Miami University's senior synchronized skating team left Tuesday for Rouen, France to compete this weekend for the French Cup International.
According to coach and alumnus of the Miami skating program, Lee Ann Shoker, they left after returning Monday from the U.S. National Skating Competition in Minnesota, where they skated in an exhibition after receiving Skating Magazine's Reader's Choice Michelle Kwan Trophy.
Shoker said the senior team also competed Jan. 11-13 in the Mid-American Championships in Fraser, Mich., taking first place in the short program and second in the long program.
Also competing in the MAC championships were Miami's collegiate and junior synchronized skating teams, with the collegiate team taking first and the junior taking third. Both of these teams left Thursday to compete this weekend at the Midwestern Synchronized Skating Championships in Nashville, Tenn.
Shoker said all three teams would be competing at the U.S. National Championships in Providence, R.I. at the end of February.
Last year, the collegiate team won its fourth consecutive national championship and the senior team took home a silver medal.
"The senior team will be vying for a national title this year," Shoker said. "They're expected to win the gold or silver medal and then go on to compete in Budapest, Hungary at the ISU World Synchronized Championships."
According to a press release by the Miami Athletic Department, if the team can hold on to its third place ranking, it will be the highest finish ever made by an American skating team at the World Championships, making U.S. skating history.
Shannie Len, a senior on the senior team, is excited about competing in France this weekend.
"It's a chance to see what higher level teams are doing," Len said. "It's basically our look into what's going to happen at (the World Championship)."
According to Shoker, Miami's synchronized skating team began as a club sport in the late 1970s and grew more competitive through the 1980s before finally becoming a varsity program in 1995.
Since then, the senior team has won two national titles (in 1999 and 2006) and last year it had the highest U.S. finish at the World Championships with a silver medal.
"Last year we placed second at worlds over U.S. team No.1 from nationals," Len said. "We showed the judges and the skating world what we can do. This year we want to regain the U.S. No. 1 title at nationals and go on to medal at worlds, which is the peak of our season."
The collegiate team has also won nine national championships and this is the second year for the newly formed junior team.
According to Shoker, the program consists of 52 athletes who make time to practice an hour and a half to three hours a day, Monday through Friday. Miami's competitive season began in December and will continue through March.
Len has been a part of Miami's synchronized skating program for the last four years.
"It's rare for a school funded skating team to be a national winning skating team," Len said.
This is Shoker's second season with Miami and she can clearly see the student support for the team.
"Those who know about the team, truly enjoy supporting us," she said. "We don't compete at Miami and we're on the road a lot, but there's such an appreciation for the sport. It's really exciting."
Len also noted that the support of the athletic community and Miami students has grown since they've won national and international titles.
"It's definitely made an impact," Len said. "Students come and cheer for us at hockey games and there is a lot of support from fellow athletes. We have a really great athletic community."
Fans are encouraged to come to the skating exhibition at 4 p.m. Feb. 15 at the Goggin Ice Center. This is the national send off where all three teams will be skating all of their programs. The exhibition is free to the public.
Or fans can catch the three teams skating at the annual ice show April 25-26.
"The most important thing for me is that I have a place to do what I love and be with people who have common interests and goals," Len said. "What other college student can say they've been around the world doing what they love?"
