Unprecedented 7th straight national title in Miami’s sights

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By Pete Conrad, Staff Writer Updated 9:03 AM Tuesday, March 1, 2011

OXFORD — Miami University’s synchronized skaters have a chance to make history later this week, which is saying something for a program which already owns 15 national titles.

“Our goal is always to win the national championship, but this is a little extra special,” said Carla DeGirolamo, Miami’s second-year head coach.

Miami’s collegiate-level team is shooting for its seventh consecutive national crown, something no American synchronized skating team has ever accomplished at any level.

Miami will try to become the first when its senior, collegiate and junior teams compete Thursday through Saturday at the U.S. National Championship in Ontario, Calif.

Sarah Brown, a native of Centerville and a senior co-captain for the collegiate-level team, said it would mean a lot to her to win the title.

“It’s probably my last competition in skating and it would be really nice to come out with a gold medal,” she said.

Unlike the senior and junior teams, both of which perform two programs (short and free skate), the collegiate team performs in just one program (free skate).

“We have one chance.” Brown said.

“It is a lot of pressure,” DeGirolamo said. “You get four minutes that makes or breaks your whole season.”

Miami has chosen as the theme of that one program Brazlian Carnival.

“It’s a fun program with Samba (music) and stuff like that” Brown said. “This has a lot of personality. We try to connect with each other but also have fun out there. Sometimes we feed off the audience so much we forget we’re competing.”

Last month Miami used that program to finish first at the Midwestern Championship in Rochester, Minn.

“We won by about 10 points, which is a really big margin,” Brown said.

Miami’s senior team, which has won three national championships, will try to finish among the top two in its level this week. That would propel the RedHawks into the ISU World Championship in Helsinki, Finland. Last year Miami narrowly missed a world berth, placing third at nationals.

“We’re definitely out to regain our place on the world scene,” DeGirolamo said.

Contact this reporter  at (513) 820-2197 or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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