Special to UM News

Andrea Green, assistant professor of otolaryngology, helps Caitlin Fryer, a forward on the women’s soccer team, test the new goggles.

The University of Miami football team and the women’s soccer and volleyball teams helped the Miller School of Medicine Division of Sports Medicine test new goggles that detect mild traumatic brain injury last week at the Hecht Athletic Center. UM researchers are relying on feedback from the student-athletes to fine-tune programming in the I-Portal PAS Goggle.

“This is the first time it’s being used on athletes,” said Mikhaylo Szczupak, a postdoctoral research fellow in the Department of Otolaryngology, “and it’s being done for the first time at the University of Miami.”

Developed by Neuro Kinetics, Inc., the I-Portal PAS goggle is outfitted with software including diagnostic tests that can determine, at the site of injury, whether an athlete can return to the field or needs to seek further medical attention for mild traumatic brain injury. The athletes, who volunteered their time, were excited to be a part of the week’s testing.

“Everything with technology is so much more innovative now,” said Shannon McCarthy, a defender on and one of the captains of the women’s soccer team. “So to have computerized, concrete findings on the spot that seem super accurate can only make us athletes safer and better off in the long run.”

The project is advancing under the guidance of the University of Miami Sports Medicine and Performance Institute and the Athletics Department, with help from Lee Kaplan, chief of the Division of Sports Medicine; Gillian Hotz, director of the Concussion Program; and Vinny Scavo, head athletic trainer. The work is funded by a grant to Michael E. Hoffer, director of the Vestibular and Balance Program in the Department of Otolaryngology, from the NFL, Under Armour, and General Electric.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The Miami Hurricanes are going back to the College World Series.

For the first time since 2008 and for the 24^th time in program history, the Hurricanes will make the trip to Omaha, Nebraska as one of the final eight teams remaining in the 2015 NCAA Baseball Championship.

No. 5 national seed Miami, who won its super regional opener 3-2 Friday at Mark Light Field, toppled VCU 10-3 Saturday afternoon to become the first team to punch its tickets to TD Ameritrade Park and the “Promised Land” of college baseball.

The College World Series appearance will mark the 12^th for head coach Jim Morris in his 22 seasons at the helm in Miami.

“Just…wow. You know it’s been a long time since we’ve been to Omaha, so needless to say, we’re very excited, our coaches are very excited,” Morris said.  “Our players don’t know what’s getting ready to hit them, something that they will remember for the rest of their lives.”

Miami overcame the shortest start of the season by All-ACC lefthander Thomas Woodrey in the win, largely thanks to a stunning cameo from veteran righthander Sam Abrams early in the contest.

With the game tied at an uneasy 3-3 in the bottom of the third inning, Woodrey loaded the bases with no outs on a walk, double and hit batter. Abrams was called upon in relief and promptly recorded back-to-back swinging strikeouts of the Rams’ Darian Carpenter and Jimmy Kerrigan, somewhat easing the nerves of the 3,680 in attendance.

When he induced a flyout to right from James Bunn to escape the bases-loaded, no-out jam unharmed to maintain the 3-3 score, Abrams (2-0) sent the packed crowd into a towel-waving frenzy.

“That’s definitely the loudest crowd I’ve been in front of,” Abrams said. “It wasn’t late in the game or anything, but obviously it’s a huge moment.”

Bunn’s ball landed in the glove of team captain Willie Abreu for the final out, shifting momentum in favor of the Hurricanes.

“He looked the same as he always does, so we weren’t worried at all,” said Abreu of Abrams’ entrance in a tight situation. “We had the same mentality: minimize damage. Then, one guy goes down, the next guy goes down and then you start thinking, ‘Wow. This is something special.’”

Abrams went on to toss a career-long 4.0 innings and needed just 54 pitches, striking out four and surrendering just a harmless single in the most impressive outing of his four seasons. He exited after a sixth and final inning to a standing ovation, having stifled VCU (40-25) for the entirety of his outing.

Morris called the crowd “great” and said the fans were “really into the game.”

Abrams, who played his freshman year in 2011 but was cut prior to the 2012 season, finished his master’s degree at Miami this spring for his final year of eligibility.

“I can’t believe that, having to come back for a fifth year from what happened my sophomore year, it ended up working out perfectly,” Abrams said. “It’s a dream come true, honestly.”

Miami (49-15) broke a 4-3 game open in the top half of the seventh, plating five runs to bump its lead to a more secure 9-3.

Junior David Thompson opened the inning’s scoring with an RBI single that scored George Iskenderian (double), while an infield RBI single from Brandon Lopez plated another run to extend the lead to 6-3. A bases loaded-walk to Abreu plated another run, while Miami added another pair on a sacrifice fly from Jacob Heyward and an RBI fielder’s choice from Ricky Eusebio.

Every Miami starter scored at least one run in the win, while seven of nine had at least one hit and one RBI.

“Our lineup, [hitters] one through nine, has been producing all year,” Thompson said. “It’s just a lot of fun knowing there’s no pressure on one guy. If you fail, the guy behind you is going to pick you up.”

Woodrey was unable to make it through 5.0 innings for the first start this season, lasting just 2.0+ before giving way to the bullpen with the score tied 3-3. A manufactured run in the top of the fourth – when Heyward reached on a fielder’s choice, stole second and third and then scored on a passed ball – proved to be the game-winning run that put Miami ahead 4-3.

“A lot of our players contributed, no question,” Morris said. “Our hitters, our pitchers, the whole team did a great job. I’m very, very proud of them and very excited to be a part of this team.”

By the time Willie Abreu’s solo home run landed somewhere beyond the rightfield fence to make it 10-3 in the top of the ninth inning, the party was about to get started.

Sophomore closer Bryan Garcia entered in the bottom of the ninth and retired Vima Machin on a fielder’s choice for the final out of the game, jumpstarting a celebratory dogpile on the pitchers’ mound.

“It’s a tough, tough thing to do, and there are so many good programs out there that have never been to Omaha or so many programs that didn’t make it to the NCAA tournament this year, period,” Morris said.

“It just makes you really  understand and appreciate the opportunity to go back and play in that type of venue, for all the marbles, and see what it’s doing for your players. It’s just a great experience I guarantee everyone [on our team] will never forget.”

UM News

UM Trustee and alumnus Robert A. Mann

CORAL GABLES, Fla. (January 14, 2015) — The University of Miami Athletics Department announced a gift last Wednesday of $1 million from UM Trustee and alumnus Robert A. Mann to create the Robert A. Mann Endowed Fund for the Department of Athletics.

This endowment gift, which will support Hurricanes football, basketball, baseball, and emergency needs for all student-athletes as determined by the director of athletics, is in support of Momentum2: The Breakthrough Campaign for the University of Miami. With this gift, the Athletics Department has raised more than $104 million towards its Momentum2 goal of $125 million.

“Thank you to Bob Mann for his longstanding generosity, commitment, and leadership to University of Miami Athletics,” said UM Director of Athletics Blake James. “Bob is a trusted friend to our program and we are grateful that our dedicated student-athletes will forever benefit from Bob’s generosity and leadership.”

A Cleveland native and longtime Golden ’Cane, Mann has generously supported scholarships and facilities in both Athletics and the School of Communication. Mann, A.B. ’70, serves on the University’s Board of Trustees’ Athletics Advisory Committee and chairs the Visiting Committee of the School of Communication. His past contributions to athletics include support for the construction of Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field, the Robert A. Mann Auditorium in the Schwartz Center for Athletics Excellence, and many years of generous discretionary support.

Recognized for his unwavering commitment to his alma mater, Mann was named Henry King Stanford Alumnus of the Year in 2008.

To learn more about athletics giving opportunities or to make a gift to University of Miami Athletics, visit uhurricaneclub.com or call Jesse Marks, associate athletics director for development, at 305-284-2981.

The Internet has provided the opportunity for ’Canes fans and supporters from all over the world to communicate with each other in ways not possible before. The UM athletic program has passionate fans who follow the recruitment and progress of our prospective student-athletes. The following regulations regarding the interaction with prospective student-athletes are very important for all ’Canes to know:

Message Boards: University of Miami fans participating on a message board are not permitted to write, call, instant-message, text, chat with, or email a prospect. Further, as soon as someone on a message board emails or sends a message out to a recruit, they automatically become a booster and are subject to the NCAA rules prohibiting such contact.

Social Networking: Boosters are not permitted to use social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace to contact or otherwise attempt to correspond with prospects. This includes, but is not limited to, posting on a wall, using the inbox/email feature, instant messaging, “@replies,” “mentions,” or direct messaging.

As electronic communication technology continues to advance, the opportunity for the supporters of an athletics program to have impermissible contact with a prospect or the prospect’s family is greatly increased; however, the institution’s responsibility for that contact remains the same.

UM Athletics asks that all ’Canes fans and supporters assist us in following the guidelines listed above. As always, your efforts to help the University of Miami maintain a culture of compliance are greatly appreciated.

For more compliance information, follow the UM Athletics Department on Twitter (@UCompliance), like them on Facebook (www.facebook.com/UCompliance), or contact them via email, [email protected].

City of Coral Gables commissioners got the chance to meet the newest leaders of the University of Miami’s Athletic Department on May 24, when UM President Donna E. Shalala introduced Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst, men’s head basketball coach Jim Larranaga, and head football coach Al Golden at a city commission meeting. During the proceedings, President Shalala welcomed newly elected Coral Gables Mayor Jim Cason and Commissioner Frank C. Quesada. She also mentioned the great cooperation between UM and The City Beautiful, noting the recent Development Agreement between the two entities and some of the promotional initiatives that have resulted from it, such as free tickets for Coral Gables residents to various sporting and cultural events as well as the Collegetown Lecture Series.

Above, from left, are UM mascot Sebastian the Ibis, Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst, head football coach Al Golden, Coral Gables Commissioner Frank C. Quesada, Commissioner Maria Anderson, Mayor Jim Cason, men’s head basketball coach Jim Larranaga, President Donna E. Shalala, Commissioner Bill Kerdyk Jr., and City Manager Pat Salerno.