• Thursday, Miami football kicks off its season with a nationally televised game versus Vanderbilt, the first SEC team to ever visit Yager Stadium.
• Friday, volleyball starts its season by hosting the Best Western Classic.  Miami's first game is versus St. Louis while the RedHawks then host Stephen F. Austin on Saturday.  Miami volleyball enters the season coming off a MAC tournament championship and an NCAA berth.  Miami enters the season with high expectations as the RedHawks have been picked by the MAC coaches as favorites to win the MAC East.
• Saturday, field hockey begins its season with weekend games at home versus Davidson and Richmond (on Sunday).  Last season the Redawks finished as runners-up in the MAC title game, falling one win short of an NCAA berth.  The RedHawks were picked to finish second in the conference this season by the league's coaches.
• Also on Saturday, men's and women's cross country begin their seasons by competing at the Flyer 5K race in Dayton.  Last year the men and women both won the team competition, led by Pat Sovacool (men) and Laura Neufarth (women) who both won the individual races (both of these standouts return this season).
• While not beginning its season, Miami's soccer team hosts Michigan on Sunday.  The RedHawks won their season opener 3-1 versus Morehouse State behind Sara Lund's three goals and six saves by Krista Pace.  Lund's performance earned her MAC Player of the Week honors.

Good luck to all of Miami's teams this weekend and welcome to the 2008-09 fall sports season!

To younger Miamians, Pont was mostly the stuff of lore, whether for his groundbreaking play as a halfback at Miami from 1949-1951, for his stint as a Navy submariner, or for his work as a fine coach, who led Miami to a 43-22-2 mark, including a sterling 25-8-2 record on league play over seven seasons before departing for Yale.  Pont is one of only three Miami football players ever to have his jersey retired. 

On the national scene, Pont is probably best known as the miracle worker who led Indiana University to its only Rose Bowl appearance.  That feat garnered him national coach of the year honors in 1967.  It was still foremost in Terry Hoeppner’s mind when he followed Pont’s footsteps from Oxford to Bloomington, seeing possibilities where others saw only problems.  Pont also coached at Northwestern in the early 1970s.

In his later years, Pont, still unable to get football out of his blood, started a football program from scratch at the College of Mount Saint Joseph and even spent fifteen years teaching the game in Japan.  He was also a constant presence in and around Oxford and a living link between the Cradle of Coaches tradition and a new generation of Miamians.  They—and we—will mourn his loss today.  

EDIT:  I’d encourage everyone to watch Bake’s excellent tribute to Coach Pont.  Miami’s sports information office and Pete Conrad also have well-written obits. 

The story has already been on the “Mike & Mike” show this morning, and we suspect it will start getting a lot of positive press.  If you want to help the cause, check out the Samaritan’s Feet website.

For more information, you can also check out these links:
Syracuse Daily Orange
Deadspin

Here’s hoping that Ron’s quest is a success...and that IUPUI’s gym is well heated!

Volleyball: Finished 20-11 in 2007 (2nd place in the MAC East), won the MAC tournament championship, and advanced to the NCAA tournament.  In 2006 volleyball finished 13-19 and lost in the MAC tournament quarterfinals.

Women's Cross Country: In 2007, finished third at the MAC cross country championships and eighth at the Great Lakes regional championships.  Laura Neufarth won the MAC individual title.  In 2006 the team finished eighth at the MAC championships and 22nd at the Great Lakes regional championships.  Miami's best finisher at the MAC meet finished 11th.

Men's Cross Country: Finished second at the MAC championships in 2007 and ninth at the Great Lakes regional championships.  Top Miami finished Pat Sovacool finihsed fourth at the MAC meet.  In 2006 the team finished fourth at the MAC championships and 14th at the Great Lakes regional championships.  Pat Sovacool also finished fourth at the MAC meet last year.

Football: Miami's football team finished 2007 with a 6-7 record and a MAC East title.  Last year, the football team finished in fifth place in the MAC East and had an overall record of 2-10.

Field Hockey: Finished 10-11 and in third place in the MAC, making the MAC tournament title game.  In 2006 the team finished 10-12 and lost in the MAC tournament semifinals.

Soccer: Soccer finished 8th in the MAC with an overall record of 6-10-3, falling in the first round of the MAC tournament.  In 2006 the team finished 8-10-2, losing in the semifinals of the MAC tournament.

Football: Beat Akron - Check

Ice Hockey: Beat Michigan State on Thursday - Check

Ice Hockey: Beat Michigan State on Friday  - Check

Volleyball: Beat Central Michigan (MAC Quarterfinals) - Check

Women's Basketball: Beat Radford in WNIT - Check

Volleyball: Beat Eastern Michigan Saturday (MAC Semifinals) -   Check

Women's Basketball: Beat IUPUI Saturday in WNIT - Check

Volleyball: Beat OU and Win MAC Championship Sunday -

Friday evening brings three significant games for Miami teams.  Volleyball (11-3 in the MAC) plays the first game of its season ending weekend at Akron (2-13), before travelling to Buffalo (1-13) for the final match of the regular season on Saturday.  Two victories this weekend will earn Miami the third seed in the MAC volleyball tournament as well as giving Miami its most MAC victories in a season since 1998.  Ice Hockey (8-0-0, #1 in the nation) faces its toughest test so far this season with a two game home series versus Notre Dame (6-3-0) on Friday and Saturday.  Notre Dame is ranked #12 in the nation, and many believe Notre Dame will be one of Miami's toughest challengers for the CCHA title.  Finally, women's basketball opens its 2007-08 season in the WNIT by facing #24 Notre Dame in South Bend.  The RedHawks are predicted to finish third in the MAC East.

In addition to the second games of the weekend for volleyball and ice hockey, both the men's and women's cross country teams will be competing on Saturday in the NCAA Great Lakes Regional championships.  Both teams have been ranked in the top 10 in the regional rankings this season and both are coming off top three finishes in the MAC Championships.

On Tuesday, men's basketball opens its season by facing Xavier in Oxford.  Miami is coming off a MAC tournament championship season and NCAA tournament appearance, and is predicted to finish second in the MAC East this season.

Finally, on Wednesday, football (5-5 overall, 3-1 MAC East) plays its final home game of the season versus Akron.  The RedHawks control their own destiny for postseason play; victories versus Akron and in the regular season finale versus OU will guarantee Miami a MAC East championship, a date with Central Michigan in the MAC Championship game, and a bowl berth.

• Leading up to the MAC Championships, the women's cross country team won four of the five meets in which it participated.  At the MAC Championships, the team finished third, behind OU and Akron.  However, Miami crowned its first MAC champion of the school year when Laura Neufarth won the individual conference championship.  For the season, Laura won all six races in which she participated.  The women next compete at the NCAA regional championships on November 10th.     http://muredhawks.cstv.com/sports/w-xc/recaps/102707aaa.html
• The men's cross country team finished second at the MAC Championships, behind only champion Eastern Michigan.  For the season, the RedHawks won two of the four team scoring meets in which it participated.  Pat Sovacool was Miami's best finisher at the MAC meet, finishing in fourth place.  The men will also compete at the November 10th NCAA regional championships. http://muredhawks.cstv.com/sports/m-xc/recaps/102707aaa.html
• The Miami field hockey team finished the season 10-11 after falling 3-2 in the MAC tournament finals this past Saturday.  Miami was seeded third in the tournament, and defeated #6 Missouri State and #2 Kent State before losing to top seed OU in overtime.  For the season, Miami was led in scoring by seniors Alyssa Nye (12 goals and five assists) and Taylor Florence (six goals and seven assists). http://muredhawks.cstv.com/sports/w-fieldh/recaps/110307aaa.html
• Miami soccer finished the season 6-10-3 overall and 4-6-1 in the MAC.  They were the eight seed in the MAC tournament, but fell to top seed Ball State 1-0 on Sunday to end their season.  Scoring leaders were freshmen Sara Lund (seven goals and five assists) and Julie Thompson (five goals) and sophomore Jackie Hardek (four goals and two assists), which bodes well for the team next season. http://muredhawks.cstv.com/sports/w-soccer/recaps/110407aaa.html

The other two fall sports are reaching their conclusion as well.  Volleyball (14-9 overall, 11-3 MAC) has two more regular season matches before competing in the conference tournament from November 13-November 18.  Football (5-5 overall, 3-1 MAC East) also has two more regular season games and is in the drivers seat for a MAC East title and a spot in the MAC Championship game.

• Women's Cross Country - Coming into the weekend ranked ninth in the Great Lakes Region, the women's cross country team won the all-Ohio Championship, beating 11 other Division I schools and a total of 44 Ohio colleges and universities.  Laura Neufarth led Miami by winning the meet with a time of 18:32.6, her fourth victory of the season in as many races.
• Volleyball - Volleyball extended its winning streak to five matches with 3-0 sweeps of Buffalo and Akron.  The wins improved Miami's MAC record to 5-1, keeping the RedHawks in a tie for the MAC East lead.
• Tennis - Miami dominated the Ball State Fall Invitational, winning all four singles flights plus one doubles flight.
• Football - Miami defeated Kent State 20-13 in the RedHawks' MAC East opener.  The win evened Miami's record at 3-3 and allowed the RedHawks to exceed last year's victory total.
• Women's Swimming and Diving: Miami won its season opening dual meet with a 166-91 victory over Marshall.  The victory was Miami's 17 consecutive dual meet win, a streak spanning three seasons.
• Field Hockey - Miami defeated MAC foe Missouri State 9-1 to improve its conference record to 3-2.  The nine goals ties a Miami team record for goals in a game.

We've spent the off-season reading the Toledo Blade with a mixture of amusement and alarm, as the investigation into Scooter McDougle's alleged involvement with a Detroit-area bookie apparently has sparked an NCAA investigation and UT's own review of the athletic department has led to a major reorganization.

Among the juiciest nuggets from UT's probe were findings that UT coaches' wives and girlfriends had traveled free on the university's dime (contrary to policy) and that the UT staff took a trip to Germany.  (We'll be on the look-out for Rocket O-linemen named "Hans" and for tell-tale signs of Black Forest cake residue on 'Stutz's chins.)   As the estimable Mr. Swindle would say, "Hot schnitzel!"

Meanwhile, UT's Richard Davis was arrested for breaking into an apartment—fully armed—"looking for a friend."  Unfortunately, the kid got the wrong apartment . . . and burst in on a sheriff's deputy's home.  Nice work!   

UT has responded, in a manner of speaking.  University president Lloyd Jacobs has boldly fired the team doctor and ordered every UT player to meet with a lawyer before practice starts.  The profile in courage that goes by the name of Mike O'Brien has apparently responded in a more tried-and-true fashion—by firing the department whistleblower as a retaliatory measure.

While we applaud Jacobs for taking some sort of action and trying desparately hard to teach O'Brien how to spell the phrase "institutional control," we can't help but notice that not a single UT coach has yet faced any disciplinary action and that the AD remains employed.  For better or worse, Toledo has long been one of the bell-cow programs in the MAC, and we've come to expect—if not exactly Miami-level student-athlete standards—at least a principled, ethical competitor.  But, right now, if we squint hard, we can almost see the green "M"s on the helmets up there.   Lloyd Jacobs needs to clean house.