With dissolution close at hand, the men’s swimming and diving teams are sure going out with a bang.

Due to Title IX restrictions the squads are being phased out, yet the Hurricanes continue to wrack up individual achievements.

Miami placed divers Imre Lengyel, Stefan Ahrens and Miguel Velazquez on the NCAA Swimming & Diving Men’s All-America team for the 2001-2002 season.

Lengyel won a national championship in the platform event at the NCAA meet at the University of Georgia. He also placed second in the 3-meter diving competition.

He took second in the 1-meter and 3-meter events at the Zone B Diving Championships in Lexington, Kentucky to qualify for nationals. He was named 2002 Big East Most Outstanding Men’s Diver after capturing confernce titles in both the 1- and 3-meter events in February. In 2000, Lengyel competed for the Hungarian Olympic team and was first honored as the Big East Most Outstanding Men’s Diver.

Ahrens finished fourth in the 1-meter diving event to make the All-America team. He finished 11th in the 3-meter.

His fourth place finish in the 1-meter event at the Zone B Diving Championships qualified him for nationals. He also took fourth in the 3-meter at the Big East Championships. Ahrens competed in his first Olympic games in 2000 in the 3-meter springboard, finishing ninth as a member of the German Olympic Team.

Velazquez, a freshman, captured fourth in the platform event to win All-America honors. He placed 10th in the 3-meter and 11th in the 1-meter.

He finished 3rd in the platform, 10th in the 3-meter and 13th in the 1-meter at the Zone B Diving Championships to qualify for NCAA’s. Velazquez finished second at the Big East Championships in February in the 1-meter and third in the 3-meter.

Miami diving has had at least one men’s diving national champion for the past 12 seasons.

In the swimming department, Wesley Stoddard was named the men’s most valuable swimmer. Stoddard held the fastest times this season for the men in the 500 free (4:35.23), 1000 free (9:42.85), 1650 free (16:00.25) and 400 IM (4:05.90).

On the women’s side, sophomore Manon van Rooijen holds two individual school records in the 100 & 200 freestyle and three relay records. She was named 2002 Big East Outstanding Women’s Swimmer and earned All-America honors in the 100 & 200 freestyle events.

Senior diver Michelle Davison garnered All America honors by placing fourth in the 1-meter diving event and fifth in the 3-meter competition at the 2002 NCAA’s. Davison was named 2002 Big East Women’s Diver of the Year on Feb. 24 at the conference championships.

How does a team move forward after losing the only captain it’s ever known?

That’s the daunting task my young teammates and I will have to face during the 2002 cross-country season.

When I transferred to Miami in the fall of 2000, junior Jeff Gaulrapp of Baldwinsville, N.Y., was just taking over the reigns as captain of the UM cross country team. We were a rag-tag bunch, but had a good core of guys who wanted to run fast.

Under Gaulrapp’s guidance, we improved week by week, earning a surprising third place team finish at the Florida Intercollegiate Championships.

In 2000, Gaulrapp amassed perhaps the greatest season ever by a Hurricanes cross country runner, capped by clocking a sterling 24:37 school-record 8K at the Big East Championships at Franklin Park in Boston, Mass. Gaulrapp earned All-State, All-Big East and All-Region honors that year.

In the following season, Gaulrapp continued his dominance, finishing as the top Hurricane in six of seven races.

Gaulrapp is one of the toughest runners with whom I’ve ever run. His poker-faced fa

A season of individual accomplishments led to the women’s track and field team’s highest outdoor NCAA Championship finish since 1995. The Hurricanes capped off a great season in 20th-place (12 points) at the NCAAs, highest since a 17th place finish (15 points) seven years ago.

Miami had two runners earn All-America honors in the 100-meters as freshman Lauryn Williams took sixth with a time of 11.63 and senior Wyllesheia Myrick finished eighth with a time of 11.72.

“I’m please with how my career has gone at Miami,” said Myrick, who earned All-America honors for the second time of her career. “I’m proud with my performance tonight. I was able to compete against some of the best competition in the country so I can’t complain. UM had never had an All-American in the 100-meters coming into this season, and now we have two.”

Williams and Myrick become the first Hurricane sprinters in school history to earn All-America honors in the 100-meters. In the triple jump, senior Kareen Clarke earned All-America honors for the fifth time of her career finishing third with a leap of 13.32 meters (43-08.50). “I had trouble hitting the board today,” said Clarke, who fouled on three of her six jumps. “It’s almost impossible to win at this level when you foul on three of your six jumps.”

Clarke, who also finished third in the triple jump at the NCAA Indoor Championships, ended her UM career as arguably the greatest jumper in school history. Clarke leaves UM as a five-time Big East champion, a five-time All-American, the school record holder in the indoor and outdoor triple jump, and the conference record holder in the outdoor triple jump.

The Hurricanes’ 4×400-meter relay of junior Saraque Whittaker, junior Jamillah Wade, senior Jenise Winston and sophomore Kitoya Carter also earned All-America honors finishing seventh with a time of 3:32.74. The time is the second fastest in school history. The foursome is the first UM 4×400-meter relay to earn All-America honors and the first Hurricane relay of any kind to earn All-America honors since the 1995 4×100-meter relay of Gillian Russell, Patrina Allen, Lakeya Avant and Latesha Grier.

With the performances, Miami has now had 19 different athletes earn a combined 46 All-America honors over the last 11 seasons. “I thought we competed hard all weekend and I’m very pleased with the team’s performance,” Head Coach Amy Deem said. “I think it is very impressive that Lauryn was able to come in as a freshman and earn All-America honors both indoors and outdoors. I also thought that Wyllesheia showed a lot of heart scoring in the 100-meters, which isn’t her best event.”

The individual who exhibited an incredible amount of heart was Dan Andrews, a sophomore on the men’s team who broke his own parathlete World record in the 800-meters and set an American record in the 400-meters at the Disabled Sports International Challenge.

Andrews, who runs with a prosthetic left leg, recorded a time of 2:08.25 in finishing first in the 800-meters. His time broke the old world mark of 2:08.79 which he set in winning the gold medal at the 2000 Paralympic Games in Sydney, Australia.

Andrews also finished first in the 400-meters with an American record time of 52.95. His times in both events qualified him for the 2002 IPC Athletics World Championships, July 16-29, in Lille, France.

Senior Aaron Moser qualified for the decathlon at the NCAA Tournament, but failed to clear his opening height the second day, taking him out of contention. He was, however, along with senior Gus Martin, named the team’s most valuable men’s track athlete. Tanard Davis was named most outstanding newcomer, Jabari Ennis was named the most improved athlete, Matt Mulvaney and Jeff Gaulrapp were named most improved cross country runners, Aaron Bass was named most outstanding walk-on athlete and Andre Johnson received the coaches’ award.

For the University of Miami women’s golf team, one star shined brighter than the rest in 2001-2002.

Sophomore Camilla Hilland, a native of Lommendalen, Norway, and one of Miami’s best golfers her freshman season, led an improved Hurricane squad that recorded several top-10 finishes.

Hilland capped off her year capturing the Ryder Florida Women’s Collegiate Championships in April for her first collegiate tournament win. Hilland’s three-round score of 219 gave her the tournament by one stroke, becoming the first Hurricane to accomplish such a feat since Tracy Kerdyk in 1988.

“This is very special,” Hilland said. “I felt very relaxed coming into the tournament so I thought I would play well. But to win here in front of my family and friends makes it even more special.”

The team, meanwhile, began their season at the Beacon Woods Invitational in Bayonet Point, Fla. After a seventh-place finish there, the Hurricanes went on to participate in three more fall tournaments. Their best result was a sixth-place finish at the Mission Inn Invitational in Leesburg, Fla. Hilland meanwhile quietly put together a string of top-five finishes during that span, the best being the runner-up at the Alabama Capstone. Freshman Tina Miller also made a name of herself, finishing eighth at Mission Inn.

The Hurricanes would pick up their play in the Spring, beginning with a second-place finish at the Lady Moc Classic in Lakeland in March. Hilland continued to post strong results, but Miller was the top golfer during the tournament, finishing third. Sophomore Jazmin Cataldo placed one spot behind Miller.

Miller finished fourth at the Waterlefe Invitational on Mar.19, while the Hurricanes placed seventh. That was the final result before the state championships, in which Hilland regained her old form.

The 22-year old Norwegian fired back-to-back 70’s to take a commanding lead in the tournament heading into the final round. Although bad weather forced her to shoot a 79 on the final day, Hilland sank an 18-foot par put on the final hole that gave her the trophy.

“Camilla had a great tournament,” head golf coach Lela Cannon said. “There are so many great players and so many great teams competing here that to be able to handle the pressure and hold on for the victory is fantastic.”

With the win, Hilland also earned a spot in the NCAA East Regional in Baton Rouge, La., becoming the first Hurricane golfer to qualify since 1998. She finished in 34th place there, firing a three-round total of 223.

Any disappointment Hilland may have felt with her finish, however, was erased a month later when she was named the NCAA Independent Player of the Year. In addition, Hilland and Miller received first-team honors, while Cannon was named Coach of the Year.

With Hilland, Miller, Cataldo and senior Dominique Gagnon returning, the Hurricanes should continue to improve out on the links.

The Miami men’s tennis team may not have advanced to another NCAA Championships, but the Hurricanes were represented there.

Freshman phenom Todd Widom, who compiled an overall record of 28-7, made it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAAs in College Station, Texas.

Widom recorded the only point for the Hurricanes (12-10) in each of their final two losses. Miami ended their season with a 4-1 loss to No. 25 South Florida at the NCAA Regionals in Gainesville. The other loss came against Notre Dame, the No. 1 seed in the Big East Tournament.

The men started off the tourney the right way by dominating West Virginia in a 4-0 decision in the first round. Then, they advanced to the championship game after upsetting No. 2 Virginia Tech, 4-3. On that day, the men were down 3-2 before Thomas Smid and Jose Lieberman both rallied to win their singles matches in three sets.

“It was a great college tennis match against Virginia Tech, but the downside is that we really did have some tough matches and it is really hot out here,” head coach Jay Berger said. “When you win 7-6 in the third in two matches, the guys are going to be a little tired.”

That proved to be true the following day as the ‘Canes were outmatched by the Fighting Irish men, who took the match, 4-1.

“They are probably just a little bit better than us and we needed a lot of good things to happen for us to win,” Berger said. “None of their guys didn’t play well today.”

The team’s lone victory came when Widom defeated Notre Dame ace Javier Taborga. Widom, who had lost in the Virginia Tech match, came out with something to prove.

“I played my worst match of the year the day before and I wanted to come out here and prove I was still playing good,” Widom said.

The victory over Taborga did give Widom the MVP award for the tournament. His coach said the award was well deserved.

“It was a great win that he beat Taborga today,” Berger said. “Todd is a very important part of our team, he plays the top competition and in most cases, takes out the top player.”

The bright point was that this team gained plenty of confidence with the victory. Miami was at a mediocre 8-8 before pulling off four straight wins.

“We gained a lot of confidence from winning the Virginia Tech match” Widom said. “We believe more and more in each other and we think we can come out and beat good teams now.”

The ‘Canes’ loss was not due to a lack of effort. Miami played hard throughout the tournament and never gave up, even when they were down against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame.

“We fought extremely hard in all the matches, especially today and yesterday and our players definitely showed some heart out there,” Berger said.

The Hurricanes will need more of the same next season, as half of the 2001-2002 squad were seniors.

For the Miami Hurricanes’ women’s tennis team, this past season represented what the squad can do when all of its key members are healthy.

The Hurricanes rebounded from an inconsistent 2000-2001 campaign to record a 14-7 record, advancing to the Second Round of the NCAA Regionals – where they fell to top-ranked Florida. Miami profited from the emergence of sophomore Mari Toro, a transfer from FIU, who spent much of the year playing No. 1 singles. Fellow freshmen Staci Stevens and Ewelina Skaza contributed heavily as well, while veterans Marcy Hora and Sara Robbins were able to give the ‘Canes a full season.

The highlight of the year came in April when Miami won the Big East championship in a 4-1 upset over Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish had defeated the Hurricanes, 4-3, in South Bend two weeks earlier.

The ‘Canes dropped the doubles point, one of the few things Miami had struggled with throughout the season. Miami, however, rallied back to take four straight singles points, which won them the match and the championship.

“It is always good to win,” Toro said. “It feels great, we have worked so hard for this, and we are happy that we were able to do it.”

The women started out on the right track in the tournament by beating Virginia Tech 4-0 in the second round. The ‘Canes simply dominated the Hokies and set the tone for the rest of the weekend. The win gave them the momentum to come out the next day and take it to Notre Dame.

“I was a little upset after the doubles loss,” head coach Page Yaroshuk said. “I thought our girls played amazing doubles and we just came up a little short. It’s not easy coming out being down 1-0 in the Big East, but it is something we have done all year. We weren’t shocked.”

The victory over the Fighting Irish marked the seventh time Miami has captured the Big East crown since 1992. For Yaroshuk, beating a top-notch team like Notre Dame was extra sweet.

“I have been telling people all year I have the best girls in the country, and it is nice to see them come out today and just shine,” Yaroshuk said. “It’s nice, especially when you have a team like Notre Dame in your conference. It’s a great feeling, we have definitely accomplished something.”

The Big East Championship followed a regular season in which Miami recorded wins against ranked programs like South Alabama and Mississippi State, as well as rival Florida State. Toro finished the season ranked 62nd in the country, while Hora and Stevens were constant winners as the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively.

The Hurricanes’ 14-7 campaign translated into a couple of individual awards. Toro won the MVP of the tournament, and although the sophomore didn’t think she deserved it over Hora, Yaroshuk thought otherwise.

“Mari Toro deserves it,” Yaroshuk said. “This girl works harder than anyone I have ever seen. She was out here at 6:45 a.m. hitting balls because her backhand didn’t feel right. If anyone deserves player of the year, Toro does.”

Meanwhile, in her first season at the helm Yaroshuk took home Big East Coach of the Year honors.

“Coach of the Year is nice, but to be honest, I didn’t know I was going to get it,” Yaroshuk said. “It’s nicer to win Coach of the Year over a guy like Jay Louderback (ND) because he is a class act and he has been around a while and he is a great coach.”

It’s too early to set expectations for this upcoming season, but with Hora the only key player leaving, Miami should contend for another Big East crown. The Hurricanes will need to keep players like Toro and Stevens healthy, but if that is accomplished, and Yaroshuk gets help from additional newcomers, then the sky will be the limit for Miami.

For the Hurricanes women’s basketball team, this past season represented both improvement and disappointment.

After a subpar 2000-2001 campaign, Miami recorded several crucial Big East victories en route to a 19-12 mark and a first round victory over Georgetown in the conference tournament. The Lady ‘Canes, however, failed to meet their ultimate goal – an invitation to the NCAA Tournament – and instead settled for an NIT berth. Miami advanced to the second round where they fell to Houston, 83-76.

The Hurricanes began the season with high hopes as sophomore Chanivia Broussard entered the year fresh off a selection to the All-Big East Freshman Team. Also returning were senior guard Sheila James, junior Meghan Saake, junior Alicia Hartlaub and sophomore Shaquana Wilkins. Complementing the returnees were talented freshmen including Pace High standout Yalonda McCormick.

The Hurricanes started the season with three victories at the Knight Sports Complex before dropping back to back road decisions at South Florida and Kentucky. A 69-53 victory over West Virginia led the Hurricanes into the Orange Bowl Classic game against then No. 17 Texas on Dec. 9. That contest turned out to be one of Miami’s most pivotal victories of the season, as James hit a three-pointer with 18 seconds to go and the ‘Canes won, 57-55.

Miami churned out three more victories before an 80-65 loss to Minnesota on Dec. 30, which dropped its record to 8-3. More importantly, it led into 2002 – a year that proved to be a year of inconsistency for the Hurricanes.

The new year started on a down note, as missed free throws cost Miami a game against Notre Dame. That led into a three-game Big East road trip, which the Hurricanes won the first but lost the final two. Miami avenged a 39-37 debacle against Rutgers last year by defeating the Scarlet Knights handily, 67-53, on Jan. 5.

Three nights later, however, Miami suffered an embarrassing loss at West Virginia. The Lady ‘Canes followed that up with a Jan. 12 matchup against top ranked Connecticut, in which the Hurricanes were trounced 96-50. Head coach Ferne Labati was disappointed with her team’s showing against the defending champions.

“In order to stay in the game with Connecticut, you have to score,” Labati said. “And when they made their run, we couldn’t answer with any points at all.”

The loss ignited a spark into the Hurricanes, who reeled off four consecutive victories before an 80-52 defeat at Villanova left Miami with a 13-7 mark going into the final month of the regular season.

Miami continued to match every win with a loss, and vice versa, until a key three-game stretch to end the season, when the Hurricanes pulled off upsets against nationally ranked Virginia Tech and Boston College, while dropping a should-win at Providence in between.

The regular season ended for Miami with a record of 17-10, and a 10-6 mark in the Big East, good for fifth place in the conference. The fifth place conference finish was a big improvement over Miami’s eight-place standing in 2000-2001, but the 17-10 record indicated that the Hurricanes would likely need to win two in the Big East Tournament to be invited into the Big Dance.

Unfortunately for Miami, that didn’t happen. After an impressive 69-52 victory against Georgetown in which Broussard scored 16 points, the Hurricanes ran into trouble against Villanova once again, losing 68-49. When the round of 64 was announced, Miami’s name was left off the list.

“Our early season losses affected our RPI…If we wouldn’t have had either the loss to South Florida or to Kentucky, we probably would have gotten in and they would have taken six teams in the Big East,” Labati said.

After Broussard’s 20 points vaulted Miami to a 73-64 win over Georgia Tech in the opening round of the NIT Tournament, the Canes’ season ended three days later in Houston, as they fell 83-76, ending their year at 19-12.

For Miami, Broussard continued her stellar offensive play, leading the team with 14.2 points per game. Meghan Saake, the 2001-2002 Big East Defensive Player of the Year, also stepped her offense, averaging 11.2 points per game. However, there were individual disappointments, as well. Shelia James had to fight through injuries throughout the entire season and could not be on the floor as much as she would have liked. Alicia Hartlaub, expected to be a double-digit scorer, instead posted just 5.5 points per game, thanks to a second half slump. And McCormick struggled through an unproductive freshman campaign.

Although there were disappointments this past season, the coaching staff got a better grasp on what it will take to make it into the NCAA Tournament next year.

“Two keys is the guard play and rebounding. If we have those two things, I think we are capable of going to the sweet sixteen,” Labati said.

The returning players, like their coach, are looking forward to the challenge.

“We are looking forward to playing in the NCAA Tournament next season, although we will miss our seniors (Shelia James, Martha Bodley, and Kathryn Fowler),” Saake said.

Head Coach Nicole Lantagne guided a young Miami team to a 17-7 overall record last season in the University’s first year of volleyball since 1981. UM finished the season on an 11-match win streak and compiled a 13-1 home record at the Knight Sports Complex in Coral Gables.

First Serve, First Kill, First Win

Miami Freshman Jamie Grass had the first serve for Miami volleyball in 20 years as the Hurricanes took on the Davidson (N.C.) Wildcats in the Davidson Tournament on August 31. Senior Kristi Sprinkel had the distinction of recording the first kill for Miami. The Hurricanes took Davidson, the two-time defending Southern Conference champions, to five games but lost 3-2.

Nicole Lantagne recorded her first head coaching victory in the Hurricanes second match of the season as UM swept Coastal Carolina, 3-0, on September 1.

“It was extremely important to get this first win under our belts,” Lantagne said. “I am proud of this group, both in their performance last night and their effort today. We were so composed and came back in so many games. It has been a great effort from a young group.”

Hurricane Invitational

Miami celebrated the return of volleyball to the UM campus with a ceremonial ‘First Serve’. University of Miami President Donna Shalala, Athletic Director Paul Dee and Head Volleyball Coach Nicole Lantagne joined former UM volleyball players on the court for the serve on September 7.

Miami rewarded its home crowd with two wins at the Knight Sports Complex. UM swept Long Island, 3-0, in the first match and defeated Wofford, 3-0, in the second match to advance to the title match against UAB. Although Miami appeared to have the match in hand early after winning the first two games, UAB rallied to win the final three and hand UM its first home loss. Miami wouldn’t lose another home match the rest of the season as it compiled a 13-1 record in Coral Gables.

Streaks

Miami suffered a 3-0 loss to Florida Atlantic in Boca Raton on September 18. FAU was the first of 11 in-state opponents the Hurricanes faced in 2001. UM would go 7-4 in those matches.

The middle of the season was marked by a three-match win streak followed by a three-match losing skid.

The Team Gels

The Hurricanes returned to Coral Gables to defeat Tulsa, 3-0, on October 11.

“I thought we played a great match tonight,” Lantagne said. “We’ve really worked hard this week in practice and the things we worked on were reflected in our performance. It was great to see a complete team effort.”

The win over Tulsa marked the beginning of an 11-match win streak for Miami. The Hurricanes won 33 of 38 games during that span.

Serving Notice

Playing as an independent, Miami defeated both Big East teams it faced (St. John’s, 3-0 and Pittsburgh, 3-1) during the 2001 season. UM joins conference play this season.

Miami hosted Florida Atlantic on November 6 in the last home match of the season. In front of a loud and energetic crowd, the Hurricanes won 3-1. The win avenged an early season loss to the Owls and served notice that a volleyball power was rising in South Florida.

“It was everything I could hope for,” senior middle blocker Kristi Sprinkel said. “It was a great match and we played hard.”

Said Lantagne: “We had to play our best to win this match. This has been an incredible year. We’ve really overachieved and we’re just going to get better from here. These young players have worked hard and delivered throughout the season.”

When you took a look at players on the UM baseball team this past season, you may have thought you needed your eyes checked. The Hurricanes have a pair of identical twins on their squad – identical in both their appearance and their play on the field.

Danny and Paco Figueroa have been playing baseball together since little league and they are not about to stop now. The two 5-10, 165-pound freshmen were both new additions to the Hurricanes.

“Our mom put us together from the beginning and that’s how it has always been,” Paco said.

The brothers attended Gulliver Prep School in Miami and grew up following the UM baseball team. The fact that both boys are now attending UM is no accident.

“We always knew that wherever we went, we would go together,” Paco said. “Some schools would call up asking for just Danny and others for me, but right from the start UM called us up saying they wanted to take us both.”

UM is not the first team to make an offer to both brothers. The Atlanta Braves drafted Paco in the 42nd round followed by his brother Danny in the 48th round.

“This is a dream for me,” Danny said. “With us playing close to home it makes it easy for our parents to come see the games, which is nice for us.”

The brothers noted that being identical twins is great but it’s not always easy.

“Everybody always asked me, ‘What is it like to be a twin?’ and I always ask them in return what is it like to just be yourself,” Danny said. “There is a huge competition factor in everything we do.”

Said Paco: “One time we even came home from school with our high school report cards in which we had taken all the same classes and got the exact same grades in every course.”

With high school in the past the twins have begun another chapter of their lives together in Coral Gables.

The twins performed as advertised in their first season as Hurricanes. Danny played most of the year in center field while Paco started the year playing behind fellow freshman Joey Hooft at second base. When the ‘Canes began to tailspin in midseason, head coach Jim Morris shuffled the lineup, allowing Paco to step in as a starter at shortstop while shifting Javy Rodriguez over to second.

The twins contributed throughout and gained some wonderful experience in the process. At playoff time, they were ready, helping to propel the .500 team to within three outs of another College World Series appearance.

After UM knocked off Florida in the Regionals, Danny commented on the win.

“From what everyone in the stands was talking, about this was one of the best, if not the best double headers ever played by these two teams,” Danny said. “I wasn’t on last year’s National Championship team, but I can begin to understand the emotion that must have felt winning the title. It was if we had won it all out there today.”

On the season, both Danny and Paco had an identical .300 batting average. Danny drove in 16 runs, while Paco hit three home runs on his way to 20 RBI for the season.

Paco says that after coming so close to a CWS appearance, the experience should definitely pay off.

“I’ve had a taste at winning, and now I have a thirst for it,” Paco said. “I learned quite a bit from our juniors and seniors this past couple of weekends. I saw University of Miami baseball rise to the challenge. I saw the meaning of a new season. I saw dedication and hard work pay off. This off season, I plan to work harder than ever, and maybe, just maybe I’ll see for myself what Omaha is like.”

Expect the twins to do more damage next year.

At the Rose Bowl post game press conference, UM Coach Larry Coker quipped that he was returning for the 2002 season amidst speculation of some early Hurricane entries into the NFL Draft.

Indeed, three of Miami’s key contributors to last season’s championship run – cornerback Phillip Buchanon, running back Clinton Portis and tight end Jeremy Shockey – all decided to forgo their senior year of eligibility, opting for the riches of the NFL instead.

Compound this with the loss of nine other starters and one would think that the Hurricanes would be a long shot to repeat.

According to players and coaches, that’s not the case at all.

“We expect to (remain at a high level),” said Coker, who will try to follow up on a perfect rookie campaign. “Year in and year out, we should compete at a high level at the University of Miami.”

Said departing offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie: “We’ve got a lot of young guys who played a lot this year. They should be fine.”

OFFENSE

McKinnie, the 2001 Outland Trophy Winner who did not allow a single sack, along with guard Martin Bibla and tackle Joaquin Gonzalez, were members of the best offensive line in the nation. Behind their strength, quarterback Ken Dorsey was sacked just four times and Miami’s offense wracked up the most points in school history. Sophomore Carlos Joseph will try to fill the big shoes of McKinnie and protect Dorsey’s blind side. Junior Vernon Carey, a heavily recruited 369-pound tackle from Miami, will replace the veteran Gonzalez. Both Joseph and Carey saw extensive playing time in fourth quarters last year, as the ‘Canes usually blew out opponents.

Left guard Sherko Haji-Rasouli started the first seven games of last season before tearing his ACL. He is expected to make a full recovery and start at one of the guard positions. Ed Wilkins replaced Haji-Rasouli after the injury and the line didn’t miss a beat. He will likely start at the other guard position.

The anchor of the five will be senior center Brett Romberg – the main signal caller on the line. Reserves such as Joel Rodriguez, Chris Myers and Joe McGrath, should provide depth for the most underrated but possibly the most important position.

Who will play alongside the line will be determined in the fall. Sophomore Kellen Winslow II and David Williams will battle for the starting tight end position left vacated by Shockey. Tight end was a big part of the offense in 2001 as Shockey led the team with 40 receptions. Winslow is the early favorite, but coaches believe that right now Williams is a better blocker.

“I’d say right now (Winslow)’s probably a better runner, but I think he may end up having the total package,” Coker said.

Coker was also really impressed with Winslow’s intensity during spring practices.

“If you had every NFL tight end out here to compete for the job, I don’t think it would really bother him,” Coker said. “He’s just going to go out and catch and run.”

The battle shouldn’t be as stiff for the starting wide receiver jobs. Rose Bowl co-MVP Andre Johnson had a breakout sophomore season and may be one of the top receivers in the country next season. Johnson was second on the team with 37 receptions for 682 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Lining up opposite Johnson will probably be either junior Kevin Beard or senior Ethenic Sands. Beard played in all 1l regular season games last season, starting five, en route to a 25-reception, 409-yard campaign. He also started in the Rose Bowl, collecting four receptions for 41 yards.

Sands was suspended for the title game, but also played in every regular season contest. He caught 26 balls for 385 yards and one touchdown.

Junior Jason Geathers (nine catches, 112 yards in 2001) should see more extensive playing time, while red-shirt freshman Roscoe Parrish could should glimpses of the next Santana Moss. If those weapons weren’t enough, Moss’s brother, Sinorice, is one of five incoming freshmen that could see time at receiver.

Injuries may shake up another of Miami’s skilled positions, specifically that of phenom running back Frank Gore. Gore tore his ACL in spring practice and may be out the entire 2002 season. There is hope that the sophomore will return to follow up on his inaugural campaign, in which he averaged 9.1 yards per carry.

The likely opening game starter will be red-shirt sophomore Willis McGahee, who was ahead of Gore in the depth chart before a midseason knee injury. McGahee returned after a month and was used as a fullback in the Rose Bowl after Najeh Davenport was hurt. McGahee carried the ball 67 times for 314 yards and three touchdowns last season. His backup will likely be Jarrett Payton, who carried the ball only 14 times for 26 yards in spot duty last season. While both have been hampered by injuries at one point, they should pick up where Portis (1,200 yards) left off.

The two struggled mightily, however, in the annual Spring Game, combining for just 69 yards on 25 carries. Coker knows those numbers have to, and will, improve before the start of the regular season.

“For us to be a good team we need to run the ball better than we have this spring,” Coker said. “Our inability to consistently run the ball is our biggest problem.”

Quadtrine Hill, a red-shirt freshman from Sunrise, should push Payton for the No. 2 job.

Blocking for the tailbacks will be projected starting fullback Kyle Cobia. Cobia, who might be known by Hurricane fans as the guy who dropped an easy touchdown pass at Virginia Tech last season, has impressed with his blocking skills. The 6-2, 231-pound red-shirt sophomore will be relied upon for that very reason, as the fullback spot was sparingly used in 2001.

Talib Humphrey, a junior college transfer, impressed coaches during spring practices and will push Cobia for the starting nod.

The head of the offense will once again be quarterback Ken Dorsey, a senior who has compiled a 25-1 record as a starter. Dorsey finished third in the Heisman Trophy voting last season and is expected to be a frontrunner again this year.

Dorsey completed just under 58 percent of his 318 pass attempts last season, throwing for 2,652 yards. He tossed 23 touchdowns passes compared to nine interceptions and is the UM career leader in TD passes thrown. Dorsey also has an incredible 4:1 TD:INT ratio over his career, and is the clear leader on the field.

Dorsey said he was pleased with the way the new guys on offense played during the spring game.

“This is one of the best springs our offense has had in recent years and we played well today against probably the best defense we will have to face,” he said.

DEFENSE

Dorsey alluded to a unit that led the nation in scoring defense (9.4 points per game) and takeaways (45). Almost the entire starting front seven is back with another year of experience under their belt. Experience is an understatement considering Miami sports seniors along the starting defensive line and has two extra seniors backing up. The combination of Andrew Williams and Jerome McDougle at ends and William Joseph and Matt Walters at tackle give the ‘Canes a formidable pass rush. If Williams or McDougle need a breather, Jamaal Green and Cornelius Green (no relation) can replace them. McDougle and Jamaal Green had six sacks apiece while Williams recorded four. Joseph led all Hurricanes with 10 sacks and was tied for third on the team with 59 tackles. Walters record 63 tackles and added four sacks.

If that wasn’t enough, 6-2, 350-pound sophomore Vince Wilfork and 6-4, 302-pound junior Santonio Thomas have extensive experience behind the tackles.

The ‘Canes return everyone at linebacker except for the late Chris Champbell, who passed away in a tragic car accident in February. Middle linebacker Jon Vilma led the team with 73 tackles last season, and impressed with bone jarring hits at the Rose Bowl. D.J. Williams (51 tackles) gets the nod at one linebacker, while Howard Clark (29) may get the start at the other. Also in the mix is super athlete Leon Williams, a red-shirt freshman from Brooklyn, NY, and Rocky McIntosh, who burst on the scene during spring practices with his incredible development and speed. The front seven should continue to put incredible pressure on the opposing quarterback, as witnessed in the Rose Bowl.

The big question mark on defense, and on the whole team for that matter, is the secondary. The Hurricanes lost all four starters and the nickel back from a defensive backfield second to none last year. Safety Ed Reed picked off his nation-leading ninth pass in the final game of the season against Virginia Tech and had a nose for the ball. Phillip Buchanon added five interceptions, while Mike Rumph stymied opposing receiver at the other cornerback spot. James Lewis, the least known of the foursome, was tied for third with 59 tackles at the strong safety spot.

Along with Markese Fitzgerald (two interceptions, 37 tackles), the secondary held opponents to only 138 passing yards per game.

That puts plenty of pressure on Kelly Jennings, Al Marshall, Maurice Sikes, Sean Taylor and Antrel Rolle – none of whom have ever started a game in college.

“We’ve just got to go into it thinking that we’re not them,” Taylor, a sophomore, said. “We have to make a name for ourselves. We’re working right now to try and be one of the best (secondaries) in the country.”

During the spring game, they began towards that goal. After picking apart the secondary in earlier scrimmages, Dorsey completed just one pass over 20 yards. The quarterback said that the more experience they get, the more they’ll improve.

“They just need a good summer of working with our receivers and hopefully we’ll get them to the point where we have shut down corners and safeties that people are scared of,” Dorsey said.

Coaches have said that the main factor for the young group will be consistency, something they hope to achieve by the time the season begins in August.

“We can’t play good for eight plays and then give up a big play,” defensive backs coach Mark Stoops said. “You have to play well all the time in the secondary.”

Said Sikes: “With football, and being a (defensive back), you can’t have bad days. Your bad day has to better than guys’ good days.”

With the exception of Jennings, a red-shirt freshman, the defensive backs had the opportunity to play during fourth quarters of games last year. Marshall, a junior, played in dime situations.

Projected starters in the spring included Sikes at one safety and hard-hitting Sean Taylor at the other. Jennings, Marshall and Rolle will vie for the two corner positions with both spots up for grabs.

“Our coach said no one has a starting job right now,” Rolle said after the spring game. “We just have to go in there in the fall and battle it out and may the best man win.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

The unit lived up to its name in 2001, delivering key plays when the Hurricanes needed them the most. Kicker Todd Sievers connected on all four of his field goals in a narrow win over Boston College. Sievers was consistent throughout the year, hitting 21-of-26 field goal attempts (81 percent). That included 7-of-8 in the 40-49-yard range.

Although not used very often, punter Freddie Capshaw had another solid season. Capshaw boomed 36 punts, 15 of which landed inside the 20. He compiled a 41.8-yard average including a long of 59. Both Capshaw and Sievers will be counted upon again in their senior campaigns.

“Todd Sievers and Freddie Capshaw will be very productive for us next season just as they were in our championship run,” Coker said.

The Hurricanes won’t have the services of Buchanon to return punts. Buchanon averaged 15 yards per return and ran back two punts for touchdowns. Compared to his 31 punts fielded, the next closest returning Hurricanes were Beard and Sands. Each fielded just two last season.

Parrish, who could have the most explosive speed on the team, will probably get a chance to return punts as well.

Miami did not return many kicks last season because the opponents usually didn’t score, but when they did, Johnson was the regular return man.

He averaged 19.5 yards on 13 returns and will be back in that role this season. Parrish or McGahee may line up across Johnson in the end zone.

At long snapper, the ‘Canes will be happy to return to Chris Harvey to the lineup. Harvey, the snapper on all punts, field goals and conversion kicks the last two seasons, missed the last six games of 2001 due to a major knee injury that required surgery. Joe Fantigrassi took his place, but had some difficulties. Harvey participated during the spring and should be ready to go come August.

Despite losing almost half of the starting lineup, the Hurricanes are ready to defend the crown they worked so hard to earn. The 2002 ‘Canes may look young at some positions, but what they lack in experience, they make up in talent.

“With a program like Miami, we reload,” Rumph said. “You don’t lose too much talent too fast.”

Hurricane Sports Writer Brian Poliakoff contributed to this report.

“Quarterback U” should have no problem living up to its name even after Heisman hopeful Ken Dorsey graduates.
In addition to signing freshman quarterback Marc Guillon, UM coach Larry Coker landed the nation’s top recruit, albeit from 1999, Brock Berlin – a transfer from the University of Florida.
“This is a little bit of a bonus to our recruiting class,” Coker said. “I came to Evangel (Christian Academy in Shreveport, La.) trying to recruit a receiver named Abram Booty (who eventually went to LSU). I think Brock was a sophomore or maybe a freshman at that time, but the coaches said, ‘You’ll be back for this young man.'”
Coker was enthusiastic about Berlin, a 6-1, 209-pound junior and possible heir apparent to Dorsey. Berlin signed with the Gators after earning the USA Today’s 1999 National Offensive Prep Player of the Year Award. Under NCAA rules, Berlin will have to sit out this season, Dorsey’s senior campaign, and will have two years of eligibility remaining. Coker stressed, however, that Berlin would have to earn that starting job.
“There are no guarantees here,” Coker said. “All he wants is an opportunity to compete for the job.”
Berlin will be competing with current UM backups Derrick Crudup, a red-shirt junior, and Buck Ortega, a red-shirt sophomore. Also in the mix is Guillon, a 6-4, 185-pound incoming recruit, who is graduating from Dorsey’s old high school, Miramonte (Calif.) High.
“I know there are other guys here that can play,” Berlin said. “I’ll just come in, work hard and compete and see what happens. I don’t want to come here and make (Crudup) feel like I’m the man or anything. I know we’re both up for the job after this year. Let the best man win.”
Berlin had been toiling behind Rex Grossman at UF, and had his red-shirt burned his freshman year by Spurrier. Berlin had made up his mind to transfer before the Orange Bowl on Jan. 2, but hesitated when Grossman contemplated leaving early for the NFL.
“I wanted an opportunity to play,” Berlin said. “If Rex would have left to go pro, then I would have wanted to stay with my buddies at Florida. But Rex decided to stay and I looked for the best opportunity.”
Berlin made the most of his opportunity when he did get to play at UF, completing 53-of-87 passes for 653 yards, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions in 11 regular season games. He also started in the Orange Bowl against Maryland, going 11-of-19 for 196 yards, two interceptions and a touchdown. Besides that start, Berlin was used to sitting on the bench and will use that experience to help him through the 2002 season.
“These past two years have been hard,” he said. “I’ve learned a lot about patience. Another year, that gets under your skin. You want to be out on the field making plays. But, hopefully, it goes by fast for me.”
If Berlin does start in 2003, he may be highlighting one date on the schedule – a game against UF in the Orange Bowl. He said he enjoyed his time in Gainesville but is ready to help the Hurricanes continue their success.
“I loved playing for the Gators, but I made the move and now I’m a ‘Cane,” Berlin said. “I’m ready to play the Gators when it comes that time.”

After losing 12 seniors and three underclassmen from their 2001 championship team, the Hurricanes proved that speed and talent can be reloaded, as head coach Larry Coker announced one of the top recruiting classes in the nation.

“We had an excellent recruiting season coming off our national championship year and I’m very pleased that we signed a quality group of men who meet the personnel needs we have,” Coker said. “While the athletic ability of these recruits was outstanding, I also was impressed with the way these young men have approached their academics.”

Miami signed 22 players including two Parade All-Americans and 10 SuperPrep All-Americans. The Hurricanes once again signed a rich crop of players from the state of Florida, signing 16 players from the state including 10 from the greater Miami area.

One of the top names in the class is 6-3, 185 pound wide receiver Ryan Moore. Moore, a Parade and SuperPrep All-American from Dr. Phillips High School in Orlando was ranked the nation’s no. 2 receiver prospect by SuperPrep.

Moore caught 25 passes for 557 yards and six touchdowns and returned two kicks for a touchdown as a senior.

“Ryan is an extremely special athlete,” Coker said. “He has great size and extraordinary talent.”

Moore is just one member of what Coker called “a receiver strong class.”

Another blue-chip wide receiver recruit is Devin Hester from Suncoast High School in Orlando.

The Parade and SuperPrep All-American, at 5-11, 168 pounds, is regarded as one of the nation’s best all-around prospects.

Hester played extensively at running back, receiver, defensive back and as a return man last season. He rushed for 842 yards and 12 touchdowns while compiling 922 yards receiving for six touchdowns, in addition to throwing for five touchdowns as a senior. Hester came to Miami as a wide receiver.

In addition, with the graduation of Daryl Jones and the early departure of Phillip Buchanon, Hester will feel a much-needed void as a possible return man.

“Devin might be the best athlete in the entire state of Florida,” Coker said.

Another notable receiving recruit is 5-8, 163 pound Sinorice Moss from Carol City High in Miami. Moss is the younger brother of former Hurricanes star Santana Moss.

Coker also announced the signing of two outstanding tight ends that could see playing time next season after the early departure of Jeremy Shockey.

Eric Winston from Lee High School in Midland, Texas, is considered by many the top tight end prospect in the nation. The 6-5, 260 pound ESPN.com First Team All-American caught 20 passes for 210 yards and three touchdowns and was named his team’s Offensive Most Valuable Player for the 2001 season.

The team also signed 6-6, 200 pound tight end Curtis Justus from Perry High School in Oklahoma. Justus is already drawing comparisons to fellow Oklahoman and recent Miami star Shockey. Justus had 42 catches for 513 yards and six touchdowns as a senior.

“We signed two of the best tight end prospects in the country,” Coker said. “Both players would have liked Shockey to stay so they could learn from him, but they will be ready to compete and produce.”

The lone quarterback signed was Marc Guillon from Miramonte High School in Orinda, Ca. The 6-4, 190-lb. quarterback is know for his smart decision making and accurate passing as he threw for 2,200 yards and 23 touchdowns with only seven interceptions while leading his team to a 13-0 record in 2001.

Hailing from the same school as Ken Dorsey, Guillon will compete with recent transfer Brock Berlin for the starting position in 2003.

“Guillon is a great athlete with an extremely strong arm,” Coker said. “He is a different player than Dorsey, as he is stronger and more of a physical quarterback.”

On the defensive side the ball, Miami signed five defensive backs that will help ease the loss of the entire starting secondary.

The top name is 6-1, 173-lb. cornerback Brandon Meriweather from Apopka High School. Meriweather earned a reputation as a hard hitter as he led Apopka to the Florida Class 6A 2001 State Championship. Meriweather recorded 55 tackles and three interceptions as a senior.

“We play a lot of five and six defensive back formations, so a couple of our defensive back signings will have the opportunity to play early,” Coker said.

Another big name on defense is 6-2, 205-lb. linebacker Nate Harris from Edison High in Miami. Harris made 105 tackles, had eight interceptions, and caused seven fumbles as a senior.

“Nate is a tremendous young man and a great football talent,” Coker said. “He is a great fit for our style of defense.”

The only sour note of this recruiting class is that Miami only signed two offensive linemen. With the graduation of Bryant McKinnie, Joaquin Gonzalez and Martin Bibla, Coker would have liked to sign a couple more linemen.

Coker, however, was excited about the signing of 6-6, 300-lb. offensive lineman Anthony Wollschlager from St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale. The SuperPrep All-American is an excellent run blocker and led his team to the Class 4 A state championship as a senior.

“This year’s class was the most efficient recruiting I been around as almost all of our commitments stayed with us,” Coker said. “Our coaching staff did an outstanding job recruiting great talent on and off the field.”