburg said. “He’s a great catch and shoot guy, and we felt like, if we were able to get him to put the ball on the ground, we were at our best there. If he turned his back to any of us, we were going after it.” Miami entered halftime with a 33-32 advantage. Both teams grappled for threepoint successes, combining to shoot 8-for-41 from threepoint range. Fourteen team assists in the second half kept the Hurricanes rolling for 46 points. A 9-for-38 shooting display in the second half
and 22 allowed fastbreak points didn’t help the SEC regular season champions, either. Miami held Auburn to 17 points under its scoring average. “I thought just we hadn’t been hit in the mouth like that all year,” said Auburn coach Bruce Pearl, who was recently named the SEC Coach of the Year. “We responded, and by the end of the first half we battled back. But when they hit us in the mouth again at the start of the second half, I thought of going with a different starting lineup, and I probably should have because of how poorly we started.” With the victory, Larrañaga earned his fourth 25-win season and third
trip to the Sweet Sixteen at Miami. “For the program, it means everything,” McGusty said. “We’re typically known as a football school. So to be able to take our basketball team to the Sweet 16 is just amazing, not only for us but for the school, the staff, everybody that works in the basketball organization, just anybody who’s had any part of our journey and the success we’ve had this year. We just do it for them.” The Canes, winners in five of their last six games, moved to 3-3 alltime as a lower seed, and are scheduled to play 11thseed Iowa State Friday at 9:45 p.m. inside the United Center in Chicago.
Miami Athletics // Contributed photo
Sixth-year guard Charlie Moore celebrate on the court after defeating No. 2 Auburn in the Round of 32 of March Madness on Sunday, March 20 in Greenville, South Carolina.
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SPORTS
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
Miami’s magical postseason run comes to an end against South Carolina in Round of 32 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Miami Athletics // Contributed photo
Graduate guard Kelsey Marshall (20) attempts to make a layup over South Carolina’s sophomore center Kamilla Cardoso. Marshall scored six points while Cardoso scored 11 points with four blocks.
BY WYATT KOPELMAN SPORTS EDITOR
Unlike the successful men’s team, the UM women fell short in their seventh matchup with a top-10 team this season. Familiar with facing different top seeds of this year’s NCAA Tournament all season long, Miami women’s basketball arrived at the home court of the nation’s top-ranked team with drive, grit and nine wins in 11 games. But the eighth-seeded Hurricanes first encountered below-20% shooting that led to frustration in a 49-33 loss to No. 1 South Carolina at Colonial Life Arena Sunday. “If you didn’t understand the grit and the character of our team, I think we proved that today,” Miami coach Katie Meier said. “You know, [South Carolina] didn’t have a great offensive day, but I think Miami got frustrated before South Carolina did, and that was the difference.”
With a 29% start, South Carolina didn’t shoot its way into the ballgame, until building an 8-0 run to conclude the first half with a 23-10 advantage in front of over 9,800 raucous fans. Miami missed 20 of its first 23 shots, scoring only three points on foul shots in the second. “We were all screaming at each other at one point, but then we started to settle down and that’s when we started to score a little bit more,” Miami guard Kelsey Marshall said. “We always try to feed positivity to each other, try to stay confident and encourage each other to make the next shot that we take.” South Carolina center Kamilla Cardoso, a Syracuse transfer and former ACC Freshman of the Year, outlasted former Orange teammate Maeva DjaldiTabdi’s career-high five three-pointers. Cardoso’s eight second-half points and eight total rebounds held off
the Hurricanes from slicing their deficit to single digits late. An over 13-minute field goal drought plagued Miami (21-13) throughout the first half and into its season-low in scoring. “Neither team was going to score 100 points. It wasn’t going to be like that. But we got frustrated first, and that surprised me, because we have played games where we were [scoring] 45, 46 [points]. It shouldn’t have upset us. But it did, and [South Carolina] never seemed upset,” Meier said. “They seemed prepared for it and very composed. I think that second quarter we got a little emotional and gathered ourselves, and I’ll take those other three quarters.”
Djaldi-Tabdi hit back-toback three-pointers to start the fourth quarter, before Cardoso’s two converted three-point plays closed the door on a late Hurricanes comeback. UM attempted only six other field goals, while South Carolina (31-2) added 18 points in the final frame and controlled the rebounding battle 49-31. Gamecocks forward Aliyah Boston collected a nation-leading 26th straight double-double, registering 16 rebounds and 10 points. The Associated Press FirstTeam All-American helped lift coach Dawn Staley to her eighth straight Sweet 16 appearance inside its home arena, despite starting 2-for10 from the field. Playing her final game as a Hurricane, Djaldi-Tabdi nonetheless appreciated the opportunity of competing
against marquee talent in Miami’s journey to the NCAA Tournament this season. “It’s good to play against really good players, and I respect them a lot,” Djaldi-Tabdi said. “I learned from this game, obviously. It’s gonna be useful for later on in my life.” The low-scoring battle remained from beginning to end. The Hurricanes have yet to ever defeat a top-ranked program, after becoming one of 11 teams to top a No. 1 seed in Louisville during the ACC Tournament. “I know it probably wasn’t the best offensive display for the network TV to show, but if you don’t think women compete, I think we might have changed your mind,” Meier said.
Miami Athletics // Contributed photo
Kelsey Marshall, Destiny Harden, Moulayna Johnson Sidi Baba and Karla Erjavec huddle on the court during their game against the No. 1 University of South Carolina Gamecocks on Sunday, March 20 at Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, South Carolina. The Hurricanes lost 49-33 in the matchup.
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
SPORTS 13
Women’s tennis dominates No. 11 Virginia while men’s tennis falls to No. 21 Notre Dame
TENNIS
Josh Halper // Photo editor
Redshirt senior Eden Richardson hits a forehand during her match against Florida State at the Neil Schiff Tennis Center on Friday, March 11.
BY CHRIS DAMOND & ERIK LAMM STAFF SPORTS WRITERS
After a bounce-back win in Coral Gables against in-state rival Florida State last week, No. 10 Miami took to the road, dominatingly beating Virginia Tech and No. 10 Virginia. Coming into the day, Virginia’s No. 5 Emma Navarro, the reigning NCAA champion, had only lost once in her college career, sporting a 36-1 singles record – that is, until she faced Eden Richardson. Miami’s No. 1 singles player shocked Navarro, defeating her in straight sets to lead No. 10 UM past the Cavaliers, 6-1, Sunday afternoon at the Virginia Tennis Facility at the Boar’s Head Resort. The Hurricanes’ (11-2, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) win over No. 11 Virginia (11-4, 3-3 ACC) marked their fourth top20 victory of the season, with the
Cavaliers becoming the highestranked opponent they’ve beaten all year. “These kids are playing ball,” Miami head coach Paige Yaroshuk-Tews said. “I’m so proud of how we’re playing for each other, for this school and for something bigger than simply our own performances. The mindset is paying dividends right now.” Just like on Friday against Virginia Tech, the Canes dropped the first doubles match before rallying to take the next two. In a top-20 contest, Richardson, a fifth-year senior, and fourth-year junior Daevenia Achong, ranked No. 16, fell to No. 11 Emma Navarro and Hibah Shaikh, 6-2. In another ranked match, third-year sophomores Diana Khodan and Maya Tahan, ranked No. 72, did not drop
a single game against No. 73 Sofia Munera and Amber O-Dell, cruising to a 6-0 victory. Sophomores Audrey-Boch Collins and Isabella Pfennig then clinched the doubles point, taking the last three games versus freshman Elaine Chervinsky and junior Natasha Subhash for a 6-2 triumph. To start singles off, BochCollins set the tone, thrashing Shaikh, 6-0, 6-1, in one of her best performances of the season to give UM a second point. Moments later, No. 112 Pfennig extended Miami’s lead further, stunning No. 26 Subhash, 6-2, 6-2, in a major upset. Up 3-0, No. 58 Richardson made history to seal the win, giving No. 5 Navarro her secondever collegiate loss, while becoming the first player to beat her in straight sets, 6-3, 6-3, too. Richardson’s stellar performance ended on an unforced error
caused by her blazing-fast return, which broke Navarro’s serve. What’s more, Navarro’s only other loss also came against Miami, when she dropped a 6-1, 4-6, 3-6, affair to Estela PerezSomarriba, another NCAA champion, on April 4, 2021. Since then, she had won 22 matches in a row before Sunday. “[Richardson] played some incredible tennis today,” Yaroshuk-Tews said. “She executed the big points and believed she could get the job done against a great player on the road.” The remaining three matches were all played out, with the Canes taking two out of three. First, No. 56 Achong secured a come-from-behind victory, besting No. 50 Chervinsky, 4-6, 6-1, 7-5, in a top-60 showdown. Virginia recorded its only point of the day on Court 6, where sophomore Sara Ziodato downed Khodan, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, in a threeset thriller. Tahan closed out the Hurricanes’ spectacular day with a 7-5, 7-5 decision over Munera to make the final margin 6-1. UM is now 20-6 all-time versus Virginia, with three consecutive wins. Next up, Miami returns to the Neil Schiff Tennis Center in Coral Gables on Friday at 5 p.m. for a tough test against No. 1 North Carolina.The momentum didn’t carry to UM’s other tennis squad, however. Miami men’s tennis (12-5, 1-4 ACC) lost its third consecutive match in under a week. This time, the Louisville Cardinals (12-5, 4-1 ACC) got the better of the Canes in an extremely close match. With the Hurricanes having struggled in doubles all year, this time they struck gold in their lineup. On Court 3, graduate Dan Martin and fifth-year senior Bojan Jankulovski defeated veterans Sergio Hernandez and
Tin Chen in dominant fashion, 6-2. On Court 2, fifth-year senior Benjamin Hannestad and freshman Martin Katz won, 6-4, to give the Canes the doubles point with ease. On Court 1, fourth-year juniors Juan Martin Jalif and Franco Aubone were keeping pace with the Louisville pair, 3-4, when the match was called. As singles play began, the match quickly shifted into a grueling battle. On Court 2, Hannestad fell, 2-6, 2-6, to senior Josh Howard-Tripp to even the match at 1-1. Jankulovski then claimed the lead again, winning 6-1, 6-4, giving the Canes a 2-1 lead in the match. Louisville responded on Court 4 with another straight set victory, 6-7 (5-7), 3-6, as Katz was bested by Hernandez. Knotted at 2-2, the contest would be determined by the last three matches, all of which were going to a third set. On Court 6, Aubone narrowly lost a third set tiebreak, 6-7 (5-7), to put the Cardinals one point away, 2-3. This point would then be secured as freshman Natan Rodrigues defeated Jalif, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, in another third set battle. On Court 1, No. 99 Martin was locked in a ranked duel with No. 96 Etienne Donnet, 7-6 (74), 5-7, 4-5, when the match was called. This match was another tough setback for UM, showing how grueling ACC play is. Its last three opponents have all been ranked in the top 50, and it will have to play another ranked foe in South Bend, Indiana, on Sunday. This time, it is against the No. 23 Notre Dame Fighting Irish at 12 p.m.
14 SPORTS
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
Andy Kershaw’s team mentality leads Miami’s swim team in and out of the pool
SWIMMING
Miami Athletics // Contributed photo
University of Miami head swimming coach Andy Kershaw keeps time for his athletes in the pool. BY WYATT KOPELMAN Barcelona, his favorite to SPORTS EDITOR visit in the world, and rural The snow forts were built parts of Croatia. and the games of football and “The water is amazingly wiffleball carried on. crystal clear,” he said of the As a young swimmer country. “The mountains growing up in Mansfield, run right down to the water, Ohio, enjoying time outdoors which I thought was pretty was always on the mind of cool to have that diversity of Miami swimming coach Andy mountainous [landscape]. Kershaw. You can go up into trails or “[There were] no fences in be out on the beach, in the the backyard. Backyards were water. But also, the people the park and there were a lot were just extremely friendly of kids in the neighborhood,” and welcoming.” Kershaw said. “It was just As his swimmers only imaginative play or sports get three weeks off per year play. Not organized. We did while training to bring back wiffleball in the backyards or medals from the Atlantic football in the backyards. Or Coast Conference and NCAA ‘that stick is my gun,’ or ‘this championships, Miami has thing is your cannon.’ And become Kershaw’s home. we just played…Sometimes, He owns a Big Green when it was still raining, we Egg grill to grill pork or loved playing football, getting ribs, which tend to be more muddy. But that tore up the convenient and require yard, so we weren’t always less planning. His running allowed to do that.” sneakers await to be laced up The adventures Kershaw for wherever the next trail took outside the lap lanes only takes him for another run. grew as he transitioned from His 10-year-old dog, Jenny, swimmer to swim coach. part mastiff and part boxer, He discovered cities like and two rabbits, named
Espresso and Vanilla Bean for their unique colors, await him when he returns home to his one-story South Miami house with an open floor plan and garage. During the time he spends indoors, Kershaw never misses out on the chance to get inspired by some of the most impactful leaders in sports and prioritize his faith. “I’m a huge coach John Wooden fan. I get a weekly ‘Wooden’s Wisdom’ email and I really connect with those a lot,” he said. “Honestly, reading the bible has helped me develop my leadership skills.” Since he discovered the different ways of life across the world, Kershaw’s reach as a leader on the pool deck expanded, coaching Olympians as the head manager of the United States Men’s Olympic swimming team in London and Rio de Janeiro. On the world’s biggest competition stage, he realized his swimmers needed more insight than just what it takes in improving to race a clock for time. To him, there is nothing more important than swimming for each other at a place like Miami. “He really stressed the unity of the team, bringing us all together and making sure that you’re not focused on yourself but focused on the success of your teammates,” said Chandler Sensibaugh, a former butterfly and individual medley swimmer at Miami from 2018–2019. “That’s a big thing that led
to my success as well as the team’s success. His focus on making sure we’re having fun and making sure that we’re focused on the team and The U. He really stressed The U. You’re swimming for The U, you’re not swimming for yourself.” Kershaw’s mentorship circle involves some of the most respected names in collegiate swimming, including California’s fourtime national champion coach Teri McKeever and Florida’s Gregg Troy, also the Men’s Olympic Swim Team coach at the London Olympics in 2012. From when he was still swimming at Ohio, Kershaw idolized former 11time Olympic medalist Matt Biondi, quickly realizing how to not be afraid of taking on challenges head on. There was more than the physiological side of races from wall to wall. Kershaw has seen his willingness to learn pay off. “He has worked his way up from a mid-major assistant [coach] to a larger swimming school, a larger athletic department,” said his wife Liz, who coaches youth swimmers at Hurricanes Aquatics, a UM-based youth swim program for all ages. “Being a head assistant and doing really, really well at a program that was consistently at NCAA’s to becoming a head coach. One of the things that helped him become a head coach was his work with the USA swimming national team and his role on the 2012 Olympic staff. Because he did a good job in 2012, they asked him to come back in 2016.” Still, he leads knowing there’s always something to
learn with those along for the journey. “I never really felt any pressure from him to perform in a certain way,” Sensibaugh said. “He would never get mad at you if you didn’t perform at a certain standard. It was always, ‘Let’s go back to the drawing board and see what we can do next to get you to your goals.’ It was not like an angry reaction, which I think some athletes really expect if they don’t do well.” Now, in his ninth year at Miami, Kershaw is only grateful for those who have lifted him to where he succeeds in one of the country’s most cherished athletics programs. That same gratitude is shared from the University of Miami athletics community, which agreed with him on a three-year contract extension. “The people that I’m surrounded with impact me so much. Whether that’s the student-athletes, whether that’s my family, whether that’s Fellowship at Christian Athlete, the chaplains who I’m around, the AIA Chaplains who I’m around, I’ve been impacted by a lot of great people,” he said. “Whether it’s a what to do, what not to do. Who to put on the team here, who not to put on the team here. That’s all part of growth, too. But then this year, we’re graduating two swimmers who were able to be here for five years instead of four years because of the COVID thing.”
THE MIAMI HURRICANE
March 23, 2022 - March 30, 2022
Hurricanes enjoy successful first meet of outdoor season TRACK AND FIELD
BY MARCUS GOLDRICH STAFF SPORTS WRITER
There was no better way for an outdoor track and field season at Miami to begin than by a freshman breaking a 16-year old team record. Erikka Hill produced a 47.01 mark in javelin for a secondplace finish in only her second career throw to open Miami’s more competitive outdoor season as host of the Hurricane Invitational. Held at Cobb Stadium on Friday and Saturday, the event welcomed a wide selection of schools from near and far, though none were able to prevent the weekend from being headlined by Hurricanes performers. The two most significant results of the weekend took place in the women’s 4×100 meter relay and the men’s long jump, as the Hurricanes set NCAAleading marks in the two events.
Jacious Sears, Alfreda Steele, Lauryn Harris and Mercy Ntia-Obong crossed the finish line in 44.65 seconds for UM, finishing just ahead of Purdue and securing the NCAA’s fastest time yet. Junior Russell Robinson’s first-place NCAA mark came as a result of a 7.81-meter long jump, enough to win the Hurricane Invitational and set Robinson up for what could be a memorable season in the jumping events alongside high jump ace Isaiah Holmes, who did not participate in the invitational. “I thought it was a really good team effort,” Miami director of track and field and cross country Amy Deem said of her team’s success. “It was a great outdoor opener. We had some good competition with the Big Ten and Purdue, and South Florida coming down.”
Strong competition was not enough to keep senior Debbie Ajagbe from dominating the throwing events, taking first place in the discus and the hammer throw, and third place in the shot put which featured an all-Miami podium. Sophomores Hannah Hall and Selina Dantzler took first and second place, respectively. Distance events also favored Miami, in which it found success. Freshmen Daphnee Lavassas sweep the 1500 and 3000-meter races on the women’s side, while sophomores Oskars Bambals and Justin Rittenhouse won each for the men. “It was a great way to start the weekend off with the discus. Debbie, Selina and Kristina [Rakocevic] all had really solid openers,” Deem said. “It was nice to see Justin and Daphnee look strong in the 3000.”
The Hurricanes women experienced more success on the track in the 4×400 relay. Kayla Johnson and Sierra Oliveira joined Sears and Steele to cross the line in 3:38.70 seconds, achieving enough of the victory. On the men’s side, junior Jeffrey Williams collected UM’s
SPORTS 15
final victory with a heave of 16.90 meters in shotput. After a strong firstweekend showing, the team returns right back to action at Cobb Stadium for the Hurricane Collegiate Invitational on Saturday.
Jared Lennon // Senior staff photographer
Junior Jacious Sears competes in the Women’s 4x100 Meter Relay at the Hurricane Invivational at Cobb Stadium on March 19, 2022.
V’s Take is The Hurricane’s most controversial and longest-running column. It is a satirical work published weekly by students and for students. Using our generation’s “colorful” language to address all things sex, love and gossip on campus, V is not for the politically correct or easily offended. Dear V, With the mask mandate on campus being lifted, something feels odd about walking into a classroom completely bare-faced. While being maskless is definitely freeing and long-awaited, I can’t help but feel awkward and socially anxious when I don’t have one on. Everyone seems so comfortable without them
and I keep wondering why I feel so different from everyone else. Any tips or advice? Dear Reader, You are not alone. While it may seem like everyone is confident and comfortable without their masks, the mouth breathers and lip biters of America are fucking panicking.
Most people have forgotten the pain of spending the morning covering the glowing yellow zit on your chin with foundation. We’ve become comfortable and safe with this piece of fabric covering our blemishes, so although a return to normal is mostly a good thing, of course it’s going to feel uncomfortable at first. My advice would be
to push yourself. If you feel anxious in social situations without a mask, keep trying to socialize without one, even if it’s uncomfortable (maybe even take off all of your clothes for good measure). Whatever feelings come up, they are valid. And no you probably shouldn’t really go to Spanish in your birthday suit, but remember that you are just as sexy and powerful
without a mouth diaper as you were with one. It’s just an adjustment period. And if anyone gives you shit for feeling awkward without one, or for wearing one, tell them to shove it up their N-95. Best, V Have a question for V? Email dearv@themiamihurricane.com.
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