Miami athletes who should have their numbers retired next

Across the Miami University athletic department, multiple athletes have received the honor of having their jersey numbers retired after their collegiate careers. These are players who etched their names into both Miami and Mid-American Conference (MAC) record books, with some even going on to have success in the professional leagues.

Here are five players from Miami whose numbers the athletic department should consider retiring next.

Lauren Dickerson, No. 13, Women’s Basketball (2016-20)

Dickerson played during the revival of the women’s basketball program, which had finished under .500 in four-straight seasons before 2017-18. In two years with head coach Megan Duffy, the RedHawks went 44-20.

During that two-year stretch, Dickerson averaged 18 points per game.

She averaged double-digit points for all four years at Miami and set a career record for points with 2,208. She is the fastest player in program history to reach 1,000 points and earned two All-MAC First Team honors in 2018-19 and 2019-20, one of four players to receive the honors twice in their careers at Miami.

Dickerson also ranks second in career assists (595) and holds the record for both field goals made (813) and 3-pointers made (315). She has the most 20-point games out of any Miami women’s basketball player, with 51.

The women’s basketball team doesn’t have any retired numbers yet, but Dickerson would be a phenomenal choice to inaugurate the tradition for the team.

Jack Kucek, No. 12, Baseball (1972-74)

Kucek played at Miami when baseball won its first Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship in 1973. The RedHawks followed that up with another championship in 1974 that sent Miami to the NCAA tournament. In the first game of that tournament, Kucek threw a no-hitter against the University of Cincinnati.

By the end of his time at Miami, Kucek set the program record with the lowest career ERA (1.62), which still ties for seventh in the MAC. He prepared himself well for a professional career after getting drafted by the Chicago White Sox in the second round of the 1974 MLB draft.

Kucek served primarily as a reliever in the MLB and bounced from the White Sox to the Philadelphia Phillies, and later the Toronto Bluejays.

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The Miami baseball program doesn’t have any numbers retired currently, and with a name that still appears all over both the Miami and MAC record books, Kucek’s jersey can be one to hang up for good.

Mekhi Lairy, No. 2, Men’s Basketball (2018-2023)

Standing at 5-foot-9, Lairy proved that height didn’t matter as much as talent on the basketball court. Even as one of the shortest college basketball players in the country, he made his impact felt immediately, scoring 200 points and earning eight starts as a freshman.

He improved with each season, finishing his collegiate career with 1,743 points, good for fourth in program history behind Ron Harper (2,377), Wally Szczerbiak (1,847) and Devin Davis (1,828). Harper and Szczerbiak both have their numbers retired, as well.

Lairy also holds the highest single-season and career free-throw percentage (.922 and .874, respectively) in program history. He ranks second in career assists with 441, and his 196 career 3-pointers is also good for sixth in the record book.

While the program is currently experiencing its best era in more than 30 years, fans should not forget about a pivotal character who was there in head coach Travis Steele’s first year at Miami.

Ryne Robinson, No. 2, Football (2003-06)

Ben Roethlisberger captured the national spotlight both during his time at Miami and as a Pittsburgh Steeler. However, Robinson is a name that fell under the radar for many during the early 2000s.

Robinson only played one season with Roethlisberger throwing him the ball, but when he graduated in 2006, he set the program record for career receptions (258), receiving yards (3,697) and punt return yards (1,677), which ranks third in NCAA history. He also set the MAC record for punt return yards in a game with 237 against the University of Buffalo in 2003.

His threat as a punt returner shouldn’t outshine his abilities as a receiver. He caught 22 touchdowns during his collegiate career, putting him at fourth all-time in Miami history.

Roethlisberger and Prentice had their numbers retired, but it might be time for a third player from that era of Miami football to have his jersey hung at Yager Stadium.

Jessica Simpson, No. 25, Softball (2009-12)

Karli Spaid, a recent graduate, made program history when she became the first Miami softball player to have her jersey number retired at the end of last season.

Since the softball team has retired one number, Jessica Simpson should be added to the list.

She ranks third in the program with a 1.64 career ERA. In 1,048.2 innings pitched – the most in program history – she pitched 46 shutouts and 1,021 strikeouts, taking first place in both categories in the Miami record book. Her 46 shutouts is also a MAC record.

Simpson was named the MAC Pitcher of the Year in both 2011 and 2012, and she helped the RedHawks win the MAC championship in 2012, when she was named the MAC Tournament MVP. She was inducted into the Miami Hall of Fame in 2017.

@kethanbabu_04

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