Around Campus is a weekly feature keeping you updated on Miami's lower-profile athletics.
Cross Country: Rachel Patterson took 46th place at the NCAA Cross Country Championships Monday at LaVern Gibson Championship Course in Terra Haute, Indiana. Competing against a field of 252 other runners, she was the first 'Hawk to compete in the NCAA Championship since 2007. Her time of 20:56.7 earned her the best finish by a Miami runner since Andrea Kremer took 25th in 2001. Patterson barely missed earning All-American honors, as the top 40 runners are awarded that title.
Volleyball: The volleyballs team's run to a MAC Championship came up short, as the 'Hawks (12-20, 5-11) were downed by the rival Ohio University Bobcats 3-0 in the MAC Tournament semifinals. It was the fourth consecutive season that Miami reached the semifinals. The Bobcats did go on to win the tournament title with a 3-0 victory over Northern Illinois. Michele Metzler record six kills in the match, bringing her career total to 1,004. She is just the 19th player in program history to eclipse the 1,000-kill milestone. Miami had to come from behind to beat Central Michigan 3-2 in the tournament's opening round, and then again against Western Michigan in the second by the same score. The 'Hawks will play their season finale against No. 18 Cincinnati (28-5, 13-1 Big East) on Friday.
Football: Brandon Stephens was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week. The senior cornerback had a season-high tackles in Miami's 19-14 win over Akron.
Ice Hockey: The Brotherhood climbed up a spot in both the national polls to No. 5. They also sit at No.8 in the INCH Power Rankings. The Top Four in both polls is identical: #1 Minnesota-Duluth, #2 Boston University, #3 Yale, #4 Nebraska-Omaha. In other news, last week Coach Blasi announced his largest class of recruits since he took over the program in 1999, with 12 players signing National Letters of Intent to play hockey for Miami. Each member of the diverse and talented class currently plays in the Tier 1 Juniors United States Hockey League (USHL). Of those 12, five were just ranked among the top players in the USHL by NHL Central Scouting. Cincinnati native Tyler Biggs was named the top prospect in the USHL, while Sean Kuraly and Austin Czarnik were ranked 8th and 15th, respectively. All three players are forwards. Defenseman Connor Murphy is considered a Top 30 prospect, but the report does not number players after the Top 15. Jay Williams was named the No. 2 goaltending prospect as well.
Women's Basketball: The Lady 'Hawks (1-2) picked up a win and a loss, downing Eastern Kentucky 76-59, but then falling to the Miami (FL) Hurricanes 96-64. Agaisnt the Colonels, the 'Hawks were led by Kirsten Olowinski and Courtney Osborn, who both put up double-doubles. Olowinski scored 19 points while grabbing 14 rebounds. Osborn added 16 points of her own while dishing out 12 assists. The duo were at it again, doing more of the same in the loss to The Other Miami. Osborn had 13 points, while Olowinski grabbed 12 more rebounds. The 'Hawks next play Duquesne (1-1) at home on Wednesday.
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