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Miami baseball falls just shy of return to Omaha, defeated 3-2 by Louisville

Sebastian Font
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Miami baseball falls just shy of return to Omaha, defeated 3-2 by Louisville

As Louisville storms the field after clinching their sixth Men’s College World Series appearance, Miami sits in a state of two worlds after a 3-2 loss in game three. On the one hand, they were playing with house money, a team that was not expected to even make it past the regional round. On the other, an internal belief that the standard at Miami is Omaha, a belief it was their job to uphold said standard.

It was a typical winner-take-all affair, with both sides trading blows and unwilling to kneel to the other. 

With only one run separating the dueling ACC sides, it came down to a seventh inning RBI single by Louisville by Eddie King Jr. that fell just past the outstretched arm of Miami’s center fielder Mikey Torres.

Just like in the regional decider which sent Miami to supers, graduate transfer Reese Lumpkin got the start for the Hurricanes. And once again Lumpkin did his job, shutting down the Louisville lineup through the first time of the lineup and limiting damage through his second, only allowing two runs through four and two-thirds innings.

Lumpkin was matched up against freshman Ethan Eberle, a lefty who battles far beyond his years, and the pair coasted through the opening two innings, consistently generating weak contact as they worked through the lineup.

That was until freshman Mikey Torres provided a spark at the bottom of the lineup, lacing a single to center in the top of the third as Miami looked to strike first. And with two strikes and two outs, Max Galvin came through, launching a two-run homer down the right field line, sending the Hurricane faithful into a frenzy with a 2-0 lead.

But just like in Saturday’s game, this Louisville team always finds a way to comeback.

The Cards’ threatened in the third with runners at the corners, but Lumpkin was able to escape the jam by striking out the red-hot Jake Munroe. However the ’Canes were not as lucky in the fourth as Louisville tied it up with some quality small ball. It began with Garret Pike laying down a beautiful bunt down the third base line before being driven in with an RBI double by Zion Rose, before Rose himself was driven in with a fielder’s choice.

Lumpkin’s day was done, exiting for lefty Rob Evans who was able to escape the inning still tied at 2-2.

With a tie ballgame heading into the fifth, the game essentially reset into a five-inning shootout, with the winner headed to the College World Series. 

But with the momentum on the UL side, they threatened again in the fifth. Starting with a single by leadoff Lucas Moore, Louisville had an immediate threat to score with Moore’s top of the line speed. Evans was able to get the following out, but head coach J.D. Arteaga opted to bring in “Fireman” Will Smith to get out of the inning.

Smith’s outing didn’t begin as hoped for Arteaga with back-to-back walks being issued, but in typical “Fireman” Smith fashion he promptly got out of the inning with a strikeout and groundout, rallying the dugout as he charged off the mound.

Momentum now on Miami’s side, the ’Canes had energy going into the sixth as Galvin led off with a single that knocked Eberle out of the game. Now entered Jake Shweitzer who was able to get the opening out of Daniel Cuvet. But two walks followed and loaded the bases for Renzo Gonzalez. Yet even with a rattled pitcher, Gonzalez made the ill-advised decision to swing on a 2-0 count and grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Both pitchers settled in their second innings of work as Smith struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth and Shweitzer threw a scoreless inning himself to start the seventh.

But despite Smith’s uncanny ability to escape jams, he wasn’t able to escape the seventh unscathed. After a two out single by Munroe, a wild pitch allowed him to advance to second, 90 feet that would become crucial as he would score on a single by Eddie King Jr., taking a 3-2 lead with two innings to play.

The Hurricanes mustered up a fight in the ninth as they threatened to tie the game, but as the fly ball hit the glove of Moore’s glove in center, Miami’s season came to a close.

A season of highs and lows, from being 15-15 to winning five straight ACC series to ending the season 1-6 and being run-ruled in the opening round of the ACC tournament to winning the Hattiesburg regional to make Miami’s first super regional appearance since 2016. This team fought, this team battled, but most importantly this team embodied what it meant to be a Miami Hurricane.

Miami defeats Louisville 9-6 in pivotal Game 2, one win from Omaha

Zach Cohen
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Miami defeats Louisville 9-6 in pivotal Game 2, one win from Omaha

After an underwhelming and disappointing Game 1 of the NCAA Super Regional, falling 8-1, Miami’s backs were against the wall. It was either win and play for a shot at Omaha, or lose and go home. On Super Saturday, the Hurricanes answered in front of a full-capacity crowd at Jim Patterson Stadium, winning 9-6.

Miami, holding a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth, looked for some insurance runs. With runners at first and second and one out, sophomore Daniel Cuvet dug in to the right-handed batter’s box. On a 1-0 pitch, Cuvet crushed a ball over the left-field wall and into the lawn seating, taking a 9-5 lead.

Going back to the fourth, the ’Canes put up an important four-spot in the run column. The game went from a score of 5-1 to 5-5. The bottom of the order came through, Sophomore Jake Kulikowski, making a start as the designated hitter, singled up the middle to score Derek Williams from second base. Kulikowski’s two-hit performance showed why he should be penciled into the lineup more frequently.

Staying in the fourth, freshman Michael Torres hitting in the nine-hole and junior Jake Ogden at leadoff had phenomenal performances. Torres singled to center, advancing Kulikowski to third to put runners at the corners with two outs. Ogden went on to hit a three-run blast to left field. Torres and Ogden racked up three hits each.

Louisville’s early offense came from quality at-bats, but it also wasn’t junior Griffin Hugus’s best performance on the bump. In Hattiesburg, Hugus threw a complete game but could not bring the heat to Kentucky. He went a mere three innings, giving up five and allowing four runs.

Miami scored one run in both the second and seventh innings.

In relief, Miami (35-26, 15-14 ACC) head coach J.D. Arteaga used Rob Evans, Carson Fischer, and Brian Walters. Evans only lasted two-thirds of an inning, but Fischer picked up the bullpen by going 3.1 innings. In his 10-out appearance, he only gave up one run and hit while striking out three. 

Walters was called on to get the six-out save. After smooth sailing in the eighth, he ran into choppy waters while closing out the game in the ninth. He gave up a double and a single, allowing a Cardinal to score, and moved the score to 9-6. Cuvet’s three-run blast turned out to be ever so important. Walters was able to get out of the jam and close the door on Louisville (39-22, 15-15 ACC).

Miami takes the field Sunday at noon, just nine innings from Omaha — and their first College World Series trip since 2016.

Super Regional setback: Miami drops opening game 8-1 in a commanding loss to Louisville

Sebastian Font
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Super Regional setback: Miami drops opening game 8-1 in a commanding loss to Louisville

In their first Super Regional since 2016, the Miami Hurricanes stood two wins away from Omaha with only the Louisville Cardinals standing in their way. 

And while the Hurricanes hoped to get one step closer to their goal, they were surely kept in place as Louisville took a commanding 8-1 win in the opener.

Louisville was dominant on both sides of the ball with Patrick Forbes going five and two-thirds innings with nine strikeouts while the offense took charge with plenty of hard hits across the diamond, spearheaded by third baseman Jake Munroe’s two homer day.

Freshman A.J Ciscar got the start for the opening game for the Hurricanes, looking to recreate his opening start versus Alabama in the regional round, but struggled to execute with poorly placed pitches and a costly error as he only went two and a third innings giving up six earned runs.

After a quiet first inning, Miami threatened in the second after back-to-back walks followed by a HBP loaded the bases for UM. Forbes was really struggling for the Cards, but was able to escape the jam with back-to-back strikeouts to energize the Louisville dugout.

The Cardinals proceeded to ride said momentum with a pair of homers from Garret Pike and Munroe to take an early 2-0 lead. Ciscar was able to escape the inning, but a plethora of barrels indicated the Louisville lineup were seeing him well.

UM loaded up the bases again in the third, hoping to not squander the opportunity for the second inning in a row. The ’Canes were able to plate one via a Renzo Gonzalez sac fly, but were unable to truly seize the opportunity once again as Forbes worked out of the inning.

In a recurring theme of loaded bases, Louisville responded with a bases loaded situation of their own. And with one out the Hurricanes were gifted a life line with a double play opportunity grounded to Ciscar.

But he was unable to complete the play as he launched the ball past Tanner Smith at home which resulted in no outs being secured and two runs scored on the play. Furthermore, the baseball gods added onto the pain as the next batter in Munroe launched his second homer of the day to left field, a three run shot which gave Louisville a commanding 7-1 lead and ended Ciscar’s day prematurely.

With plenty of insurance for him to work with, Forbes began to coast through the next two innings despite his high pitch count, while redshirt sophomore Jake Dorn entered the game for the ’Canes.

Like in the Southern Miss blowout, Dorn was able to provide some key innings in a blowout game to save other bullpen arms, only allowing one run on a sac fly.

The sixth saw pitching changes for both teams as Miami was finally able to knock Forbes out of the game for righty Brennyn Cutts, but failed to capitalize on him through his appearance. Senior Jackson Cleveland came in to replace Dorn which further strengthened the pattern from the Southern Miss game last Sunday, effectively working through the UL lineup for two innings.

With both teams seeming content with turning the page to tomorrow, the pair coasted through the remaining innings as the score remained 8-1 through nine.

Louisville now sits one win away from going to Omaha as Miami needs to bounce back and win two in a row to make their Omaha return.

Even with the lopsided loss, there were some bright spots for the Hurricanes. If Ciscar was able to make the routine play, the third inning would’ve been over right then and there, erasing five of Louisville’s runs. Moreover, on the offensive side the ’Canes left 12 runners on base with only six hits on the day with Max Galvin accounting for three of them. And while it’s all what-ifs, the score line could’ve easily been flipped the other way.

With the best of three format of the super regionals, thankfully Miami will get an opportunity to right those wrongs tomorrow at 11:00 a.m. ET as they look to keep their season alive.

State Department pauses interviews for international student visas

Elena Fallow
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The State Department announced that it is temporarily suspending student and exchange visas. This announcement comes four days after a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration’s attempt to prevent Harvard from enrolling international students.

Secretary of State Macro Rubio issued an order to United States embassies and consulates  , telling consulate officers to scrutinize certain applicants’ social media and to refer them to the fraud prevention unit.

While visa applicants have been asked to list their social media accounts on applications since 2019, the focus on scrutinizing applicants’ social media accounts follows the recent outrage over Israel’s war in Gaza.

According to the State Department, the suspension was part of the “dynamic” scheduling process to interview for those visas. According to the State Department, interview timelines are based on the up-to-date information immigration officers need for a proper review of the applicant.

Barbara Valentin, a former Citizen and Immigration Services Officer, shared her thoughts on the temporary suspension. 

“I have mixed feelings about it because there are students that come to the states to study, and it’s not coming out of our pockets,” Valentin said. “There are so many students around the world who do not have the opportunity that they could have here. That’s why they come.”

However, Valentin also believes that privilege comes with responsibility and accountability.

“We are giving you the privilege, because it is a privilege, to come into the United States to study. However, you came here to study, so study. Don’t get into it. You have a voice, yes and you can talk about [political issues] amongst your friends, but putting it on social media for the whole world to see can get you in trouble.”

Some international students see the suspension of interviews as more than a responsibility to uphold. 

“I am sad that this is happening because I have friends and family that are going to and want to study in the states,” said an anonymous international student at the University of Miami. 

“Now they might not have the same opportunity I have.” 

The State Department’s order to further scrutinize social media activity has also left this student on edge.

“I also feel like I am walking on eggshells all the time, especially with what I do on my personal social media account,” the student said. “Even though I have my visa I don’t want to risk losing it.”

As for senior Derby Peck, an American resident and global studies major, she believes the temporary halt of interviews could negatively impact the United States’ global relationships. 

“Exchange programs and international students are a way to strengthen our diplomatic ties and promote cross-cultural relationships between the U.S. and other nations,” Peck said. “Removing international students’ opportunity to study at our universities defeats the core purpose of our education, sharing knowledge and learning from each other.”

The Trump administration has made no other attempts to restrict an institution’s ability to enroll international students, yet the pause on interviews and additional requirements raises questions about the future of international and exchange students in the United States.

While it is unknown when interviews will resume, the State Department has told embassies and  consulates to conduct additional vetting of any applicant who wants to visit Harvard for any reason. 

Dr. Dipen Parekh appointed new CEO of UHealth

Katie Karlson
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Dr. Dipen Parekh appointed new CEO of UHealth

Dr. Dipen Parekh has been named chief executive officer of UHealth and the executive vice president for health affairs as of Monday, June 2, following a unanimous Board of Trustees vote. 

Parekh is a renowned urologic oncologist who received his M.D. from the University of Poona in India in 1990. He has been a member of the ’Canes community since 2012 when he joined as chair of the Department of Urology. 

Since then, Parekh has taken on greater leadership roles and has served as the chief operating officer of UM’s Health System since 2020. He works closely with UM President Joe Echevarria to improve UHealth. 

UHealth is the only university-based medical system in South Florida, making it an integral part of the region’s research and education.

In the 2024–2025 year, UHealth was recognized in 15 different types of care as one of U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals. Parekh is the founding director of the Desai Sethi Urology Institute at UHealth, ranked No. 15 in NIH urology research funding by the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. 

“In 2019, for example, we witnessed incredible growth in robotic urology surgeries,” Parekh wrote in a letter. “UHealth now accounts for 49% of the South Florida market, up from 17% only two years earlier.” 

Throughout his time at UHealth, Parekh has made significant contributions to cutting-edge research. Parekh led an innovative seven-year study beginning in 2018 that proved robotic-assisted surgery for bladder cancer was just as effective as traditional surgery. 

Having performed more than 6,000 robotic urologic cancer surgeries, Parekh is considered one of the most experienced practitioners in the world. He is also a strong contributor to UM’s community and was inducted into Iron Arrow Honor Society, the university’s highest honor. 

Parekh’s unprecedented studies, global recognition and intense dedication to research and patient care made him a natural choice for CEO. 

“As Joe ascended to become president of the University of Miami a year ago, [Parekh’s] talent, experience, academic pedigree and work ethic made him the right choice to become CEO of the health system,” said Stuart Miller, chair of the UHealth Board of Directors.

Parekh was named executive dean of clinical affairs at the Miller School of Medicine in 2021. In this role, he focused on uniting the academic and clinical aspects of the curriculum to ensure that UHealth remains a competitive research institution dedicated to enhancing health. 

Three years later, Becker’s Hospital Review honored him as one of the top 60 academic health COOs to know in 2024.     

​​“While Joe will continue to be the president of both the University and UHealth, [Parekh] will leverage his considerable skills and credibility as a surgeon, clinical leader and NCI-funded scientist with over 200 peer-reviewed publications,” said Miller. “[He will] lead the stellar faculty and clinicians at South Florida’s only academic health system and to enhance our critical community partnership with Jackson Health System.”

Parekh will continue treating patients and conducting research as he steps into his new role as CEO.

“I am profoundly grateful for the trust placed in me,” Parekh said. “[And I am] energized by the opportunity to advance our shared mission of delivering world-class care, pioneering research and transformative education.”

Hurricanes advance to its first Super Regionals since 2016, defeat Southern Miss 5-4

Zach Cohen
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Hurricanes advance to its first Super Regionals since 2016, defeat Southern Miss 5-4

With two outs and a runner on second in the top of the ninth, Miami closer Brian Walters stood just one out away from sending his team to the Super Regionals, clinging to a 5-2 lead. Facing Southern Miss’s Carson Paetow, Walters looked to shut the door—but Paetow had other plans. On the very first pitch, he launched a two-run homer to left-center, cutting the deficit to one and breathing life into Southern Miss (47-16, 24-6 SBC). Now, with the tying run at the plate in Seth Smith, the pressure mounted. Walters, staying composed, got Smith to fly out to Max Galvin on a 2-1 count. Just like that, the Hurricanes erupted into celebration, dogpiling on the mound. For the first time since 2016, Miami is headed back to the Super Regionals with a nail-biting 5-4 victory.

In what has been a rollercoaster season for Miami, its hard work and belief in one another led to a triumphant return to the Super Regionals. Few expected the Hurricanes to succeed in Hattiesburg, but they proved people wrong and made a bold statement. In postseason baseball, the regular season records mean nothing—and Miami is living proof of that.

Miami’s midweek starter Reese Lumpkin got the call to start the game for the Hurricanes in a win-or-go home situation. Lumpkin, who has shown great moments in a Miami uniform put together a solid outing before running into some trouble. In his first three innings of work, he allowed only one hit while striking out one. He came back to work in the fourth inning but gave up two singles, a walk, and a run that took him out the game with one out in the inning.

The Hurricanes scored their first run of the game in the second inning. On a 1-0 pitch, senior Derek Williams hit a towering 411 ft blast to dead center field. It was his first home run since coming off injury. 

The bats on Miami’s behalf woke up in the fifth and sixth innings, scoring two runs a piece. 

In the fifth, Jake Ogden doubled to right center, scoring freshman Michael Torres who singled then reached second on a passed ball. Max Galvin, the two hole hitter, hit a base knock up the middle that brought home Ogden.

Amidst the offensive resurgence in the middle innings, star slugger Daniel Cuvet had a rare bad night. He went 0-4, striking out twice.

Going into the top of the sixth, Dorian Gonzalez Jr hit a solo shot to right field. He has been making a statement all Regional long. Torres picked up his second hit to score Williams. After six, Miami (34-25, 15-14 ACC) led 5-1.

After Miami head coach J.D. Arteaga pulled Lumpkin, in came a pumped-up Will Smith. He threw three innings of one-hit and one-run baseball, striking out four. When it mattered most, Smith came through for his most electric appearance of the season.

Through seven, the score was 5-2, and it stayed that way after a scoreless eighth. Despite some drama to close out the game, the Hurricanes won 5-4. 

Miami is now just two wins away from its first trip to Omaha since 2008. They will now head to Kentucky to face ACC foe, Louisville. In the best-of-three series, first pitch is scheduled for Friday at 3 p.m. and will air on ESPN2.

Hurricanes can’t rally after rough first inning, lose 17-6 to Southern Miss

Zach Cohen
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Hurricanes can’t rally after rough first inning, lose 17-6 to Southern Miss

On a pristine Sunday night in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, the Miami Hurricanes looked to advance to the super regionals for the first time since 2016. However, in their first regional final since 2022, the ’Canes were blown out 17–6 in Game 1. Now, their season will come down to one final game on Monday night.

The double-elimination style tournament gifted Miami another life after successful defeats against Alabama and Columbia. No.1 seed and tournament host, Southern Miss made it to the regional final after losing to Columbia in the first round, then defeating Alabama and Columbia in back-to-back days. Miami had a chance to put the Golden Eagles away since they already had one loss, but failed to do so.

Miami freshman Tate DeRias got the starting nod in what he hoped would be a successful start to advance to the super regional part of the NCAA baseball tournament. DeRias emerged as the Sunday starter in the second half of the season, but his ERA began to rise towards the end of the campaign. The bright lights of playoff baseball got to DeRias early.

In the top of the first inning, a mix of poor pitch location and the strong bats of Southern Miss (47-15, 24-6 SBC) banged DeRias up right away. He gave up singles left and right, and although he got to two outs fairly quickly, the Golden Eagles rallied. A three-run blast from two-hole hitter, Joey Urban, in his second time around, bounced DeRias from the game. In two-thirds of an inning, he gave up seven hits, nine runs, and walked one batter. Lefty Jake Dorn was able to get out of the inning after striking out Nick Monistere. After one, the Golden Eagles led 9-0.

The Hurricanes’ first run of the game came off the bat of Tanner Smith, who hit a solo shot to left field.

Dorn, pitching in limited action throughout the regular season, put together a quality relief appearance in Hattiesburg. In 3.1 innings pitched, he allowed two hits, one run, and struck out three batters.

10-1 after four, Miami tacked on four runs in the bottom of the fifth. Michael Torres picked up a hit and an RBI, and Jake Ogden doubled and picked up two RBIs. Dorian Gonzalez Jr, after a career-high eight RBI performance on Saturday night, picked up another one on a fielder’s choice.

Jackson Cleveland and Alex Giroux combined for three innings of work, giving up two runs in the seventh. Miami scored in the bottom of the eighth on a Golden Eagles throwing error. It was 13-6 after eight.

Things got even uglier in the ninth when freshman lefty Michael Fernandez wrapped up his outing, allowing three runs over 1.1 innings. With the game out of hand, Miami (33-25, 15-14 ACC) head coach JD Arteaga turned to shortstop Brandon DeGoti to pitch with one out in the top of the ninth. DeGoti managed to record just one out while surrendering two runs, before Rob Evans came on to get the final out of the frame.

After an embarrassing 17-6 loss, the Miami Hurricanes face a win-or-go-home scenario. They’ll look for revenge and a ticket to the super regionals on Monday night at 9 p.m. Eastern, as they take on Southern Miss at Pete Taylor Park.

Miami baseball earns spot in Hattiesburg regional final after crushing Columbia, 14-1

Max Diaz
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Miami baseball earns spot in Hattiesburg regional final after crushing Columbia, 14-1

The 2025 NCAA baseball tournament has started out perfectly for the Miami Hurricanes, winning their first two games in the tournament to secure themselves in their regional’s final, putting them a win away from the super regionals.

This is a great shock since many thought the Hurricanes would not even make the tournament after a subpar regular season and a poor showing in the ACC tournament, where the Hurricanes were mercy-ruled in eight innings by No. 16 seed California, 12-2. Still, luck was on their side as they earned a No. 3 seed in the regional.

Miami’s first win came Friday with a 5-3 win over No. 2 seed Alabama. The ’Canes got their second win of the tournament Saturday night, defeating No. 4 seed Columbia, which had upset regional host Southern Miss the day before. The Ivy League champions proved to be no issue for the Hurricanes as they defeated the Lions by a wide margin of 14-1. 

The game against Columbia was like an in-game batting practice for UM from the start. The Miami batters started the bottom of the first inning with five straight hits. A double play ended the rally, but not before the Hurricanes took an early 4-0 lead—three runs coming from hits and another from a wild pitch.

The second and third innings featured a Miami runner making it to third at some point in the frame, but neither would turn into runs. Columbia scored its first and only run of the game at the top of the fourth inning in the form of a solo home run from senior outfielder Anton Lazits, which brought the score to 4-1. 

UM’s start to the bottom of the fourth seemed to be the start of a three and out as the first two batters failed to make it to first safely. Junior Jake Ogden got the offense started with a single and steal of second. Redshirt junior Max Galvin drove him Ogden in with a double, bringing the score to 5-1.

Next up to bat was slugger Daniel Cuvet, who Columbia wanted absolutely nothing to do with as they intentionally walked him. Instead, they chose to face senior Dorian Gonzalez Jr., who made the Lions regret that decision as he homered on the first pitch he saw to bring Miami to an even more dominating lead of 8-1.

The next Hurricane run came in the bottom of the sixth inning in the form of a solo shot from Galvin to increase their lead to 9-1. That turned out to be the only run of the sixth, but the ’Canes tallied four more in the seventh off of a grand slam from Gonzalez Jr. to bring up that commanding lead to 13-1.

The final run of the game for UM came in the eighth in the form of a double freshman effort with Fabio Perlata coming in to score off of a Michael Torres single, bringing the score to its final, 14-1. 

The Hurricanes put on a clinic in the hitting department tallying 14 runs, 16 hits and three home runs, but the offense wasn’t the only story.

Miami starting pitcher Griffin Hugus was the only Hurricane to take the mound during the entire game. In an incredible nine innings of work, Hugus threw 123 pitches and struck out nine batters while allowing up eight hits, one walk and only one run. Thanks to Hugus’ dominating and probably exhausting performance, Miami did not have to use a single reliever, an advantage in tournament play. 

The Hurricanes will play in the regional final today at 7 p.m. against the winner of the Southern Miss—Columbia elimination game.

University of Miami professor steps into the kid’s literature world

Tracy Ramos
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“I never had an idea that came like a bolt of lightning before,” said Chantel Acevedo, a University of Miami English professor and double creative writing alumna. 

In the summer of 2017, Acevedo got the idea for her first middle-grade book, for ages 8-12. She went on a family vacation to England and visited the Victoria and Albert Museum. She said the idea came when she saw a statue of a muse.

“I saw it and asked myself, ‘how would the muses inspire people differently if they were kids?’” said Acevedo, referring to the muses in Greek mythology. “I got my phone out and started writing plot points.”

That question inspired Acevedo to write her two-book series, “Muse Squad.” Before their trip, her daughter Penelope, who was 11, had asked her when she’d write for kids. At that time, Acevedo had already published four adult novels. Penelope, now 19 and a freshman at the University of Miami, said she was ecstatic when her mom wrote the duology.

“As a kid, I bragged that my mom was an author,” said Penelope Acevedo, a music industry major. “It was hard to read her adult novels when I was in middle school. I was excited when she wrote ‘Muse Squad’ because my friends and I could read it.”

Acevedo published “Muse Squad: The Cassandra Curse” in July 2020. She described that year as “not a great time to launch a new thing.”

“The publisher, HarperCollins, created a tremendous marketing plan,” said Acevedo. “But then the COVID-19 pandemic started and that all fell apart. Kids stopped going to libraries and bookstores, and so they couldn’t discover new books.”

Acevedo said sales were “nonexistent” for the first six months. But she never stopped writing the sequel. 

“I was editing the sequel when the first book was published,” said Acevedo.

Acevedo published the sequel in 2021. She said the duology eventually gained readers and was considered for film adaptation by The Walt Disney Company.

“There were talks about turning ‘Muse Squad’ into a TV show,” said Acevedo, a Cuban American. “But we didn’t make a deal because they couldn’t guarantee using the same title and having a Latina main character.”

In 2023, her book “The Curse on Spectacle Key” was nominated for the Sunshine State Young Readers Award, recognizing its power to encourage literacy among young students. 

As an author in Florida, Acevedo has been affected by the state’s recent book bans. She visited Florida schools to talk about her book in 2023. At the same time, Florida experienced an unprecedented number of book bans. 

Though none of Acevedo’s books were banned, the regulations affected her school visits.

“Here in Miami, they dried up,” said Acevedo. “Principals said they didn’t want author visits because a parent might not like what an author says and sue the school.”

Some schools that allowed author visits made extreme requests. A school in Immokalee, an unincorporated community near Naples, requested she have a million dollar insurance policy, in case a parent were to sue.

“Many of my school visits are unpaid, so I have to pay for my expenses myself,” Acevedo said. “I couldn’t afford that and couldn’t visit the school, which was heartbreaking.”

Acevedo said books bans have become a much larger issue than when she was a high school English teacher, a decade ago. Acevedo said she does what she can to address the bans and promote children’s readership.

“I recently talked with a School of Education faculty member about how they could promote writing and reading for kids,” said Acevedo. “Having those conversations and voting on these issues are important.”

Acevedo said she won’t stop writing, despite challenges.

“Storytelling is something I’ve always done,” said Acevedo, “It’s something I’m always going to do.”

Discover the worlds in Acevedo’s books by purchasing them wherever books are sold. Acevedo’s fifth kids book, “No Way, Never Sisters,” which she wrote with UM alumna Natalia Sylvester, is projected to publish in 2026. Acevedo’s adult novel “Cages” is also set for 2026.

Ciscar shines, leads Miami to a 5-3 win in Hattiesburg Regional opener

Zach Cohen
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Ciscar shines, leads Miami to a 5-3 win in Hattiesburg Regional opener

With two outs and two runners on — including the tying run at second — redshirt junior Brian Walters looked to escape the jam and send Miami into the winners’ bracket. On a 1-0 pitch, Alabama left fielder Kade Snell hit a fly ball to the deepest part of the yard, but Michael Torres made the catch at the wall for the final out.

The Hurricanes began their journey to Omaha on Friday, May 30, at the Hattiesburg Regional in the 2025 NCAA baseball tournament. Entering as the No. 3 seed, Miami opened with a 5-3 victory over No. 2 seed Alabama. The other two teams in the regional are the host, No. 1 seed Southern Mississippi, and No. 4 seed Columbia. Despite a weather delay, early offense and strong pitching propelled Miami to the win.

Tasked with being the game 1 starting pitcher for the ’Canes was freshman phenom AJ Ciscar. Ciscar finished the season with a 5-1 record, 3.78 ERA, and member of the 2025 ACC All-Freshman team. He looked to make noise in his first career NCAA tournament appearance.

Ciscar worked quickly in his first three innings, throwing fewer than 40 pitches and allowing no runs. He hit a rough patch in the bottom of the fourth, allowing three runs on three hits, including one to former Hurricane Jason Torres. Holding a 4-3 lead after four, Ciscar dealt for three more innings. He finished the game pitching seven innings of six-hit ball, striking out eight, allowing three runs, and throwing 97 pitches.

Miami’s offense got rolling early in the top of the first. Junior Jake Ogden led off with a five-pitch walk, and Max Galvin followed that up with a single to right field that advanced Ogden to third. Sophomore standout Daniel Cuvet made the most of his first postseason action. He hit a towering three-run blast to right field that got Miami up to a 3-0 lead.

Alabama (41-17, 16-14 SEC) starting pitcher, Riley Quick, was hitting 99 mph with his fastball, but that was unable to slow the Miami hitters down early in the game. Miami did damage in the first and scored a run in the third and fifth innings off Quick. He went on to throw six innings, allowing five runs, eight hits, and four walks on 108 pitches.

Senior Derek Williams picked up his first hit since his injury in mid-April in the first inning.

Miami’s third-inning run came off the bat of Renzo Gonzalez on a single up the middle that scored Cuvet from second. Cuvet picked up his second hit of the afternoon on a double to left-center.

In the fifth, the Hurricanes scored thanks to Max Galvin’s home run to right-center. After five, Miami (32-24, 15-14 ACC) held a 5-3 lead and never looked back.

In the bottom of the eighth, Miami head coach J.D. Arteaga called on Carson Fischer. Fischer, running into a bit of trouble, was pulled with two outs in the frame. Rob Evans struck out Brady Neal emphatically to end the inning. In the ninth, Walters picked up the save in dramatic fashion.

With the 5-3 win, the Hurricanes earned breathing room in the double-elimination format. Next, they’ll face the winner of Southern Mississippi and Columbia on Saturday at 9 p.m. Eastern.

Tariff turmoil in April: Uncertainty rises as markets react

Ross Kluger
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Tariff turmoil in April: Uncertainty rises as markets react

April’s economic landscape was shaken by the Trump administration’s “Liberation Day” tariffs, which were announced on April 2. This initiative imposes a universal tariff in an effort to address what the administration described as years of unfair trade practices. 

In Miami and across Florida, the impact of these tariffs was especially significant due to a large reliance on international trade. Sectors like construction and retail reported projected losses of up to 40% due to higher costs for imported materials from China. Experts warned that the average Floridian, including college students, could pay an additional $1,000 to $2,000 per year on everyday goods.

Ryan Carell, a finance major, expressed his uncertainty about the future of the economy.

“I don’t know what the next move will be, but people are definitely talking about the tariffs on campus. Hopefully it settles down soon,” said Carell.

This announcement sent shockwaves through global markets, prompting a rare coordinated response from U.S. trading partners. China, Japan and South Korea publicly announced they would respond in unison, with South Korea’s trade ministry spokesperson calling the tariffs “somewhat exaggerated.”

The tariffs were met with backlash from American businesses with many expressing concern  about the future economy and rising inflation rates. In response, the White House issued a significant policy shift on April 9. The administration temporarily paused the country-specific tariffs, which had been set at differing rates, and instead lowered most U.S. allies’ rates to a flat 10%. 

However, it was clear that the new focus was mainly on Chinese imports, raising duties to 125%. This “rate” is the percentage of a product’s value importers pay as a border tariff — for example, a 125% tariff means an importer pays $125 in tariffs for every $100 worth of goods imported from China. Notably, the White House later clarified that this 125% rate is in addition to an existing 20% tariff, bringing the total effective tariff on most Chinese imports to 145%.

On Friday, April 11, the White House announced that microchips, computers, and smartphones would be exempt from the tariffs, which are among China’s largest export categories. This move was designed to alleviate some of the pressure on American technology companies and consumers. 

This policy allows U.S. tech companies that depend on Chinese manufacturing to avoid steep tariff costs, helping prevent higher expenses and potential price spikes for American consumers. At the same time, the exemptions benefit Chinese firms by maintaining a vital source of revenue from major tech exports to the U.S.

The market’s reaction during the early stages was severe. The stock market lost a collective $536 billion in the two days following the tariff announcements. The Fear and Greed Index, which measures daily investor sentiment, hit a low of 4 in early April before recovering slightly to 19 currently – still in the “extreme fear” category. Furthermore, Americans’ expectations for inflation rose to their highest level since 1981, reflecting their anxiety over the rising prices.

Conversely, large banks such as Bank of America and Citigroup have reported large first quarter profits with a surge in trading revenue. This suggests that for the time being, larger-scale corporations and businesses are not aligned with the public outlook.

The coming weeks will test whether the drastic policy changes can stabilize the markets and restore confidence once again or if more turbulence is to come.

A legacy to remember, the life of Allan Herbert

Elena Fallow
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It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Allan Herbert, a proud triple ‘Cane, longtime University of Miami philanthropist and former member of the university’s Board of Trustees.

Herbert died on May 11 at 89 years old. 

He is survived by his two sons, Steven and Kevin Herbert, as well as his grandchildren, Daphne Herbert and Begonia Herbert-Ramirez.

Herbert was born on Aug. 27, 1935, in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Miami with his family at the age of five. He later attended the University of Miami, where he earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1955 and an MBA three years later. It was there that he met the love of his life, Patti McBride.

While studying at the U, the couple worked together on the staff of The Miami Hurricane. Although he studied business, Herbert learned the importance of deadlines during his time with the paper. He would later share this lesson during his address at the fall of 2023 graduate degree commencement ceremony, where he was also awarded a Ph.D. from the business school.

“As an undergrad, I had as many journalism credits as I did in accounting,” Herbert said. “I was fortunate because as a former journalist I knew about deadlines.”

After his time at the U, Herbert served in the Air Force for just under a decade. He then worked various jobs in Miami, including running his historic family business — the art deco Richmond Hotel in Miami Beach. 

Eventually Herbert moved his family to Beverly Hills, Calif. and worked for Teledyne Technologies. He started off leading Teledyne’s internal audits and was later promoted to president of one of Teledyne’s subsidiaries, Argonaut Insurance. 

After leading successful careers in their respective fields, the couple made a generous $8 million donation to the university. This donation led to the Patti and Allan Herbert Wellness Center being named in their honor and the renovation of its fitness room. A decade later, in 2017, the couple made another donation to the business school. 

His dedication to the school did not end there. Herbert served on the school’s Board of Trustees from 2013 to 2024, served on the Frost School of Music Dean’s Advisory Committee and contributed to the betterment of nine other departments at the U.

A memorial service honoring Allan’s life is scheduled for Tuesday, May 27, at 3 p.m. at Levitt-Weinstein Memorial Chapels & Cemeteries, 18840 W. Dixie Highway, North Miami Beach. Friends and family are invited.

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