Miami volleyball team heading to Europe

By Rick Cassano | Monday, May 7, 2012, 10:29 PM

The Miami University volleyball team begins an international trip today, traveling to Austria, Slovenia and Italy for an excursion that includes five matches against club teams. The RedHawks are slated to return home May 19.

MU is coming off a 16-16 campaign. There are two Butler County players on the roster, rising senior Christina Menche (Hamilton High School) and Sarah Chaney (Madison High School), a redshirt freshman in the fall.

Here’s what veteran Miami coach Carolyn Condit had to say about each player:

Menche: “She’s a very versatile athlete. We’re running a three-middle offense right now, so she’s a middle and an outside in this lineup. Wherever she is, we set her very fast because she’s just one of the quickest, best jumpers on our team. She’s really starting to get the whole game. She’s a very tenacious learner.”

Chaney: “She’s still trying to find her confidence, where Christina was three years ago. But she’s learned a lot in the last year and hasn’t lost an ounce of playing time. Sarah is a huge jumper. She played middle in high school, but she belongs on the outside. She’s got the ability to pass. She’s going to be a terminator that’s able to hit over blockers because she has such a good jump and reach. She is somebody that’s going to be an All-MAC performer. I’d give her two years to get there.”

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Miami’s Sullivan transferring to Davidson

By Rick Cassano | Monday, May 7, 2012, 10:28 PM

Brian Sullivan, a standout freshman guard for Miami University’s men’s basketball team this season, confirmed Monday that he is transferring to Davidson College in Davidson, N.C.

Sullivan was the RedHawks’ second-leading scorer with a 10.3 average. He finished eighth nationally in 3-point percentage (44.9).

Sullivan will have to sit out next season by NCAA transfer rules. He’s joining a Wildcat program that went 25-8 this year and lost to Louisville 69-62 in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

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Miami wins MAC East softball championship

By Rick Cassano | Sunday, May 6, 2012, 07:19 PM

The Miami University softball team won the Mid-American Conference East Division championship Sunday, run-ruling Toledo 9-1 on Senior Day in Oxford.

Senior Casey Drees ended the regular season with a flourish, blasting a walkoff grand slam over the left-field wall with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning. It was her first collegiate home run.

“I think emotional and fun are two good words to describe this day,” Drees said. “You live for this moment for four years. It’s just so much fun to be out here for the last time with your teammates, but it’s sad and emotional at the same time.”

RedHawks coach Kelly Kovach Schoenly said she was happy to see Drees bask in the hero’s spotlight.

“She’s everything we talk about with our program,” Schoenly said. “She’s exactly that kid you want to do well for your team.”

Miami, 35-17 overall and 16-6 in the conference, needed just 77 minutes to blitz the Rockets (18-36, 8-14). Jessica Simpson tossed a two-hitter, striking out two and walking none.

Drees, Simpson, Daniela Torres, Jordan McElroy and Katie Osburn were the five seniors honored during a pregame ceremony. Their class has registered a school-record 133 victories.

The RedHawks won the outright East crown because Bowling Green suffered an 8-5 loss at Ball State on Sunday. Miami is the No. 2 seed and BSU is No. 1 in the double-elimination MAC tournament, which begins Wednesday at Firestone Stadium in Akron. The top two seeds get double byes into Thursday.

Ball State won the West Division with a 17-3 record.

“In any other year, 16 wins probably would’ve won us the whole conference, but the competition was crazy,” Simpson said. “The fact that we can win the MAC East this year shows how good our team is.”

MU will face either Bowling Green, Central Michigan or Kent State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.

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Miami’s hoop coach has one scholarship left

By Rick Cassano | Friday, May 4, 2012, 12:03 AM

John Cooper, Miami University’s new men’s basketball coach, has one scholarship remaining for next season now that freshman guard Brian Sullivan has announced that he’s transferring.

Two scholarships have already been taken for 2012-13, one by Middletown’s Geovonie McKnight and one by a player that Cooper said he can’t comment on at this point.

The RedHawks coach hopes to fill the last scholarship for the upcoming campaign, “but that has yet to be determined. It has to be the right fit.”

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Random thoughts from Miami spring game

By Rick Cassano | Saturday, April 28, 2012, 07:41 PM

Here are some notes and random thoughts from Miami University’s spring football game Saturday at Yager Stadium …

Quarterback Zac Dysert (11-of-15, 214 yards) and receiver Nick Harwell are pretty special together, hooking up six times for 138 yards and a touchdown Saturday. They were potent last year and may be even better in 2012.

Backup quarterback Drew Kummer looked pretty good as well (10-of-17, 135 yards). He’s a redshirt frosh, though, and still has RS SR Dysert and RS JR Austin Boucher in front of him. Translation: Barring injuries, Kummer will be a spectator this season.

Miami will be difficult to run the ball against in the fall. Its front crew is big, fast and a bit nasty.

The RedHawks’ secondary got shredded for 360 total yards and two touchdowns (by Dysert and Kummer to Harwell and Jake Wurzelbacher, respectively). Most defenses will struggle to stop the MU passing game, so there’s no need to be super worried … yet.

Wurzelbacher, the local boy from Badin High School, may be grinding his way to a more significant role on the team.

Miami’s ground attack was pretty poor and had negative yardage (including sacks) Saturday. The O-line, though clearly not perfect, is experienced and improving. The backs just didn’t seem to be hitting the holes very hard, though to be fair, Justin Semmes and Spencer Treadwell didn’t play with some nagging injuries. Don’t be surprised if incoming freshmen Jamire Westbrook, Jack Snowball and Spencer McInnis make serious bids for the starting lineup when summer practice begins.

If you were wondering, two passes were caught by a tight end (Andrew Gudeman, for 5 total yards).

The day’s only turnover was an interception by walk-on Malcolm Chester from Atlanta. Robbie Plagens threw the pick. He was the day’s third QB and was followed by Kyle Seyfried.

Linebacker Jaytee Swanson went back and made a nice break-up in the end zone on a sure TD pass from Dysert to Dawan Scott.

Place-kicker Mason Krysinski looked bad on two shorter field goals, then drilled two longer ones. Great leg, but Miami needs him to be consistent in the fall.

Just about four months from the season opener at Ohio State on Sept. 1. Urban Meyer & Co. will be waiting.

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Miami headed to WNIT, will visit Richmond

By Rick Cassano | Tuesday, March 13, 2012, 02:31 AM

The Miami University women’s basketball team has accepted a bid to the Women’s National Invitation Tournament and will travel to Virginia to face Richmond in the first round Thursday.

The RedHawks are 21-9 and one of four Mid-American Conference teams (Bowling Green, Toledo and Central Michigan are the others) in the WNIT. The Spiders are 22-8 and will represent the Atlantic 10 Conference.

“We’re excited to be invited to the WNIT,” MU coach Maria Fantanarosa said. “The field is very competitive and will give us an opportunity to continue to compete. This team has made tremendous progress this year. Our hard work throughout this season has been rewarded by this invitation.”

This will be Miami’s second appearance in the WNIT. The RedHawks’ 21 wins are the most since 2008, when MU went 23-11 and earned a spot in the NCAA tournament.

Richmond is a young team led by its only senior, guard Abby Oliver. She averages 16.5 points per game. The Spiders shoot the ball extremely well, hitting 43.5 percent of their shots overall and 39 percent of their 3-point attempts. Miami has never faced Richmond in women’s basketball.

Thursday’s game time will be announced Tuesday. The winner will advance to face either Virginia or Howard at a date and time to be determined (Mar. 17-19).

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Miami wins big

By Pete Conrad | Saturday, February 11, 2012, 05:30 PM

The Miami RedHawks dominated Central Michigan from start to finish in their 69-50 victory Saturday at Millett Hall.

The 19-point margin of victory is by far Miami’s biggest of the season.

The RedHawks were led by Jon Harris, who scored a career-high 17 points; Julian Mavunga, 14 points; and Adam Thomas, a career-high nine points and team-high seven rebounds.

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RedHawks lead by 15

By Pete Conrad | Saturday, February 11, 2012, 04:22 PM

The Miami RedHawks lead the Central Michigan Chippewas 30-15 at halftime of their Mid-American Conference men’s basketball game today at Millett Hall.

Julian Mavunga leads Miami with eight points and Will Sullivan has six points on a pair of 3-point baskets.

CMU has connected on only 3-of-20 field goal attempts, including 1-of-10 from the 3-point arc.

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Miami beats Alabama-Huntsville

By Pete Conrad | Friday, February 10, 2012, 09:46 PM

The Miami hockey team scored a 3-1 victory over Alabama-Huntsville Friday night in a non-league game at Steve Cady Arena.

Miami out-shot UAH 32-12 and raised its record to 16-13-2. The Chargers fell to 2-27-1.

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RedHawks surged to 3-1 lead

By Pete Conrad | Friday, February 10, 2012, 08:57 PM

Miami’s hockey team leads Alabama-Huntsville 3-1 after two periods tonight at Steve Cady Arena.

The RedHawks scored two goals in the second period, the first by Bryon Paulazzo (assisted by Trent Vogelhuber and Curtis McKenzie), the second by Reilly Smith (assisted by Ben Paulides and Austin Czarnik),

Smith’s goal was his 21st of the season.

Miami has out-shot UAH 24-10.

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