2008 Woodie Awards
Penno's 3-pointer tops '06-'07
Emile Dawisha
Issue date: 4/27/07 Section: Sports
The 2006-07 season of Miami University athletics yielded many memorable moments: the hockey team's first-round upset of New Hampshire, the synchronized skating team's history-making performance at the world championships and of course, Doug Penno's unforgettable buzzer-beating bank shot.
But most importantly, the year of Miami athletics was underscored by ambitious construction projects. Miami unveiled two new state-of-the-art stadiums this school year and continued to give other facilities face-lifts.
Yet, while Miami continues to pump copious amounts of cash into new sports facilities, Miami athletics are still plagued by poor attendance and less-than-stellar performance. This year, only two teams, excluding individual sports, posted winning records: hockey and men's basketball.
But in every sport, there are signs of progress. The women's basketball, volleyball and field hockey teams are young and laden with talent; the football team boasts the best 2007 recruiting class in the MAC; and the new softball and hockey facilities will, in all likelihood, usher in golden eras for those two programs.
The following is my top eight list of the most memorable sports moments of the 2006-07 school year:
No. 8: Beat Big Ten week - In an attempt to galvanize support for Miami athletics, Miami dubbed the week before first semester final exams, Beat Big Ten Week, which featured the men's and women's basketball teams hosting Michigan and the hockey team hosting Ohio State and also included bonfires, tailgating and free T-shirts. Miami went 1-1-1 (the women won 80-70, the men lost 62-56, and the hockey team tied 2-2); and the games - women's basketball game aside - were well-attended, with 6,112 fans at the men's basketball game and 3,642 fans at the hockey game.
No. 7: Women's track and field sending two athletes to the NCAA indoor championships - Junior high jumper Kristina Bolterstein and junior pole vaulter Sarah Landau each placed 17th at the NCAA indoor championships. Bolterstein, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, captured her second consecutive Mid-American Conference indoor high jump crown. Landau holds the school record in the pole vault, and is a three-time national qualifier in the event (twice outdoors and once indoors).
But most importantly, the year of Miami athletics was underscored by ambitious construction projects. Miami unveiled two new state-of-the-art stadiums this school year and continued to give other facilities face-lifts.
Yet, while Miami continues to pump copious amounts of cash into new sports facilities, Miami athletics are still plagued by poor attendance and less-than-stellar performance. This year, only two teams, excluding individual sports, posted winning records: hockey and men's basketball.
But in every sport, there are signs of progress. The women's basketball, volleyball and field hockey teams are young and laden with talent; the football team boasts the best 2007 recruiting class in the MAC; and the new softball and hockey facilities will, in all likelihood, usher in golden eras for those two programs.
The following is my top eight list of the most memorable sports moments of the 2006-07 school year:
No. 8: Beat Big Ten week - In an attempt to galvanize support for Miami athletics, Miami dubbed the week before first semester final exams, Beat Big Ten Week, which featured the men's and women's basketball teams hosting Michigan and the hockey team hosting Ohio State and also included bonfires, tailgating and free T-shirts. Miami went 1-1-1 (the women won 80-70, the men lost 62-56, and the hockey team tied 2-2); and the games - women's basketball game aside - were well-attended, with 6,112 fans at the men's basketball game and 3,642 fans at the hockey game.
No. 7: Women's track and field sending two athletes to the NCAA indoor championships - Junior high jumper Kristina Bolterstein and junior pole vaulter Sarah Landau each placed 17th at the NCAA indoor championships. Bolterstein, the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Great Lakes Region Women's Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, captured her second consecutive Mid-American Conference indoor high jump crown. Landau holds the school record in the pole vault, and is a three-time national qualifier in the event (twice outdoors and once indoors).
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