UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS 5821 San Amaro Drive Coral Gables, FL 33146 305-284-3244 www.HurricaneSports.com Facebook: MiamiHurricanes Twitter: @MiamiHurricanes EDITOR Tom Symonds EDITORIAL ASSISTANCE Camron Ghorbi, Teodor Handarov, Alex Schwartz, Carter Toole, David Villavicencio
PHOTOGRAPHY JC Ridley, Richard Lewis, Steven Murphy COVER Kyle Stopperan
UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MISSION STATEMENT
The University of Miami’s mission is to educate and nurture students, to create knowledge, and to provide service to our community and beyond. Committed to excellence and proud of the diversity of our University family, we strive to develop future leaders of our nation and the world.
SEPTEMBER 2017 VOLUME VII, ISSUE 2
THE RUNDOWN
FEATURED It’s one of the most iconic entrances in all of sports. Listen to what Miami football freshmen had to say about their first experience running through the smoke at Hard Rock Stadium.
16 // RUNNING THROUGH THE SMOKE University of Miami women’s soccer player Lexi Castellano took part in the ‘Coach for College’ program this past summer in Vietnam. Check out her incredible story from a once-in-alifetime experience.
36 // A TRIP FOR THE AGES A Hurricane football game takes 60 minutes, but the preparation for those 60 minutes goes far longer. Read all about what goes into preparing for a college football game at Hard Rock Stadium.
40 // PUTTING ON A GAME AT THE U 3
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5 LETTER FROM THE AD 6 CANES TO FACE ALABAMA 7 BY THE NUMBERS 8-9 FOOTBALL: WEEK ONE PHOTO GALLERY 10-11 LEARNING FROM THE BEST 12, 41 HURRICANE CLUB 13 ESPN DEPORTES 990: THE NEW HOME FOR SPANISH RADIO 14 DINSMORE TAKES SILVER 15 CANES TO WELCOME FIVE LEGENDS TO THE RING OF HONOR 18 THE LONE ROOKIE: CAMERON DOBBS 20 NEW FOOTBALL SWAG: CANES TO SHOWCASE GREEN AND BLACK UNIFORMS 22 AROUND THE WEB 23 EVENTS THIS MONTH 26 BEHIND THE MIC WITH JOE Z 34 VASILJEVIC WRAPS UP WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES 35 HAYES SIGNS WITH TEAM IN FRANCE’S NF1 43 UM SPORTS HALL OF FAME
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS Hurricane Fans, We typically deliver our monthly magazine to you during the first week of the month. But, as many of you know, the month of September has been anything but typical in South Florida. On Tuesday, September 5, the University announced that it was closing for the remainder of the week due to the threat of Hurricane Irma. Over the next 24 hours, UM Athletics announced that all athletics events for that weekend were canceled. Then all of us, like many of you, quickly began preparations and evacuations for the storm. Irma was a Category 5 hurricane as it hit the Caribbean, and for several days, the projected path had it heading towards Miami. Mandatory evacuations were issued for much of the area and millions of Floridians all across the state left their homes. Irma eventually made landfall in the Florida Keys and, later, Marco Island. While not suffering a direct hit from the storm, South Florida was hit hard as well, and the clean-up efforts will take weeks, if not months. All of our head coaches sit in living rooms around the country every year, meeting with prospective student-athletes and their families. And one of the first things they tell parents, grandparents and guardians is that they are going to take care of their son or daughter if they matriculate to Miami. Our number one priority throughout the storm was to keep that promise. The safety and well-being of our student-athletes was paramount. We made certain that all of them connected with their family members or, if that wasn’t possible, that they were safe with a coach or staff member. We also provided buses and evacuated many student-athletes further north, providing them with lodging, meals and safety. Fortunately, all of our student-athletes, coaches and staff are safe. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to every member of our athletics family, whose attitude, perseverance and professionalism has been on a full display in recent days. The practices and games will soon return, as will some sense of normalcy on campus, but our togetherness never left. Football returns to the field following a three-week absence on Saturday, September 23, against Toledo at 3:30 p.m. at Hard Rock Stadium. Volleyball launches its ACC campaign that same weekend, hosting Virginia Tech on Friday, September 22, at 7 p.m., and Virginia on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Knight Gym. Soccer plays its first conference home match of the season against Clemson on Friday, September 29, at 7 p.m. at Cobb Field. Please come out and cheer on all of our Hurricanes if you can. I hope you and your loved ones made it through the storm safe and sound. Thank you for your continued support of Hurricane Athletics. For the latest information on each of our varsity teams, please be sure to visit HurricaneSports.com or follow us on Twitter @MiamiHurricanes. Go Canes!
Blake James
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CANES TO FACE ALABAMA Miami to square off against Alabama in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game
For the first time in 28 years, Miami and Alabama will face off on the gridiron in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. An exact date, kick time and television network will be finalized at a later date. The 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game will mark the 18th time the Hurricanes and the Crimson Tide have faced each other, but the first meeting since 1993. The two teams last met in the 1993 Sugar Bowl to conclude the 1992 season when (2) Alabama handed (1) Miami a 34-13 defeat to win the national championship. That game ended a 29-game Miami winning streak and gave the Crimson Tide its first national championship since 1979. “It’s truly special when you can create a dream matchup like this featuring two of the biggest brands in college football,” said Peach Bowl, Inc. CEO and President Gary Stokan. “The Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game has been fortunate enough to attract some of college football’s most decorated programs. This matchup will certainly continue that tradition.” “With two teams of this caliber playing for the first time in nearly three decades, it really is going to be an electric atmosphere and an epic celebration of college football here in Atlanta,” said Percy Vaughn, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl chairman. Miami will be making its debut in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and will be the ninth ACC team to make such an appearance. The Hurricanes return to Atlanta for the first time on a neutral field since their clash with LSU in the 2005 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. “The University of Miami has a proud football tradition and a history of matching up against the very best,” said Miami Director of Athletics Blake James. “We welcome the opportunity and the challenge in facing Alabama in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game, and I know that it will be an amazing college football experience for our student-athletes, coaches and fans.” “We are excited to kick off the 2021 season against Alabama in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Both teams have great tradition. We are looking forward to the battle,” said Miami Head Coach Mark Richt. Alabama will be making its record-seventh appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff game. The Crimson Tide hold a 5-0 record in the event after a 24-7 victory against Florida State in this year’s Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game and are set to open the 2019 season in Atlanta against Duke. The Crimson Tide’s 2021 appearance will continue the streak of SEC teams appearing in a Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game every year since its inaugural season in 2008. “We are pleased to have the opportunity to open another season in Atlanta for the 2021 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game. Our team and our fans have always enjoyed playing in Atlanta and MercedesBenz Stadium is a fantastic competitive environment,” said Alabama Head Coach Nick Saban. “This event always has the feel of a bowl game and the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl staff has made it a first-class event. We have a lot of respect for Coach Richt and the Miami program, and we look forward to a great game in 2021.” “We look forward to returning to Atlanta for what will be Alabama’s seventh appearance in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game,” said Alabama Athletic Director Greg Byrne. “As we experienced last weekend, the city of Atlanta coupled with the atmosphere of Mercedes-Benz Stadium makes for an incredible bowl-like event for both teams and fans, and we are honored to be a part of it.” The 2021 matchup will mark the 13th ACC vs. SEC meeting in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game since 2008, with the SEC currently holding a 9-1 advantage over the ACC in those games. The game averages 68,887 – higher than the attendance of 38 bowl games last year – and has an average total team payout of $5.18 million which is higher than 27 bowl games last year. Television viewership is also traditionally strong with more than 60 million viewers tuning in to the series since its inaugural series in 2008. The teams will battle for The Old Leather Helmet Trophy, one of college football’s newest rivalry-style icons. Traditionally, winners of The Old Leather Helmet don the helmet on the field after the game, starting with the head coach and then rotating from player to player as the team celebrates its victory.
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BY THE NUMBERS A statistical look at the Miami Hurricanes
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For just the second time in program history, the University of Miami soccer team opened the season with three consecutive shutouts, following its 2-0 victory over Miami (Ohio) on Aug. 25. Over the course of its first three games, Miami outscored opponents by a 10-0 count.
The University of Miami women’s volleyball team opened the year with a 6-0 record after it swept FGCU in the Sunshine State Classic finale. The Hurricanes have not began a season 6-0 since 2011.
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Junior running back Mark Walton now has 27 career touchdowns in 27 career games, including 25 rushing scores. He is 10 rushing touchdowns behind Miami’s all-time leader, Stephen McGuire (35).
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READY TO ROCK
HURRICANES OPEN THEIR 2017 SEASON AT HARD ROCK STADIUM
JON LOPEZ PHOTOGRAPHY
LEARNING FROM THE BEST NBA superstars John Wall, Kyrie Irving and Chris Paul all train at The U
By Austin Sapin HurricaneSports.com The old adage goes, ‘If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best.’ In his fourth and final offseason at The U, Ja’Quan Newton did just that. Following a junior season in which he posted career highs in almost every major statistical category, the Philadelphia, Pa., native was made part of a select group - 1 of exactly 20 student-athletes, to be exact - invited to Chris Paul’s Elite Guard Camp. When trying to learn and improve at the point guard position, there aren’t many better than ‘CP3.’ “I felt very blessed to attend the camp and learn from a guy like Chris Paul,” Newton said. “He taught me things, I got to play 1-on-1 against him, play in scrimmages with him and I just felt very privileged to be invited there.” With an opportunity to pick the brain and even play alongside a future Hall of Famer with 8,251 career assists, Newton took his time in Winston-Salem, N.C., to work on the distribution side of his game rather than the scoring side. Under the tutelage of the NBA’s active career assist leader, Newton hopes he can take what he learned from CP3 into his final year at Miami. “I just want to focus on making the right reads and making my teammates better,” the senior said. “I want to try and be more of a natural point guard, making the right pass, coming off pick and rolls or driving and just being able to always kick it to the open man.” Following his week at the Elite Guard Camp, Newton returned to Coral Gables to even more superstar talent surrounding him, with the likes of John Wall and Kyrie Irving working out on campus. With an opportunity to soak up even more knowledge from the best in the game, Ja’Quan again jumped at the chance. 10
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“I was in there with John Wall when he was working out. We talk and text here and there, and I am willing to learn everything I can, so I just try to ask as many questions as I can,” Newton said of his time with the Wizards superstar. “He was in the weight room with us and doing an exercise with a medicine ball that I had never seen and I was able to ask, ‘What does that help you with?’ and he told me it was something he always does to build lower body strength, so that’s something I can learn and build from.” With an improved Newton ready to run the show one last time for Coach L, things are looking bright for a Hurricanes squad loaded with talent. The senior point guard comes into his final season with 64 wins under his belt and an opportunity to be a part of a team capable of dancing a long ways into March. “I think we are going to be a very talented team,” the Philly native said. “We have a lot of work to do before the season starts, but I think we are going to have a special year. It’s maybe the most talent that Coach L has ever had and I just want it to be the best season I’ve ever had here.” For any senior, the final season, especially one seemingly full of promise, means more than the rest, but for Ja’Quan, his last chance to play for Jim Larrañaga makes it even more special. “I came here for Coach L,” Newton said. “He’s the best coach I ever had and I love him like a father.” With a top team, a top coach and the last chance to throw on ‘The U’, Ja’Quan Newton hopes learning from the best, makes him and this season, the best one yet.
JON LOPEZ PHOTOGRAPHY 11
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990 ESPN DEPORTES IS HOME FOR SPANISH BROADCASTS The new home of the Hurricanes football Spanish broadcasts is 990AM ESPN Deportes, the University of Miami announced Aug. 23. Every Miami football game, both home and away, can be heard live on 990AM ESPN Deportes, with Jose “Chamby” Campos handling play-by-play responsibilities and Joe Martinez on the call with color analysis. “We are excited to continue our partnership with the Hurricanes, with the move from our sister station Actualidad 1040AM to our new all-sports station 990AM ESPN Deportes” said Actualidad Media Group’s President & CEO Adib Eden. “The Hurricanes broadcasts will be a perfect fit for our outstanding sports programming lineup on 990AM ESPN Deportes.” Hurricanes basketball and baseball games will also be heard on 990AM ESPN Deportes beginning during the 2017-18 season. ABOUT ACTUALIDAD MEDIA GROUP Actualidad Media Group is a radio consortium in South Florida that has grown steadily since its launch in January 2010. The Group is made up of 990 ESPN Deportes WMYM AM, Actualidad Radio WURN 1040 AM, WLVJ 1020 AM, and Éxitos 107.1 WURN FM. Actualidad Media Group covers Monroe, Miami/Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach counties. Since its inception, it has strived to design multiethnic programming to serve the diverse Hispanic community in South Florida. The Group has an exclusive affiliation with CNN en Español, FIFA World Cup, Mexican National Team, CONCACAF World Cup Eliminations, Copa America, Copa Oro, Copa del Rey and Super Copa, UEFA Championship, NFL – Sunday and Monday Night Football, Super Bowl, University of Miami Hurricanes Football, Basketball, Baseball, College Football playoffs, MLB - Division Series and World Series, NBA Finals. All this ensures Actualidad Media Group is prepared to serve its clients and the community through a 360 degree platform designed to reach your target.
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DINSMORE CLOSES UNIVERSITY GAMES WITH SILVER MEDAL The final day of diving at the 2017 World University Games produced hardware for the U.S. as University of Miami redshirt sophomore David Dinsmore earned silver in the men’s 10-meter final on Aug. 27 in Taipei. Dinsmore worked double duty at the University of Taipei Diving Pool, posting an eighth-place finish with Alison Gibson in the mixed team event final. Dinsmore entered the men’s platform final as the top seed, winning the semifinal one-day prior. He opened the final with an inward 3½ somersault tuck that received 86.40 points followed by a forward 3½ somersault pike in round two that earned 60.00 points, leaving him in seventh after the first two rounds. The New Albany, Ohio native bounced back with an armstand back 2 somersault 2½ twist free that lit the scoreboard for 79.20 points. Round four featured a back 3½ somersault tuck from Dinsmore worth 82.50 points, pushing him into second with two dives left. He fell to third after a reverse 3½ somersault tuck in round five that scored 76.50, requiring a strong dive to close out the final. Dinsmore did exactly that by saving his best dive for last, etching a mark of 91.80 on a back 2½ somersault 2½ twist pike to secure silver. Hyon Ju Ri (North Korea) claimed the top spot on the podium with 491.20 points with Dinsmore (476.40) and South Korea’s Yeongnam Kim (473.85) going 2-3. Christo Law also competed in the final, taking 11th with 369.25 points. Dinsmore was back in action after winning silver, competing in the mixed team event with Gibson. The duo collected 324.05 points for eighth overall. Ukraine (398.90), Canada (362.80) and Germany (353.15) occupied the podium, officially closing the diving events at the 2017 World University Games. Of USA’s four medal winners who combined for three silver and two bronze - two came from the University of Miami. Briadam Herrera – Silver – Men’s 1-meter Brooke Schultz – Silver – Women’s 3-meter David Dinsmore – Silver – Men’s 10-meter Christo Law and Olivia Rosendahl – Bronze – Mixed Synchronized 10-meter
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FIVE LEGENDS SELECTED TO FOOTBALL RING OF HONOR Five of the greatest players in University of Miami football history are set to be inducted into the Hurricanes’ Ring of Honor this season. Michael Irvin, Ray Lewis, Ed Reed, Warren Sapp and Sean Taylor will be recognized for their brilliant careers during the Hurricanes’ game against Georgia Tech at Hard Rock Stadium set for Saturday, Oct. 14. A Freshman All-America in 1985 and a second-team All-America in 1987, Irvin is one of the most decorated wide receivers in Miami history. Irvin’s 26 receiving touchdowns are the most in Hurricanes history, his 2,423 receiving yards are the third-most, his 143 career receptions are tied for fourth, and he led the Hurricanes in receiving yards in each of his three seasons. After winning a national championship with the Hurricanes, Irvin was drafted in the first round by Dallas in 1988 and went on to win three Super Bowls while starring for the Cowboys. Lewis earned All-BIG EAST recognition in 1994 and 1995, compiling one of the most dominant careers by a linebacker ever at The U. Lewis, who ranks sixth all-time in career tackles at Miami with 388, has the two most prolific seasons in history to his name, having recorded 160 total tackles in 1995 and 152 in 1994. A two-time Super Bowl champion and 13-time NFL Pro Bowler, Lewis was drafted in the first round by Baltimore in 1995 and played all 17 seasons with the Ravens, compiling over 2,000 career tackles. One of the best safeties to ever play the game, Reed was a consensus first-team All-America honoree in his final two seasons at Miami, including a 2001 season where he helped lead the Hurricanes to a national championship. Reed was an All-BIG EAST selection in his final two seasons, and still holds the Hurricanes’ record for career interceptions with 21 and interception return yards with 389. Reed won a Super Bowl with Baltimore in 2012, was named to nine Pro Bowls and was selected the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. The first Hurricane to ever win the prestigious Lombardi Trophy, Sapp was the unanimous 1994 BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year before being selected in the first round by Tampa Bay in the 1995 NFL Draft. Sapp was also named Defensive Player of the Year by Sports Illustrated, the Football Writers’ Association of America (FWAA) and ABC Sports, among others, and led a Miami defense that ranked first in the NCAA in total defense and scoring defense in 1994. Sapp, who also won the Nagurski Trophy, was selected to seven Pro Bowls and won the Super Bowl with Tampa Bay in 2002. A Miami Hurricanes legend who passed away in 2007, Taylor led the nation in interceptions in his final season in 2003 and set a Miami record by returning three of those picks for scores. Taylor, who was selected in the first round by Washington in the 2004 NFL Draft, was a consensus All-American in 2003, a finalist for the Jim Thorpe Award and was named the 2003 BIG East Defensive Player of the Year. He ranks fifth at Miami in career interceptions (14) and second in interception return yards (306), won a national championship in 2001 and made two Pro Bowls with the Redkins before his tragic passing. All five inductees are members of the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame, while both Irvin and Sapp are also members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The group of five Hurricanes will bring the total of Ring of Honor inductees to 23, as they join Class of 1997 inductees Jim Dooley, Ted Hendricks, Georgia Mira and Vinny Testaverde, Class of 1999 inductees Ottis Anderson, Don Bosseler, Bernie Kosar and Burgess Owens, Class of 2008 inductees Edgerrin James, Jim Kelly, Cortez Kennedy, Jim Otto and Gino Torretta, Class of 2009 inductees Bennie Blades, Eddie Dunn and Steve Walsh, and Class of 2014 inductees Jerome Brown and Russell Maryland.
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RUNNING THROUGH THE SMOKE MIAMI FRESHMEN RELIVE THEIR FIRST EXPERIENCE RUNNING THROUGH THE SMOKE
By David Villavicencio HurricaneSports.com Running through the smoke. One of the most iconic entrances in all of sports, the Miami Hurricanes have announced their arrival for over six decades by sprinting out of the tunnel through a thick cloud of smoke. All-Americans, NFL first round draft picks and every member of the five national championship teams have participated in this tradition. On Sept. 2, the newest Miami Hurricanes joined their orange and green brethren in the U Family when they made their first run through the smoke prior to the season opener against Bethune-Cookman. “It was an incredible feeling,” freshman safety Amari Carter said. “I had pictured it in my head hundreds of times, but when you first step out on that field it’s just so much more than what you ever could have imagined. I had a great time being out there with my brothers on the field.” A native of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., Carter grew up watching the Hurricanes and hoped to one day become one himself. The four-star recruit made that dream a reality when he enrolled early at Miami in January, but it finally felt real eight months later when he stepped on the field for the first time. “It means everything to me to have the opportunity to play here,” Carter said. “I had the support of my family here. I have a great coaching staff teaching me. I get to follow all the greats that have come through here. I feel like it’s a privilege to be able to be in the same locker room as they have and step on the same field as they have. They set a standard for us and we have to maintain it.” Carter wasted little time making an impression on his home fans, delivering a big hit on Bethune-Cookman's Demetrius Weaver at the Hurricanes' 30-yard line late in the fourth
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quarter to force a fumble that was recovered by Miami’s Ryan Fines and secured the 28-point win for the then-No. 18 Canes. “It feels great when you do something and then the best people on the team are coming up to you to congratulate you and celebrate with you,” Carter said. “That’s a feeling that everybody that steps foot on the field is searching for. It was the greatest feeling to have my brother Zach McCloud hold me up and give me the stick. It was just great to know I could do something to help my team and share it with my brothers.” Like Carter, Mike Harley was one of many newcomers playing in their first game as a Hurricane. But Harley barely remembers his first time entering Hard Rock Stadium for a game. The 5-9 speedster was so eager to get on the field that the memory is a blur. “It was exciting,” Harley said. “It was so fast and quick that I didn’t feel anything. I was just so ready to play. This has been my dream since my freshman year of high school.” A star at Fort Lauderdale St. Thomas Aquinas, Harley was a consensus four-star wide receiver prospect that chose to stay home and play for the team he grew up cheering for. “My first game as a Hurricane felt like such a blessing," Harley said. "I was just playing for my hometown. Hopefully the younger kids back home that look up to me can use me as motivation like I used to do when I was in their place. I felt great out there playing today.” Harley earned his first career start after an outstanding fall camp, catching one pass for 18 yards in his collegiate debut. Many of Miami’s newcomers are from Florida and grew up watching and idolizing the Hurricanes. But freshman wide receiver Jeff Thomas, who hails from East St. Louis, Ill., had a totally different perspective heading into his first college game. “It was way different for me,” Thomas said. “I’m far from home, where a lot of these guys are from around here. They grew up here and are used to it. They kind of knew what to expect. I didn’t know what it would feel like to run out of the tunnel, but it is definitely a blessing to be down here and play for the Canes.” A consensus four-star wideout who played in the 2017 Under Armour All-America Game, Thomas caught a pass in his first game as a Cane. The Illinois native was amazed with his first gameday experience as a Hurricane, calling it something he will never forget. “You definitely feel like part of the family when you run through the smoke," Thomas said. "I wasn’t thinking about it too much. You just grab on to your brother and go. Next thing you know, you’re in the middle of the field and all the fans are cheering for you. I’m so happy I had the chance to do that and play the way I know how to play. I’m just happy to be a Cane.”
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THE LONE ROOKIE Veteran Hurricane women’s volleyball players have made the team’s only freshman feel right at home
By T.J. Martinez HurricaneSports.com Cameron Dobbs is the only freshman on the University of Miami Volleyball team, but that won’t stop her from pushing to be a valued asset this season. The true freshman started her college career strong at the Southern Miss Invitational where she had 26 kills, 30 digs, four service aces and a block. Expect much more success from Dobbs as the years come. As an Under Armour All-American in high school, Dobbs chose UM because of a previous relationship she had at her high school club team. Redshirt junior Haley Templeton played with Dobbs in high school and immediately convinced her to come to Miami. “Haley played at my club, so I always knew about her, she’s amazing," Dobbs said. "Her mom was the first person to come to me and say hey you should check out Miami.” The Georgia native knew right when she stepped on campus in Coral Gables that this is where she would be spending her next four years. “When I came and visited campus, I fell in love," Dobbs said. "I knew that day I wanted to come here. I absolutely love the program.” Being the only freshman on a college sports team can be strange at times, but Dobbs is making the most of her situation. “I was kind of nervous coming in because I was the only one [freshman], so it made me really reach out to each girl,” Dobbs said. “I’ve become so much closer to all the girls than I think I would have if I came in with four other freshmen.” 18
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Dobbs also claims that being the only freshman has also allowed her to branch out more and not just stick around what she knows best. “I room with a soccer girl, and my suitemates are soccer girls, so it’s forced me to get to know other players of other teams too," Dobbs said. "It’s made me a little more outgoing, so it’s all been good.” Other than being the only freshman on the team, Dobbs appears to be assimilating well to the UM culture. She understands the difference between college and high school volleyball and is embracing the challenge. “On the court, we have a lot of technical things I’m working with," Dobbs said. "I'm still trying to change every day in practice. Keno, Casey and Jill are all really engaged to change a few of my techniques I’ve grown up with versus what Miami teaches.” Dobbs also was a three-time team captain in high school and believes in her leadership abilities. Although she’s only a freshman, she clearly wants to hold a leadership role as soon as possible. “I think I’m a natural born leader," Dobbs said. "Whether I’m the youngest, the oldest, smallest, shortest, slowest or whatever, I think I just have a characteristic about me that likes to lead. Whether I’m doing it from a quieter standpoint or whether I’m on or off the court.”
Dobbs’s personal goals this season are to keep getting better, but also to help the team get better. Her main goal this season is for the team to make the NCAA tournament. “We want to make it to the NCAA tournament and that’s my goal,” Dobbs said. Dobbs demands a lot of herself on the court, but also off the court as well. She’s a Broadcast Journalism major and would like to someday pursue a career in that field after potentially playing a few years of professional volleyball. “I would love to play professionally in Prague maybe because I played there last year with my club team," Dobbs said. "After that I want to be an ESPN sideline reporter or maybe be a news anchor.”
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NEW SWAG
HURRICANES TO SHOWCASE NEW GREEN AND BLACK UNIFORMS THIS
FALL
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FOOTBALL CANE CHRONICLES - KENNY CALHOUN
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Joe Zagacki, The Voice of the Miami Hurricanes, chimes in on the Hurricanes’ week one victory against Bethune-Cookman and what has him excited for this season.
WITH JOE ZAGACKI
After one game, this 2017 football season has me excited and here’s why. Off the top of the bat, head coach Mark Richt has me excited because his teeth are firmly into this program and you can see it. Last year, I think he did a good job of observing what he needed and deciding who’s in and who’s out, but now he’s got it rolling. You can see it in recruiting, you can see it in practice and you can see it in the discipline of the players. You can also see it in the coaching staff. This coaching staff is really unique. They do a really good job of teaching, coaching and creating unity. You can’t have unity on your team unless you have unity on your coaching staff and they have that unity. Coach Richt truly has a high level staff. A tidal wave is coming with this program and it’s about to get very good. I’m excited to watch the Hurricanes’ offense. College football today is played a certain way and that’s with speed and quick touchdowns. However, you can only do that if you have the personnel and Miami has some major speed now. I think that Jeff Thomas and Mike Harley are going to make a huge difference because they are going to be able to split a secondary. They going to run right past some people and give the Hurricanes some quick touchdowns. Malik Rosier is the most consistent quarterback of anyone on the team. In order for him to continue to be the quarterback, he’s going to have to play within himself. He doesn’t need to be a superstar like the Hurricanes of the past. His success will be based on whether or not he deals the ball to the right people. He doesn’t have to force anything. His wide receivers will be open. Coach Richt is going to get wide receivers open and these wide receivers’ speed will get these 26
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guys open. Malik needs to concentrate on being consistent and getting the ball to his playmakers and he has plenty of them this season.
Defense always travels and this defense will travel well because they have so many combinations that they can use.
I think Miami will have the chance to get a lot of quick scores and quick scores lead to fewer mistakes. Long drives, which are needed sometimes, can lead to more mistakes.
The front seven is very deep. Whether it RJ McIntosh, Kendrick Norton, Anthony Moten or Pat Bethel.
Quick drives will be important for the offense and I think the tools are there for Rosier. My real excitement level is on the defense. They are spreading the wealth. They know how to make plays. If it’s not Shaq Quarterman making a play then it’s Mike Smith and if it’s not him, it’s Zach McCloud and they all know it. This defense has picked up where it left off last year and most likely the only team that has an equal amount of defensive talent would be Florida State. Defense can carry this team, while Rosier continues to develop.
Then you have Jonathan Ford and boy oh boy does he look impressive. Coach Richt calls him, ‘a dude’ and he is a big dude. He is what a defensive lineman at the University of Miami should look like. DJ Johnson is another impressive defensive lineman for the Hurricanes. The bottom line is that Miami is getting an infusion of talent, which is going to continue to grow this program. This defense is going to be able to stop the run and rush the quarterback. If the defense can stop the big plays and create more negative plays, they are going to be a force.
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With the proliferation of social media, and the ease of access to prospective student-athletes and current student-athletes, the internet has provided the opportunity for Canes fans and supporters from all over the world to communicate with each other in ways not possible before. The following regulations regarding the internet are very important for all Canes to know in regards to prospective student-athletes: While we appreciate our fans support of our teams, fans are not permitted to use social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to contact or otherwise attempt to correspond with prospects. This includes, but is not limited to, posting on a wall, using the inbox/e-mail feature, instant messaging, "@replies", "mentions", or direct messaging. As electronic communication technology continues to advance, the opportunity for the supporters of an athletics program to have impermissible contact with a prospect or that prospect's family is greatly increased, however, the institution’s responsibility for that contact remains the same. As a reminder, off-campus and in-person recruiting may only be completed by our certified coaching staff members. Boosters should not be contacting any prospects or their family members in person in attempt to solicit their commitment to UM. If you are aware of a prospect that you feel would benefit our athletics program, please reach out to our department and notify us of such a prospect. From there, those coaches who are certified and permitted to contact such prospects will be aware. Please continue to leave the recruiting to our coaches. We ask that all Canes fans and supporters who have access to the type of social media sites described above assist us in following the guidelines that govern those sites. As always, your efforts to help the University of Miami maintain a culture of compliance are greatly appreciated. Please contact the University of Miami Athletics Compliance Department with any questions regarding NCAA, ACC or University of Miami rules or regulations at athleticscompliance@miami.edu or 305-284-2692. Also, please remember to always ASK BEFORE YOU ACT! Sincerely,
Craig Anderson Senior Associate Athletic Director for Compliance Athletics Compliance Office | University of Miami Athletics Schwartz Athletic Center | 5821 San Amaro Drive | Coral Gables, FL 33146 Direct: (305) 284-2692 | Fax: (305) 284-2276
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VASILJEVIC WRAPS UP WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES University of Miami sophomore guard Dejan Vasiljevic closed out international play with a 28-point performance on Aug. 29, as Australia’s Emerging Boomers defeated Canada, 101-96, to secure ninth place at the World University Games. The Melbourne native finished the tournament with a scoring average of 21.5 points a game on an impressive 45.3% shooting from the field. While the Emerging Boomers were hoping to come home as victors of the tournament, the team did finish with a 6-2 record after just narrowly missing out on a chance to advance from the group stage. Much of Australia’s success was due to the strong play of UM’s sharpshooter, as Vasiljevic scored 20+ points and led the team in scoring in five of the eight games in Taipei. The 6’3’’ guard will now return to Coral Gables hoping to build off of his stellar showing at the World University Games and a freshman year in which he became a solid contributor off the bench. DJ’s Statistics at the World University Games Game One - 28 Points, 3 rebounds, 10/23 FG, 5/15 3FG vs. Ukraine Game Two - 28 Points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 9/17 FG, 6/10 3FG vs. Lithuania Game Three - 13 Points, 2 rebounds, 2/12 FG, 1/9 3FG vs. Israel Game Four - 22 Points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 9/22 FG, 4/11 3FG vs. Russia Game Five - 16 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 5/11 FG, 4/8 3FG vs. Mozambique Game Six - 14 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 6/12 FG, 1/5 3FG vs. Estonia Game Seven - 23 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 8/16 FG, 5/12 3FG vs. Mexico Game Eight - 28 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 9/15 FG, 4/7 3FG vs. Canada
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HAYES SIGNS WITH TEAM IN FRANCE’S NF1 A third member of the 2017 University of Miami women’s basketball team senior class has inked a professional contract with a team in Europe. Keyona Hayes is set to begin her post-college career with AS Villeurbanne Basket Feminin of NF1 in France. She follows Adrienne Motley and Jessica Thomas, both of whom signed with Luleå Basket in Sweden. “It’s truly a blessing to be chosen to go to France, one of the most beautiful places in the world,” Hayes said. “This next phase in my life will open my eyes and heart even more for growth in all areas and to be the best I can absolutely be. I’m excited about my journey and couldn’t be happier to share my talents and skills with such a great team and coaching staff.” One of nine players in program history with over 750 rebounds and greater than 1,100 points, Hayes logged 14 doubles. She finished her career at Miami ninth in rebounding and No. 21 in scoring. A 6-foot-1-inch forward, Hayes posted two of the top 10 single-season field goal percentage marks by a Hurricane. She shot 54.0 percent in 2016-17, good for fifth-best, and registered a 53.5 percent clip in 2015-16 to place No. 10. Hayes is one of five Miami players to earn ACC Rookie of the Week honors and one of six to receive ACC All-Tournament Team recognition. The Marietta, Ga., native played in 129 games as a Hurricane, tied with Motley and Sylvia Bullock for third-most alltime.
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A TRIP FOR THE AGES LEXI CASTELLANO TAKES HER COACHING TALENTS TO VIETNAM
One obstacle she ran into was the language barrier. She was paired with a Vietnamese coach her age, who was able to translate, but she was also faced with the challenge of having If she had to describe Vietnam in one word, it would be to teach a sport she was unfamiliar with. adventure. During her three-and-a-half week stay, Castellano was Hopping on a 22-hour flight to Taipei, Lexi Castellano of the introduced to some culture shock. She explained that the locals University of Miami soccer team was committed to serving with do not use cars often. Rather, they use little scooters to get ‘Coach for College,’ an initiative designed by student-athletes. around and do not stop for you when you cross the street. Giving them an opportunity to travel to Vietnam where they As for the food, quail eggs and pork heart did not appeal to work in a rural school, running a summer camp for kids. Castellano and she went vegetarian for her time that she was With little knowledge of what her days were going to look like, there. Castellano went in with zero expectations. “I mainly ate sweet potatoes and the fresh-picked vegetables from the farm during meal times,” Lexi said. “I went in blind-sided,” Castellano admits. By Amanda Alvarez HurricaneSports.com
The Boca Raton, Fla., native quickly learned that her days in Vietnam would start at 5 a.m., if she wanted to get in an hour of training. Throughout the day, she taught sixth and seventh graders English, basketball and life skill lessons, which included goal setting, teamwork and the importance of valuing education.
The children she taught did not wear sneakers. They wore sandals and would play their sports barefoot, a concept unknown to the Hurricanes’ midfielder. “I’ve lived in Florida my whole life, but the heat and humidity in Vietnam was insane,” Castellano said. “You would get out of the shower and just start sweating.
“When I signed up for this program, I wasn’t aware of the schedule,” Lexi said. “I think they did that on purpose because “Though conditions weren’t ideal, I accepted everything for it is a lot of work. By the end of the first week, I was physically what it was. I didn’t come in with any expectations and I think that is what helped me get through it.” drained.”
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Had she been aware of everything she was going to be exposed to, she says that she still would have accepted the challenge. “I think, at the end of the day, I would have gone anyway,” Castellano explained. “I wanted to give back to the community; my heart would have said to go.” The biggest lesson she learned throughout her stay was patience. “I have been an impatient person my whole life,” Castellano said. “But being with these children and going through this experience made me realize that everyone has their own troubles and hardship and everyone deserves time and patience from each other.” The ultimate test, she recalls, came when she was trying to teach one student the anatomy of the body. She kept pointing at her head and saying “head,” but the student kept calling it “nose.” Lexi says when he eventually got it, she was extremely proud of him. This turning point, lead her to accept the things that were not going her way and to take deep breaths when she found herself flustered. We have all had plenty of teachers, but we rarely have been in the role and there are many skills involved that most participants usually must develop through experience. Seth Naiper, the assistant director of the program, says that there is a clear learning curve to becoming a good teacher and coach. “A challenge for Lexi the first week was that she expected all the kids to be very proactive and open up while remaining well-behaved in class,” Naiper said. “Then by talking with the support staff, her teammates and especially by listening to the children’s life stories and by sharing with them her own story sincerely, she got to know more about them, their difficulties and their dreams.” Her empathy and understanding of the kids adjusted, as did her expectations and teaching methods. “Lexi ended up becoming one of the children’s favorite teachers in camp,” Napier said. “They even adapted the lyric of a popular song to include her name and sang it for her every time they saw her.”
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WE’LL GET YOU BACK IN THE GAME.
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OFFICIAL SPORTS MEDICINE PROVIDER FOR THE MIAMI HURRICANES, MIAMI MARLINS, AND THE U.S. SAILING TEAM
PUTTING A GAME AT THE U Preparation for a Hurricane football game is no 9 to 5 job
By Amy Taintor HurricaneSports.com
meeting discusses every detail, small or large, in the document that Turner puts together the week before.
Putting on a home game for the University of Miami football team is no small task.
A larger detail dealt with in the Monday meeting is student transportation. This is a critical part to home games because Miami wants fans, especially students, to commute from Coral Gables to Hard Rock Stadium.
While most fans arrive hours early to tailgate before a football game, the life for the event operations staff at Miami begins weeks in advance of the game. Assistant Athletic Director for Event Operations Michael Turner puts in weeks of work to organize all the details ranging from student transportation to stadium set-up. For the event staff, a home game requires weeks of planning, and here’s how. Two weeks prior to the game, Turner creates a 56-page document that holds every piece of information needed to run the game properly. It’s crucial that the production of home games is smooth. This document contains even the smallest of details such as how many benches each team needs on the sideline and what temperature to keep the locker rooms at. It’s important to highlight that although the teams need to be comfortable, that’s only a small piece to the production puzzle. Fire safety, Miami-Dade Police Department, Media, University of Miami Marketing and Communications departments, Hard Rock Stadium staff, security, catering companies and the IT department are just some of the departments that have roles in making sure a home game is enjoyable. The Miami staff has a meeting the Monday before all home games. This
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Because of this, Miami’s event operations staff organizes for the students to take coach busses from campus to the stadium. This requires about 30 busses before the game and 75 buses after the game. There are also lots of smaller details that need to be discussed such as when the stadium needs to deliver ice to the field. Per ACC guidelines, both teams must receive 1,000 pounds of ice throughout the game. The document needs to specify when the ice needs to be delivered and how much should be delivered at one time. Once all edits are made, the document is sent to Hard Rock Stadium where their staff will add in more information such as to how many guest services employees they need in each section and when the pre-game meal should be delivered. On Wednesday of gameweek, both staffs have meet at the stadium to finalize the document. Turner still has one more task before game day arrives. On Friday, he goes to the stadium and checks the scoreboard, referee microphones, locker room TV’s and does a complete stadium walk-though to make sure everything is working properly. Once he’s finished with that, it’s finally game day.
While thousands of Hurricanes fans arrive at the stadium hours prior to kickoff, Turner is always the first one there. His job begins at 6 a.m., as he begins collecting hundreds of radios to give to staff, making sure all the Miami signs are up, and setting up flags around the stadium that label entrances for will call, football recruits, player guest pass list and 11 others. Michael Cox, who assists Turner in all event operations activities leading up to game day, will then begin assisting other departments once him and Tuner have finished the stadium check, which takes about an hour and a half. It’s no surprise to any Miami native that planning for inclement weather is always a part of the game day process. Turner and Cox hold a meeting prior to kickoff with the scoreboard operations staff, the team sports information directors, instant replay technicians, medical staff, and director of operations for the visiting team to discuss possible inclement weather and an evacuation plan. The final task before game time is to coordinate team entrances to the stadium. Two and a half hours prior to kickoff, the opposing team and referees make their way into the stadium. It’s crucial that the opposing team isn’t late so they can avoid getting caught behind the Hurricane Walk. Doing so would cut into their warm-up time. Once it’s game time, Cox heads to the command post for the duration. While he’s up there, he informs Turner of any bad weather heading toward the stadium. But the most interesting part of his job is searching out misbehaving fans. If there are complaints about a guest in a specified section of the stadium, Cox is able to find them from the command post and describe them to security and escort them out. Once it’s officially game time, event operations staff can relax a bit. “If we do our job right, then anything during the game will just be to put out fires,” Turner said. “But we do our best to prepare.” Once the game clock runs out, the first job of Turner and Cox is to immediately run with the referees, collect their microphones and get them safely to their sprinter van - a vehicle dedicated to get the referees out of the stadium. The referees are the first people to leave the stadium. Once the referees leave the stadium, the next order of business is making sure that the visiting team gets out safely. Between post game interviews, coaches meetings and cool downs, the visiting team could take up to an hour and a half to leave the stadium. Event operations make sure that the locker room area is safe and that the visiting team has everything they need in order to hit the road. While thousands of fans come to enjoy the University of Miami home games, there are hundreds of staff members working behind the scenes. Without the coordination, organization and tireless work ethic from the operations staff, Miami fans wouldn’t get the great football experience that they know and love.
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UM SPORTS HALL OF FAME
UM SPORTS HALL OF FAME TO HOLD CELEBRITY GOLF TOURNAMENT The 25th Annual UM Sports Hall of Fame Celebrity Golf Tournament, to benefit the Hurricane Club, will be played on Friday, Nov. 10, 2017 at the luxurious Biltmore Golf Course in Coral Gables. The event is scheduled for the day before the Miami-Notre Dame football game, and kicks off with registration and lunch at 11 a.m. followed by a 12:30 p.m. shotgun start on the 18 holes of the historic Biltmore Golf Course. An awards dinner featuring live and silent auctions, will follow in one of the Biltmore Hotel’s ballrooms. Corporate teams of four golfers (includes tee sign and novelties in goody bag) are available for $1500, while regular teams of four golfers are $1200. Larger sponsorships are available. Call Executive Director John Routh at the UM Sports Hall of Fame at 305-284-2775 or go to CanesGolf.com to inquire about your company becoming a sponsor.
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UM SPORTS HALL OF FAME
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@MIAMIHURRICANES #BUILDINGCHAMPIONS HURRICANE MAGAZINE | |APRIL 2017