The Miami Student Oldest university newspaper in the United States, established 1826
VOLUME 139 NO. 45
TUESDAY, MARCH 13, 2012
MIAMI UNIVERSITY OXFORD, OHIO
TODAY IN MIAMI HISTORY In 1942, The Miami Student reported that the Miami University Senate approved a motion allowing fraternities to initiate any pledge with a C gradepoint average and a minimum of 30 credit points. The proposal came following a request from the Council of Inter-fraternity Presidents to the Student Organizations committee of the university senate, which was against allowing fraternity rushing and pledging during the first semester.
Hanging up the turtleneck after 16 years Miami’s men’s head basketball coach Charlie Coles announces his retirement By Brian Gallagher Sports Editor
After walking the sidelines for 16 years, Miami University’s Men’s Head Basketball Coach Charlie Coles announced his retirement March 5. The announcement followed the RedHawks’ loss last Monday against the University of Toledo in the first round of the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament. Coles has become synonymous with Miami basketball and with the entire university, but after health problems resurfaced again this season, the winningest basketball coach in Miami history decided it was time to walk away on his own terms. “After I got sick about three weeks ago, I had a conversation with my doctor and he told me that sooner or later I’d have to address the issue of my heart,” Coles said. “That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t want to be coaching, but at this particular time, to be coaching at Miami with so many health issues, I thought ‘Why punish Miami with this?’ and decided it was probably time to give it up.” Coles’ commitment to Miami and his love of the game has been evident as he has continued to coach through a myriad of health problems over the years. He has undergone two gastric
bypass surgeries, the most recent in 2008, which caused him to miss the MAC Tournament that year. But the biggest scare came in March of 1998 when Coles collapsed on the court during a MAC Tournament game and went into cardiac arrest. Through it all his teams have continued to excel on the court and his commitment to excellence has been recognized by basketball organizations everywhere. In addition to his induction into the Miami University Hall of Fame in 1990, he was elected into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame in 2011 and the Greater Cincinnati Basketball Hall of Fame in 2008. “You don’t get respect overnight or without doing things the right way,” Associate Head Coach Jermaine Henderson said. “You gain respect by the moments and that’s what coach Coles has earned.” One of the greatest honors he received may have been the NABC Guardians of the Game Pillar Award for Education, which he received at the 2011 Final Four. The Guardians of the Game program selects coaches who play key roles in the lives of student-athletes on and off the court. Success in the academic arena has been a trademark of Coles’ teams. In 2011, the basketball team received an Academic Progress Report score of 976, which was good enough for
PHOTOS COURTESY MIAMI ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS
Miami men’s head basketball coach Charlie Coles was the winningest basketball coach in Miami history, racking up 355 career wins. Coles was known for his dedication to player development and maintained an 82 percent graduation rate. over the past six years. second in the conference and exceeded the national average of 945. Additionally, the RedHawks maintained a graduation rate of 82 percent over the past six years, an exceptional score considering that top-ranked University of Kentucky
graduated just 31 percent of its players over the same period of time. “One of my goals coming in was to maintain Miami’s basketball image,” Coles said. “That meant recruiting kids with good character who would fit in at Miami. I wanted
kids who could be successful here, meaning they could study, play and then graduate.” Not only have they graduated, but
COLES, SEE PAGE 10
Synchronized skaters bring home 8th consecutive national title By Melissa Girgis
For The Miami Student
When Miami University’s Collegiate synchronized skating team took the ice at the U.S. National Synchronized Skating Championships in Worcester, Mass. March 1-3, it had already won more
consecutive national titles than any other synchronized skating program at any level. Competing among a field of 13 teams, Miami again proved itself to be the best of the best, snatching up a first place finish with a winning margin of 3.51 points over second place. The win marks
the collegiate team’s 14th national title overall and eighth consecutive title, which ties Michelle Kwan’s record for most national titles won in a row. “Our coach told us on the day of competition: ‘Just step out on the ice like you own it.’ She was very, very, happy with the results,”
BLAKE WILSON THE MIAMI STUDENT
The Miami University synchronized skating team took home their 14th national title and 8th consecutive title, tying Michelle Kwan’s record for most national titles in a row.
senior skater Courtney Voss said. “The expectation was for all three of the teams to go out, take command of the ice and give everything they had,” Head Coach Carla DeGirolamo said. “Every year the goal is to bring home a title. I was very pleased, the teams skated very well.” The team’s success at nationals followed an undefeated season that Voss described as perfect and unforgettable. According to Voss, the success of the team has had a lot to do with the culture among its members that has been established over time. “Everything continues to grow on our end and theirs. We are never complacent. We are always continuing to push ourselves to be better, stronger, more creative and more athletic so we can challenge the best teams every year,” DeGirolamo said. “Knowing that you’re skating for such a prestigious group makes you want to continue the success of the past,” Voss said. “We are all dedicated as individuals which helps the team as a whole with its desire for success. It’s a culture that is passed down from the seniors to the freshman.” Miami has two more skating teams, Junior and Senior, that also competed at nationals, taking 7th and 3rd place, respectively. While the Collegiate team only competes against other colleges in the US, the Junior and Senior teams compete against club teams locally and internationally. Earlier this year the Senior team travelled to France, while the Junior team flew to Austria. “Traveling and having the opportunity to compete against higherlevel teams is such an experience,” junior Shaheen Kazmi, a skater for the Senior team said. “The people in other countries are so involved and want to know about the sport which is great. In France it was a
full house.” The Senior team’s third place finish at nationals was made more special by their win of the Performance Award. The award looks at performance, not placement, and is given out by the Professional Skaters Association based on costume, artistry, originality, quality, music and theme. Each category including men, women, pairs and synchronized skating is awarded individually. “In the past we have been technically solid, but we needed to strengthen our connection with the audience to make it more interactive and more entertaining,” senior captain of the Senior team Christina Lee said. “That was something we really focused on this year and our improvement was reflected in us winning the Performance Award.” First-year Taylor Wickware said she heard about Miami’s skating teams on her tour of the campus, but aside from seeing the teams skate at hockey games, did not know much about them and their achievements. “I think some students have heard about our skating teams, but it doesn’t seem like they get very much publicity,” Wickware said. Voss agreed that many people are surprised to learn that Miami’s program is one of the best in the country. “To say you skate at Miami is a really big deal in the skating world,” she said. Although all three teams have finished their competitive seasons for the year, they will be putting on a show that is open to the public 7:30 p.m. Friday April 20 and 2 p.m. Saturday April 21 at Goggin Ice Arena. Tickets are $9 and the teams will be showcasing the programs they have been working on all season, including those they performed at nationals.