When it was time for her first official game at the University of Miami, the freshman guard was absent, and it wasn’t because she was nervous. That same day was her grandmother’s funeral.
Basketball, Profiles, Sports
5-foot-7 freshman guard continues to shatter expectations
Heart over height. It’s a message that 5-foot-7, 160-pound Chris Lykes has tattooed across his chest and a motto he has lived by his entire life. Lykes, a freshman at the University of Miami, was ranked No. 48 as a recruit on the ESPN Top-100 list. Described as an explosive point guard with the ability…
Profiles, Soccer, Sports
UM freshman sets sights on military after college
The University of Miami soccer team finished its season on Oct. 26 with a record that ranked near the bottom of the conference standings, but freshman defender Morgan Asmussen isn’t fazed by the rough season. She’s accustomed to dealing with the difficulties that come with new beginnings. Asmussen was born in Okinawa, Japan, and has…
Baseball, Profiles, Sports
University of Miami baseball fan hasn’t missed home game in 15 years
Are you a dedicated sports fan? Well if you are, you might not be as big of one as Mike Kaffee is for UM baseball. The 20-year Air Force veteran has been to every single Hurricanes home game since 2002, when he bought season tickets.
Basketball, Profiles, Sports
Club basketball player transitions from college athlete to law school student
The Division I basketball team is not the only team with standout talent at the University of Miami. Mukiya Post, a 25-year-old member of UM’s club basketball team, once played for Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. Born in Victoria, British Columbia, the Jamaican-Canadian found his way around before receiving a scholarship to attend Miami’s law…
Golf, Profiles, Sports
Dewi Weber aims to master golf while redefining it
Dewi Weber is a prominent force in the golfing world with a dream of playing in the 2020 Olympics. She consistently places in the top-10 individual rankings, propelling the University of Miami to No. 15 in the country. But the 20-year-old Netherlands native has a larger goal in mind: redefining the sport itself. “Playing golf is not about me…
Profiles, Sports, Tennis
Head tennis coach balances athletics, motherhood
Paige Yaroshuk-Tews often prefers to be unconventional in both her roles as head coach of the University of Miami women’s tennis team and as a mother. In no instance was this more obvious than at the 2009 National Indoor Championships. Laura Vallverdu was a senior at UM and one of the best young tennis players…
Cross Country/Track and Field, Profiles, Sports
ACC champion Michelle Atherley dominates the track, stays humble
For most athletes, it takes years of training to become successful and renowned. Michelle Atherley is not like most athletes. The words inked on her arm, “My ambition is my weaponry,” provide a glimpse of her dedication. Only four years into her track and field career, Atherley is no stranger to accomplishments. At Auburn, she…
Profiles, Sports, Tennis
Tennis player aces under pressure with exceptional work ethic
Student-athletes at the University of Miami have to manage jam-packed schedules. Between classes, weight training, practices and games, they must exercise discipline on a daily basis just to get everything done in time to go to sleep at a reasonable hour. So when I asked freshman tennis player Estela Pérez-Somarriba about the difficult adjustment, it…
Baseball, Profiles, Sports
After battle with cancer, Michael Burns returns to field
To many Hurricanes fans, opening weekend was just a normal start to the season with hopes of reaching the College World Series come June. However, for University of Miami junior outfielder Michael Burns, this year means so much more. For Burns, playing on the fresh-cut grass and the smooth, orange clay paving the 90-foot base…
Basketball, Profiles, Sports
Senior guard Davon Reed remains ‘laser-focused’ on NCAA tournament
Miami basketball is amid a turbulent few weeks in the schedule. The team is showing its youth and inexperience, suffering some heartbreaking losses to Duke and Wake Forest. The bright spot as of late has been senior guard Davon Reed. Not only has he taken on the role of leader and captain of the Canes…
Basketball, Profiles, Sports
Bruce Brown’s all-around game having huge impact on Miami early in the season
At the University of Miami, freshmen have made an enormous impact across many sports this fall. On the hardwood, one Hurricane has already impressed fans and media alike. Before the season started, UM coaches raved about freshman guard Bruce Brown’s ability to contribute in a multitude of ways on the court. He has shown that…