The Miami University RedHawks football team is one with a rich tradition of history. The school boasts the longest continuous college football rivalry west of the Allegheny Mountains[5] against the Cincinnati Bearcats, and has one of the oldest football programs in the country, dating to the year 1888.
Beginning play in 1915, and Mid-American Conference (MAC) play in 1948, Miami has made the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship 7 times. The team has won 4 MAC conference championships, 3 MAC East Division titles (divisional play in the MAC was held from 1998 to 2017), and 3 MAC Tournament titles (the tournament began in 1981).[6][7] The team plays its home games at McKie Field at Hayden Park in Oxford, Ohio.
Miami fans gather before a hockey game against Nebraska-Omaha.
The RedHawks on ice played in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) before its disbanding in 2013, and fielded one of the best teams in the league in recent years. In 2006, the RedHawks earned the first #1 national ranking in school history and were CCHA regular season champs. They made it to the championship game, but lost to Michigan State. Beginning in the 2013–2014 season, they will play in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
In 2006 Miami University replaced the old Goggin Ice Arena from 1976 with the new $34.8-million state-of-the-art Goggin Ice Center, with a capacity of around 4,000. Both buildings are named for former University vice-president Lloyd Goggin.[8]
In 2008 the RedHawks set team records for winning percentage and wins with .797 and 33 respectively. That year the RedHawks captured their first #1 seed in school history and advanced to the quarterfinals in the NCAA tournament, losing to Boston College. The team was led that year by All-Americans Ryan Jones and Alec Martinez.
The 2009 RedHawks became the first Miami team to reach the Frozen Four in the history of the program. The team made it to the championship game and carried a 3–1 lead into the final minute before giving up 2 goals 6 on 5 with the opposition net empty, and ultimately lost in overtime on an unlucky deflection, 4–3 to college hockey powerhouse Boston University.
Synchronized skating
Miami's synchronized skating team began in August 1977 as a "Precision Skating Club" at Goggin Ice Center.[9] The program achieved varsity status by 1996,[10] and is also home to one of the first varsity synchronized skating teams in the country.
Miami created a junior-varsity level team beneath the senior level.[10] After serving as the coach of Miami's program for 25 years, Vicki Korn announced her retirement in May 2009.[10]
(Note: Synchronized skating is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating, not by the NCAA. Most synchronized skating teams are clubs not affiliated with any college or university; Miami is one of about 15 schools that sponsor varsity or club teams.)
Golf
The men's golf team has won 13 Mid-American Conference championships: 1948, 1950, 1970, 1974, 1981, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 (co-champions), 1996, 2015. RedHawks who have had success at the professional level include: Bob Lohr (one PGA Tour win) and Brad Adamonis (one Nationwide Tour win).[14]
The men's and women's team compete in the National Collegiate Water Ski Association (NCWSA) in slalom, jump and trick events. They compete around the Midwest in the Great Lakes Region to qualify to the national competition. The Redhawks won the Division II National Championship 2016, 2017 and 2019.
Men's lacrosse
The men's lacrosse team represents Miami University and currently competes in non-varsity lacrosse in the Men's Collegiate Lacrosse Association (MCLA) Division I level as a member of the Great Rivers Lacrosse Conference (GRLC).[15] The RedHawks lacrosse team plays home games in Yager Stadium located in Oxford, Ohio. The team is coach Chuck Wilson. Miami finished the 2010 season second place in the CCLA and won its first CCLA play off game in over ten years. Miami boasted a 9–4 record, including 5–0 at home.[16]
Rugby
Founded in 1968, the Miami University Rugby Football Club plays college rugby in Division I in the MAC Conference. Miami reached the national playoffs in 2009 and again in 2010.[17] Miami rugby was named the school's top performing and respected club among all of Miami's club sports in 2009 and in 2010.[18] Miami rugby is supported by the Miami University Men's Rugby Football Club Alumni Association, which provides resources to the team.[17] Miami rugby has been led since 2007 by Jared Moore.
Boxing
The Miami University boxing team competes in the Midwest Collegiate Boxing Association of the National Collegiate Boxing Association, a subset of USA Boxing dedicated to college boxing.[19] The team competes from August to April each school year and has had regional and national medalists in the NCBA tournaments, as well as some boxers being named All-American. The current head coach is Coach Eric Buller, Pd.D, who works at Miami as the Director of the Harry T. Wilks Leadership Institute and arrived here in 2011. Prior to his arrival, he was the Assistant Coach of the Boxing team at the United States Military Academy and won a team Collegiate National Championship in 2008. He is a Level II USA Boxing Certified Coach and serves as the President for the National Collegiate Boxing Association. He is a two-time Miami Club Sports Coach/Advisor of the Year and was the 2016 NCBA National Coach of the Year. Coach Mike Argadine coached Miami Boxing for many years after his graduation from Miami. Coach Argadine, and his assistant coach Christopher Lee, stepped down after the 2011-2012 season as Head Coach.
Discontinued sports
Wrestling
At one time, Miami had a very competitive wrestling program. They won eight Mid-American Conference Titles (1961, 1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1984, 1991 & 1992) and produced 51 NCAA qualifiers who earned 81 qualifications to the NCAA Division I tournament. Seven of their wrestlers earned All American status with HWT Mike Holcomb placing twice (5th in 1982, 3rd in 1984).
The program was reinstalled as a club sport by Seth Preisler in 2002. In 2003, the club team took second in their regional tournament.[20]
Team name
Miami University Redskins logo
Before the early 1930s, the Miami University nicknames were interchangeable, including the Miami Boys, the Big Reds, and the Reds and Whites. The first glimpse of the Miami University "Redskins" was in 1928, when a Miami student referred to their team as the "Big Red-Skinned Warriors".[21] By 1931, the Redskins had stuck as the Miami University nickname, and was the official nickname of the Miami University athletics program for nearly seventy years.
In the 1992–1994 academic year, at the urging from students in the Honors College by Gregory T. Wilkins, who went to the Oklahoma-based Miami Tribe for support, the Miami University Redskins officially changed their names to the "RedHawks", which they remain today. It was during the 1997–1998 basketball season that the new mascot of Miami, Swoop the Redhawk, was revealed during a game.
