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A capella group BisCaydence qualifies for international competition

Andy Acuna
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A capella group BisCaydence qualifies for international competition

Frost a capella group BisCaydence is headed to the International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella finals after placing first in the semifinal round.

The award-winning a cappella group beat 450 other groups in the semifinal round to advance to the international competition. Due to the generous support of the University of Miami community, SAFAC and Frost School of Music, BisCaydence will perform in NYC on April 27. With this win, BisCaydence becomes one of the top 10 groups in the entire world advancing to finals.

“It’s almost been a full week at this point, but it still hasn’t fully set in,” said Logan Sandefur, a Modern Artist Development and Entrepreneurship major in the Frost School of Music. Sandefur has been the Music Director for BisCaydence since last May.

After being accepted into the ICCA, BisCaydence placed at quarterfinals and won two special awards. Members Josh Mims and Amanda Bencomo received the “Outstanding Soloist” for their duet of “Apologize” by OneRepublic, and Logan Sandefur won “Outstanding VP” for the whole set.

The ICCA is an international competition run by Varsity Vocals dedicated to showing the art of student a cappella and providing feedback through highly qualified judges. From its beginning to now, it has grown to include 450 groups in nine different regions of the world, including the U.S. and Europe. Groups must participate in quarterfinals and semifinals to get the chance to go to finals.

At the South Semifinals on March 16, where the group took first place, several BisCaydence members also received awards for their performances. Angelina Corbin received the South’s Best Soloist award for “Snow Angel” by Reneé Rapp, and Logan Sandefur, Julia Barrist and Jason Fieler shared the award for Best Arrangement for their set, which they named “Frostbite.”

This is the second time the team has made it to the finals, the first time being in 2019 when the group placed second.

“BisCaydence took its first trip to finals back in 2019, but the group is completely different now,” Sandefur said.

Sandefur joined BisCaydence as a freshman in the fall of 2021.

“That year’s seniors were the last remaining members of the 2019 Finals group, and they gave us a lot of insight into what it takes to do well in ICCAs,” Sandefur said.

BisCaydence, which focuses on co-ed pop music, is one of the three acapella groups on campus. It is joined by Tufaan, which focuses on Hindi-American fusion, and Phoenyx, the most recent acapella group that sings a variety of genres.

Phoenyx and BisCaydence both competed in the ICCA quarterfinals in Orlando on Feb. 17. Though both groups excelled, BisCaydence took home second place and advanced to semifinals.

The group is excited to represent UM at the international level.

“The fact that we get to represent ourselves and the U on the highest stage is absolutely insane to me,” Sandefur said. “It also has been such an incredible opportunity for us to network with some of the country’s top a cappella writers, producers, and choreographers.”

‘Are you ready for it?’ New Taylor Swift class arrives for fall semester

Diana Moschetti
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‘Are you ready for it?’ New Taylor Swift class arrives for fall semester

The University of Miami is entering its Swiftie era with the new elective course, STC 290: The Mastermind of the Taylor Swift Brand, coming to campus in the fall of 2024.

The strategic communications class, which will take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., is open to all majors.

Taught by Dr. Alyse Renee Lancaster, STC 290 will focus on the pivotal role that social media has played in crafting and amplifying Taylor Swift’s billion-dollar brand. Throughout the course, students will unravel the strategies Swift employed to captivate her global audience and foster strong brand loyalty for generations to come.

The idea for the class came to Lancaster while she was listening to a playlist of Swift’s songs while exercising. Now, she says she’s “never been more excited” to teach a course in her career.

“Every time I hear one of her songs, listen to one of her interviews or see a photo of her and Travis Kelce, more ideas for the class come to me, and the syllabus continues to evolve,” Lancaster said.

Junior Emma Craig, a biomedical engineering major and diehard Swiftie, plans to register for the course.

“It’s going to be a “Cruel Summer” waiting until fall for the new Taylor Swift class coming to UM,” Craig said. “I’ll be keeping my eyes open on the seats available.”

The class will explore Swift’s powerful storytelling ability, highlighting how her lyrics connect fans through relatable experiences and emotions.

Delving into Swift’s personal experiences, class discussions will cover key concepts such as freedom of speech, the right to privacy for public figures and the proliferation of fake news.

Students will get to analyze Taylor’s life experiences, Easter eggs and playful interactions that have allowed her to deepen her connection with fans over the years.

Charlotte Steffian, a sophomore English major, recognizes Swift as an exceptional storyteller.

“She captures specific moments and feelings,” Steffian said. “Take the whole love triangle thing with “Cardigan,” “August” and “Betty.” I want to watch that movie.”

The class, however, is not limited to Swifties. Even students who aren’t fans of the artist recognize her ability to sell her brand.

“I respect her as a businesswoman,” said Ariella Green, a freshman public relations major. “I appreciate what she’s done and have a lot of respect for her breaking grounds and going from country to pop and then her own style.”

Some students in the School of Communication look forward to taking the class and applying Swift’s successful tactics to their own careers.

“I think the topic of this class heavily aligns with what I have learned so far at UM, and I am interested in closely analyzing Taylor’s communication strategies and how they have gotten her to where she is now,” said Ava Prinzo, a sophomore majoring in creative advertising.

Though Lancaster recognizes some may see a class on Swift as a waste of time or “dumbing down education,” she believes studying the artist will show the power of brand-building and bring joy to the students in her class.

“It’s impossible to talk about Taylor Swift and not have fun, because spreading joy is, in essence, what Taylor Swift’s brand is all about,” Lancaster said. “And given all of the worrisome things happening in the world today, what’s wrong with spreading a little joy and happiness among stressed-out college students?”

Be ‘Swift’ about enrolling for STC 290, as limited seats are available. Students can add the class to their CaneLink shopping cart now, as registration begins on Monday, April 1.

Undergraduate film students produce sci-fi noir film, “JAMES OUTLAW”

Samantha Rodriguez
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Undergraduate film students produce sci-fi noir film, “JAMES OUTLAW”

With only $1,424 in donations, a student-led film crew will create futuristic costumes and sets for “JAMES OUTLAW: The Epiphany,” their science-fiction short film that begins production in late March.

The crew aims to mimic billion-dollar talent to prove great storytelling doesn’t have to break the bank.

Director Jeremiah Chaparro and producer Megan Marley’s film follows James Outlaw, an ex-police officer grieving over his past partner’s death. He begins to investigate ritualistic crimes connected to a malicious cult’s search for supernatural connection.

The masked vigilante battles paranormal forces besides Detective Korie Kohen. Audiences see Outlaw’s tragic past and road to redemption as the film highlights his inescapable past.

Military veteran and past criminal investigator Cody Sean Morgan plays Outlaw.

“He’s such a dynamic character that has so much more to him behind the mask, and I’m excited to be able to bring the best version of James I can,” Morgan said.

Lauren Parker, an alum of the University Center for the Performing Arts, stars as Kohen. Previously starring in productions such as “Of Mice and Men” and “A Streetcar Named Desire,” she hopes to bring emotional depth and witty sarcasm to her multidimensional role.

Chaparro has been creating Outlaw for years. He recalled making brief sketches of the rugged and stoic avenger during church.

“I’ve been trying basically for the past four years of my life to find out who James Outlaw is,” Chaparro said.

Since transferring to UM from the Borough of Manhattan Community College, Chaparro has crafted a character he finds as human as himself.

“I think he’s someone that I hope a lot of people can get behind and relate to and keep going forward and find their own kind of redemption through living with this character,” Chaparro said.

Chaparro remembered seeing people’s eyes light up when describing the project as a mix of “True Detective” and “Blade Runner.”

The passionate filmmakers work to show that science-fiction films deserve Oscar-winning notoriety. Despite the genre creating the most dedicated fandoms, Chaparro noticed that such films are often ignored by Hollywood’s elite.

“If you watch through the Cannes Film Festival or different levels of classes, how often do you see people attempting a high-concept sci-fi and police procedural story?” Chaparro said. “People are fearful of how it’s executed, fearful of coming across as cheesy.”

Chaparro started writing “JAMES OUTLAW: The Epiphany” in his advanced screenwriting class. Feedback from Professor Barbara Leibell inspired Chaparro to expand Outlaw’s motivations and personality. As Marley brainstormed the film’s world with Professor Rosario Cuellar, their high-concept vision became tangible.

Marley has also been creating fundraiser ideas and contacting businesses to feed more than 25 crew members, ranging from script supervisors to equipment managers. Creating schedules and location scouting have been some of her biggest challenges.

“As much as we want to go out and do the biggest thing that we can, we have to be realistic,” Marley said. “We don’t have years to do this.”

Renting equipment from the School of Communication’s film equipment room and meeting with professors outside of class became second nature to the filmmakers.

Professor Jon Gorchow’s $200 donation and their GoFundMe supporters empowered the filmmakers to cherish every cent. Contrary to modern productions, they aim to send viewers to a thrilling and fantastical world with practical costumes and sets, not just special effects.

“We demonstrate how we’re going to the future with how people are presenting themselves through their identities, sexualities and preferences,” Chaparro said. “It gets really strange, almost malevolent.”

Mimicking seasoned sci-fi writers’ techniques, the filmmakers will reimagine modern technology to show viewers a possible future.

“I want to ask the audience, is this a world you enjoy seeing? Is this something you don’t want to see?” Chaparro said. “Even a lot of the world-building issues are related to hot topics now.”

Chaparro and Marley encourage student filmmakers to never doubt their stories. As the duo creates their high-concept spectacle, they remind students that they only need to be the best versions of themselves.

“I don’t want to be the next Martin Scorcese. No one should ever be concerned with that,” Chaparro said. “You’ve got to go for it because if you don’t, then you’re really depriving yourself and others of something that could be great.”

For Marley, intertwining current projects with sparks of personality starts a filmmaker’s path to success.

“Be open to the possibilities of the world and just see what’s out there,” Marley said. “That’s what I like to do in film is to show people what things could be like or where they can go.”

Once filming and pre-screenings conclude in early April, “JAMES OUTLAW: The Epiphany” will hit the film festival circuit, hoping to premiere at the 2024 Canes’ Film Festival.

Supporters can donate to the “JAMES OUTLAW: The Epiphany” GoFundMe and follow their Instagram @jamesoutlawfilm to get behind-the-scenes looks and see where to watch the final product.

Miami rowing finishes first in Oregon State Invite

Taryn Jacobs
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Miami rowing finishes first in Oregon State Invite

The University of Miami Rowing Team traveled to the West Coast for the Oregon State Invite at OSU’s Dexter Lake to open the 2024 spring slate. With the weather in the mid-40s, the Hurricanes faced a temperature barrier compared to what they are used to in sunny Miami.

However, Miami’s Varsity Four boat hit the ground running, finishing in the top slot in the competition with a time of 7:30.6. The Varsity Four was led by coxen Tarynn Kaelin alongside Mia Harrington, Grace Gaskill, Peyton Hulsewe, and Nicole Wyszynski. This time was enough to put them over Oregon State and Washington State by just a few seconds.

Miami sent two other boats out on the water, which came up short with third-place finishes. The Second Varsity Eight and First Varsity Eight completed the course in 6:59.56 and 6:35.5, respectively.

The Hurricanes Rowing Team is heading to the west coast of Florida for the Sunshine State Invite this weekend in Sarasota, Florida.

U.S. lawmakers need to reevaluate attempts to protect children on the internet

Ethan Mannello
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U.S. lawmakers need to reevaluate attempts to protect children on the internet

Earlier this month, the Senate questioned Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Snapchat CEO Evan Spiegel, TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew and many other social media executives on their commitment to children’s safety.

The hearing sent the message that the U.S. government is concerned with children’s safety on the internet and is holding social media companies accountable for it, but this accountability may be hard to enforce.

Regulating social media companies is one of the most difficult tasks for state or federal lawmakers. If lawmakers actually want to protect children, they need to shift their blame to companies who create the phones or the parents who buy them.

Over the last 3 years, Arkansas, California, Ohio and multiple other states have begun to pass legislation aiming to secure the internet for children.

The lawmakers of these states have also met resistance to all of these laws from the main backer of high-profile tech companies, NetChoice.

NetChoice is associated with over 30 tech companies including Meta, TikTok, X and Snapchat, and their mission is “to make the internet safe for free enterprise and free expression.”

To do this, they have decided to challenge any law targeted at limiting free expression on the internet and they believe the newest children safety laws are exactly that.

Take Arkansas for example. Last April, the state government passed the Social Media Safety Act (SB396), which requires parental consent before a child creates a social media account. It also requires companies to correctly verify the age of their account holders through government identification.

We often give up some liberties for safety, and if it is to protect children, it might be worth it, but NetChoice disagrees. They challenged the law less than three months after it was passed on the grounds that it “undermines the First Amendment by requiring that Arkansans hand over sensitive and private information to be able to use digital communication services.”

Laws in Utah, California and Ohio have met similar challenges from NetChoice. So it begs the question, are states taking on a battle they can’t win?

Diana Jordan, a lecturer on communication law and policy at the University of Miami, believes it might be.

“These laws can be seen as a violation of First Amendment rights because by not letting them (children) use social media, or telling them how to use it, you’re effectively limiting their First Amendment right to free speech,” said Jordan.

A children’s right to free speech was established in the Supreme Court case Tinker v. Des Moines and this right, as Jordan mentioned, is exactly what NetChoice and other lobbying groups claim that the government is limiting.

NetChoice also benefits from the fact that legal precedent is on their side.

“States can always give more protections to its citizens but they can never take away,” said Jordan “States are claiming they are protecting the children, but it can easily be flipped to show the government overstepping.”

Jordan makes it clear that in any of these lawsuits, states will be fighting an uphill battle especially when trying to take away citizen’s liberties.

There are obviously other players present in children’s navigation of the internet, most importantly, their parents and the company that sells them their phones, but lawmakers have placed their blame on social media companies. In doing this, they have neglected to hold those accountable who enable the children to use the internet.

Parents are the easiest person to blame for a child being on the internet. They provide children with a phone, internet or telephone service, and permission to use it how they want. All parents have the option to install parental controls and monitor their children’s screen time, but many don’t.

According to Pew Research, only 40% of parents use parental controls to monitor and block their teens’ online activities and only 39% frequently talk to their children about what is appropriate to view online. While these numbers may seem decent, much more can be done by parents to monitor their children.

Prominent phone companies like Apple and Google also have a role to play in protecting children. Since their products contain the social media apps under fire, they can clearly regulate them. One type of regulation could be app stores requiring parents to approve of their children’s downloads as suggested by the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board.

Another solution could be for companies like Apple and Google to confirm a user’s identity before allowing them to download apps that have age requirements to play. Most social media apps require users to be over the age of 13, but barely verify it correctly.

Internet regulation for children is obviously not off the table, but the current route lawmakers are taking is a dead end. Regulating the companies that control children’s phones or working to teach parents about internet safety, while maybe not as effective, are much more viable methods to protect children on the internet.

Frost Opera Theater presents lively interpretation of opera, “Street Scene”

Alejandra Morales
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Frost Opera Theater presents lively interpretation of opera, “Street Scene”

Set in the 1940s, the Frost Opera Theater brought a lively interpretation of Kurt Weill’s American opera, “Street Scene,” to the Gusman Concert Hall on Feb. 29 and March 4.
Set in the 1940s, the Frost Opera Theater brought a lively interpretation of Kurt Weill’s American opera, “Street Scene,” to the Gusman Concert Hall on Feb. 29 and March 4. Photo credit: Frost School of Music

Set in the 1940s, the Frost Opera Theater brought a lively interpretation of Kurt Weill’s American opera, “Street Scene,” to the Gusman Concert Hall on Feb. 29 and March 4.

Cast member David Lee, who played the role of Frank Maurrant, defined “Street Scene” as “a combination of American musical theater plus European opera.”

Accompanying the opera was the Frost Symphony Orchestra, directed by first-year doctorate student Yun Xuan Cao. Cao admits this was his first time collaborating with the Frost Opera Theater, which gave him the opportunity to work with more musicians.

“Having the fun of making music with more people at the Frost school is what I love so much about this experience,” Cao said.

The Frost Symphony Orchestra complimented the cast members’ voices beautifully by matching the intense visuals. The result was an immersive, urban soundscape.

The opening scene begins with a scorching summer day in 1940’s Manhattan. Tenement neighbors sing at their porches as the heat overwhelms the apartments.

Created by Stephan Moravski, the set design and props brought a vivacious cacophonous neighborhood to life.

“The audience can look anywhere on the stage and get immersed in these one or two people’s stories and then shift over and see another story,” stage director Jeffrey Buchman said.

Having over 30 years of experience in the opera industry and seven years at the Frost Opera Theater, Buchman shared the positives of the directing side.

“The wonderful thing about directing is that I actually get to take every single character’s path,” Buchman said.

Although “Street Scene” was written in the 1940s, it is a parallel of today’s societal issues.

“All of the issues that they were dealing with at that time, we’re dealing with now,” Buchman said. “About a bunch of different ethnicities and cultures learning how to not only coexist, but to value and cherish each other.”

Throughout the opera, the Maurrant family is the talk of the neighborhood. Word spreads of a suspected affair between Mrs. Maurrant and the local milkman, Steve Sankey. Played by Josie Gore, a first year master’s student in vocal performance, the nurturing, yearning nature of Mrs. Maurrant was heart-throbbingly portrayed.

“She’s a very sweet woman. She loves her children more than anything in the world, and she just wants the world to be a better place and she’s hopeful for a better day,” Gore said.

Gore grappled with playing a woman trapped in an abusive marriage.

“Playing somebody who was in an abusive situation who cannot get out of that is just really hard for me, because women just couldn’t get out of that bad situation back then,” Gore said.

Rose Maurrant, Mrs. Maurrant’s daughter, struggles with similar feelings of limitations and barriers throughout the plot. Played by Rachel Wresh, a second year master’s student, the flirtatious young lady was a captivating emotional force throughout the opera.

“I think she’s a really strong and inspiring character just because she’s had such a tough situation,” Wresh said. “Even though the easy-out is put in her lap so many times, she makes the hard decision to go off on her own, figure out who she is and choose her own happiness.”

The violent domestic situation is prominently shown in the second act of the opera. Mrs. Maurrant and Mr. Sankey are caught by her husband, Frank Maurrant, proving the affair true. In a burst of anger, intoxication and violence, Mr. Maurrant shoots his wife and the milkman.

Portrayed by David Lee, Frank Maurrant is a violent, abusive husband struggling with alcohol addiction. Frank Maurrant argues to “let things be like they always was,” opposing the progressiveness and liberal perspective society was beginning to adopt.

“I think he’s a hardworking guy,” Lee said. “I actually like him because he wants the best for his family, but he is afraid that he might lose his wife and his kids. He’s losing control of his family.”

The emotional turmoil throughout the entire performance presented the cast members with difficult issues to bring justice to.

“We live in better times in general, so it’s hard to portray that genuine hostility that one may feel towards other groups of people,” Flores said. “It’s something that’s not easy to just go and portray.”

Wresh explained the difficulty of portraying the pain and betrayal Rose Maurrant felt following the murder of her mother.

“I have that realization on stage,” Wresh said. “I have a breakdown on stage. I’m crying and the whole town is around me. That’s a big theme in this story — that there’s always eyes on us.”

The diversity in characters and emotions truly came to life on stage, evoking laughter and gasps within the audience. Setting aside “Street Scene” from other operas, Kurt Weill’s fusions of musical genres permeate and showcase the immense talent of the cast and orchestra.

“What is so special about this piece and a lot of his works is the fusion of orchestral, operatic traditions with new American traditions as well,” Cao said.

Exploring and learning these musical fusions presented a challenge for the cast members taking its toll on the performers. Gore described her role as Mrs. Maurrant as physically- and vocally-demanding.

“The harmonies are so tight that it’s very difficult, and it’s something that I’m not the most comfortable with. It’s not the easiest and did not come naturally,” Gore said. “I had to work towards it.”

Each cast member brought a piece of themselves onto the stage of “Street Scene,” creating a memorable and everlasting performance.

“Every day was my favorite day,” Lee said. “This is a dream for me.”

Eight-run fifth inning helps Hurricanes avoid sweep against Notre Dame

Ian Graves
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Eight-run fifth inning helps Hurricanes avoid sweep against Notre Dame

After falling behind 7-1 on Sunday afternoon, Miami baseball made another massive comeback fueled by an eight-run fifth inning to take a 9-7 lead.

Notre Dame made a slight comeback to tie the game at 10-10, but UM put up two runs in the 10th inning to avoid a series sweep, winning 12-10.

The swing of the day for the ’Canes came in the fifth inning when Jacoby Long hit a three-run shot over the scoreboard to cap off the hit parade. The dinger came after two failed bunt attempts, putting Long in a two-strike count.

Miami, which usually does its damage with the long ball, put together the crazy inning with simple swings and plate discipline. The inning saw 11 Hurricanes come to the plate, logging four singles, two walks, a hit batter and the Long home run as the exclamation point.

Another key to this explosive inning and overall great performance by UM at the plate was offensive consistency throughout the whole lineup. Long as well as Antonio Jimenez, Edgardo Villegas, Daniel Cuvet and Dorian Gonzalez Jr. all had two hits each.

Even with the eight-run inning, nine innings were not enough to finish the job. Luckily for Miami, in the 10th inning, the offense continued rolling with a Villegas walk, Cuvet single, Gonzalez Jr. single and Jason Torres sac-fly to tack on two runs that were enough to win.

Notre Dame had plenty of offensive firepower itself, with designated hitter David Glancy carrying the load. Glancy had two home runs on the day, both in crucial situations. The first was a grand slam off of Herick Hernandez in the fourth inning, pushing the Irish ahead by six runs. The second was a two-run shot off of Nick Robert to tie the game at 10-10 and ultimately send it to extra innings.

Hernandez, who had a rough outing against North Carolina last weekend, had another poor outing again on Sunday. Many Notre Dame hitters looked very comfortable at the plate and feasted on anything he left out over the middle. His final line was 5.0 innings pitched, eight hits, two walks and seven earned runs.

Brandon Olivera and Chris Scinta came on after Hernandez, and both did their jobs, combining for two scoreless innings and getting the ball to the closer.

Robert, Miami’s most dependable reliever all season, got roughed up right as he entered the game. Before he could record two outs, Robert had given up three hits and three runs, including Glancy’s game-tying blast.

Robert settled in after the eighth and shut down Notre Dame in the ninth and tenth innings to earn his team-high fifth win.

On Tuesday night, the Hurricanes will return to Miami to face FIU in a road matchup across town. The ‘Canes beat the Panthers with a walk-off win last week, 4-3, in a highly competitive pitcher duel. Ashton Crowther, who pitched against FIU last week, will likely be on the mound again. The first pitch will be at 6 p.m. on Tuesday at Infinity Insurance Park.

UM News Brief: UM offers new classes, Trump wins GOP nomination, and Putin’s re-election

Trenton Campbell
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UM News Brief: UM offers new classes, Trump wins GOP nomination, and Putin’s re-election

THIS WEEK AT THE U

UM Offers New Courses for Fall 2024

The UM School of Communication has revealed its highly anticipated fall 2024 semester schedule, packed with enticing special topics courses, including a course on Taylor Swift. With great dedication to fostering academic diversity and innovation, the University is set to captivate students’ imaginations with a plethora of dynamic new offerings.

The announcement was followed by a post on the School of Communication Instagram @umsoc, giving students a sneak peek of the different courses being offered and their corresponding programs

New courses offered include Podcasting, Designing for Sustainability, After Effects, Global Black Film, PR & Politics, and Strategically Communicating through Music: The Mastermind of the Taylor Swift Brand.

These courses allow students to study a wide range of topics outside of their selected major, which allows UM students to freely explore topics in the new courses.

Considering Swift’s fame as a businesswoman and musician, the Swift class may be among the list of popular classes offered in the fall. Many students have expressed their enjoyment and requests for a university-level version of the class to be offered.

The courses will be open for registration starting on April 1st, and more Special Topics offerings for different programs can be found on the website under the Department Overview section.

In Case U Missed It

Former President Trump is the GOP’s Presumptive Presidential nominee

Despite the ongoing negative press and allegations against Trump, there is still a high amount of support for him, giving Biden a significant challenge in the race for the presidency.

Biden has become the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, signifying another head-to-head fight with Trump.

The Associated Press highlighted that Trump successfully grabbed the title of the republican party’s presumptive presidential nominee after crossing the threshold of 1,215 delegates, winning elections in states such as Georgia, Mississippi, Hawaii, and Washington.

Winning the designated and highly essential 1,215 delegates is a pivotal moment for Trump, even as he continues to face legal challenges that have followed him into the current election cycle

Over the next couple of months, campaigning on both the Trump and Biden tickets will intensify, leaving the decision in the hands of the American people when they cast their final votes on November 5th, to elect the next president.

Putin Declares Victory in Russian Presidential Election

Long standing Russian president Vladimir Putin claimed yet another victory in the presidential elections last week, marking one of the longest terms of any Russian leader since Joseph Stalin.

Putin won around 87% of the vote in the presidential election, marking a high amount of voter support and a clear sign that Putin would win the election. Also, NPR highlighted that Russian voter turnout was high, with over 77% of Russian citizens participating in the election.

In his victory speech, Putin described Russia’s war on Ukraine as a positive event that “consolidated society” and showcased his leadership.

He also discussed his involvement with NATO and how that would affect Russian society. However, debates about the fairness of the Russian presidential elections have circulated, as many question the transparency of the election.

“All genuine opposition candidates were barred from running, imprisoned, dead, or in exile, and the only three people allowed to run posed no real threat to Putin’s hold on power,” said Golos, an independent Russian vote-monitoring company.

Beyond Putin’s reelection, the idea of a fair election in Russia led to more discussions and concerns from the U.S. National Security Council, the overall structure of Russian presidential elections, and the desire for power that Putin has held for years.

Hurricanes fail to extend three-game win streak in tight 4-3 loss to No. 24 Georgia Tech

Benjamin Gerkin
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Hurricanes fail to extend three-game win streak in tight 4-3 loss to No. 24 Georgia Tech

Following a postponed match versus the Clemson Tigers on Friday, the ‘Canes took the courts on a beautiful Sunday afternoon to take on the No. 24 Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Doubles matches kicked off the afternoon, in which Georgia Tech was dominant. Their No. 12 ranked pairing of Carol Lee and Kate Sharabura took care of UM’s No. 56 pairing of Xinyi Nong and Isabella Pfennig 6-3 up on court one. GT also ruled court two. Alejandra Cruz and Given Roach defeated Miami’s Antonia Balzert and Leonie Schuknecht in a 6-3 battle. With the doubles matches quickly clinched by the Jackets, UM’s Audrey Boch-Collins and Alexa Noel were unable to complete their match against Kylie Bilchev and Mahak Jain, in which it was tied 4-4 at the stoppage of play.

The ‘Canes and Yellow Jackets proved to be evenly matched throughout the afternoon as five out of six matches went to three sets. Despite her double loss, Nong returned to the court to face Sharabura again, sealing the deal in a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory.

Georgia Tech followed by taking back-to-back courts to extend their lead as freshman Scarlett Nicholson succeeded over Schuknecht 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (9-7), and Cruz went back and forth with Balzert in a 6-1, 6-7 (5-7), 6-2 victory. No. 16 Noel kept her solid junior campaign going as she earned her sixth-ranked win of the spring season over No. 45 Lee, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2. Tech clinched the match with Bilchev’s hard-fought 7-6 (15-13), 1-6, 6-4 win over Miami’s Pfennig. The Canes struck just a bit late as No. 107 Boch-Collins defeated Jain, 6-7 (8), 6-1, 6-3, on court five to round out the day.

Miami’s next match will be headlined at the Miami Open, held at Hard Rock Stadium, in which they will play Boston College on Friday, March 29th.

Hurricanes fail to overcome Notre Dame’s three-run fourth, drop first ACC series, 5-2

Jayden Gonzalez
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Hurricanes fail to overcome Notre Dame’s three-run fourth, drop first ACC series, 5-2

In a low-scoring affair on Saturday afternoon at Frank Eck Stadium in South Bend, Indiana, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (14-8, 2-6 ACC) found some life in the bottom of the fourth. Against Miami lefty Rafe Schlesinger, the Irish put up three runs on five hits, enough for the home team to take the second game of the series, defeating the Miami Hurricanes (12-10, 4-4 ACC) 5-2.

Following a lead-off walk and single in the fourth inning, Notre Dame’s Brady Gumpf took Schelsinger’s pitch to dead center field, sending Edgardo Villegas near the warning track, where he attempted to make an over-the-shoulder catch to save a run. Villegas couldn’t corral it, however, allowing Notre Dame to break the tie with runners on second and third.

The following batter, Carson Tinney, brought in another run on an infield single hit toward shortstop Antonio Jimenez. Outfielder T.J. Williams dealt the last blow of the inning, smacking an RBI single up the middle, allowing Notre Dame to take a commanding 4-1 lead.

From that point on, the Irish never looked back and shut the door in the top of the ninth.

In the final frame, Notre Dame sent out reliever Ricky Reeth for this fifth inning of work, facing Lucas Costello, Jake Kulikowsi, and Eric Fernandez. Reeth retired all three ‘Canes on just eight pitches, which was the story of the game for the Hurricanes.

Despite tallying nine hits this afternoon, UM’s offense was stagnant yet again, scoring three or fewer runs for the third consecutive game.

The bottom of the order of Jack Scanlon, Costello, Kulikowski and Jimenez struggled to provide much life on offense. Miami’s six through nine batters were responsible for just one hit on 14 at-bats and left five runners on base.

The top of the order provided some life on the attack for the Hurricanes, as the first five batters combined for eight of the team’s nine hits and scored both runs.

Villegas provided the loudest contact of the afternoon, depositing his second home run of the season into the trees in right field, cutting the deficit to two.

Despite the offensive concerns, UM was able to strike first this afternoon. In the top of the first, Dorian Gonzalez Jr. sent a high fly ball to left field. The outfielder, David Glancy, was blinded by the sun in South Bend, allowing the ball to drop right in front of him, and in turn, allowing a run to score.

The Irish responded right back just minutes later when infielder Simon Baumgardt brought a runner home on a sac fly, tying the game once again at one.

Schlesinger was not at his best today in South Bend, surrendering his first loss of the season. The lefty, in six innings of work, allowed four runs on eight hits while only striking out three Notre Dame batters.

The Hurricanes look for their first road win of the season and to avoid their first sweep against Notre Dame on Sunday. UM will send out lefty Herick Hernandez for his sixth outing of the season. First pitch is set for 1 p.m.

Ally Stedman enters the transfer portal for the second consecutive season

Benjamin Gerkin
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Ally Stedman enters the transfer portal for the second consecutive season

For Hurricanes head coach Katie Meier was ecstatic with her off-season pickup of Junior guard Ally Stedman in April of 2023. The Utah native averaged 15.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per contest in her sophomore season with the Pepperdine Waves. However, after averaging just 2.2 points in 26 contests for the Hurricanes, Stedman has decided to enter the transfer portal for a second consecutive offseason.

Stedman took more of a backseat role on this guard-loaded Hurricanes roster. Meier consistently ran a veteran four-guard rotation throughout the season in the starting five, consisting of juniors Ja’leah Williams, Jasmyne Roberts, Lashae Dwyer, and fifth-year senior Jaida Patrick.

Stedman averaged 10 minutes per game this season compared to her 33.3 the previous season. Her field goal percentage lowered 11.6 percent, and her three-point percentage dropped 12.5 percent. She was a 34.5 percent shooter with the Waves and shot 22% from beyond the arc as a Cane.

Her best contest was a loss to No. 10 Baylor, in which she shot 4-of-7 from the field and scored 11 points in 19 minutes.

Stedman will look for a new home to play her senior season.

Notre Dame’s pitching quiets Miami bats, Irish take game one 6-2

Ian Graves
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Notre Dame’s pitching quiets Miami bats, Irish take game one 6-2

On a 43-degree Fahrenheit afternoon in South Bend, Indiana, the coldest game for the Hurricanes by far this season, Notre Dame pitching stifled the Miami offense, leading it to a 6-2 victory in the series opener on Friday afternoon.

The bulk of Notre Dame’s scoring occurred with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Miami starter Gage Ziehl was so close to making it through seven solid innings of two-run ball. Unfortunately, an RBI single followed by an RBI triple knocked Ziehl out of the game and gave the Irish some good insurance runs before the late innings.

Miami’s offense racked up nine hits, matching Notre Dame’s total, but could never deliver at the right time. The Canes were a poor 2-12 with runners in scoring position and could not come up with any multi-hit innings.

The back-of-the-orderback-of-the-order struggles continued, which have plagued UM all season long and are a big part of the offensive inconsistency. The back three in the lineup Friday, Lorenzo Carrier, Lucas Costello, and J.D. Urso, went a combined 0-9. Notably, Costello is batting under .200 even though he was an everyday starter batting .288 for the runner-up Wake Forest Demon Deacons last season.

That said, the heavy hitters did not come to play on Friday, and Daniel Cuvet, Jason Torres, and Dorian Gonzalez Jr., the best’ Cane hitters to start the season, combined to go 2-12 with five strikeouts. Overall, it was a rough day at the plate for UM.

The one major positive at the plate was catcher Jack Scanlon’s continued success. Scanlon has been emerging over the last few weeks as the everyday catcher replacing Carlos Perez. Scanlon is now hitting .375 on the season, including a 3-4 afternoon with two doubles on Friday.

Moving over to the mound, Ziehl followed up an excellent start against North Carolina last week with another solid outing. His final line was 6.2 innings, five earned runs, and four strikeouts, although that line does not do him justice.

Ziehl was putting together a quality outing, having only given up two runs through 6.2 innings, when everything collapsed as Ziehl began his fourth trip through the lineup. Seeing a pitcher four times is a massive advantage for hitters, leading to the blowup with two outs in the seventh.

Scinta got the last out in that seventh inning, but not before he gave up another single, which led to another Irish run credited to Ziehl. Julian Hernandez came on for the eighth and pitched a shaky but scoreless inning.

On the bright side, there was no need to use high-leverage relievers like Nick Robert and Brian Walters, who should be available to throw on Saturday and Sunday if needed.

Adjusting to the cold will be another key to the Hurricane’s success on Saturday, as some players looked slightly uncomfortable in the weather. Most notably, Cuvet, who has lived in south Florida his whole life, is likely not accustomed to playing in temperatures near 43 degrees Fahrenheit and looked bothered by it Friday. He made one error on a routine bunt and let a few other plays that he would typically make get the better of him.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, red-hot Rafe Schlessinger takes the mound after a dominant outing against UNC. He is looking to even the series against the Irish. The first pitch is at 2 p.m. at Frank Eck Stadium in South Bend, Indiana.

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