 Athletic Director Mike Thomas  |
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Dear Bearcats,
While classes do not get started here in Clifton until the middle of September, the start of a new athletics year is upon us with most of our fall sports teams already in action. I'd like to thank you for your past support of the Bearcats and look forward to sharing another great year of competition with you in 2006-07.
Even with the majority of UC's student-athletes out of school, the academic awards continued to roll in over the summer. Most recently, our volleyball program, under the leadership of seventh-year head coach Reed Sunahara was recognized with the Game Plan/AVCA Academic Award. Coach Sunahara's charges were recognized as one of just 54 programs nationally to hold a team GPA of 3.30 or higher for the 2005-06 year, finishing at 3.42. Congratulations to Coach Sunahara and his players on this fine accomplishment!
Women's Golf Head Coach Janet Carl also had reason to smile earlier this summer as three of her student-athletes were recognized as members of the National Golf Coaches Association All-American Scholar Team. UC's Sarah Bires, Marianne Erb and Hillery Wilson all were honored for holding a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher. Congratulations are again in order for the hard work by each of these fine Bearcats.
Congratulations go out to Head Coach Meridy Glenn and our women's soccer team who recently captured the first UC championship of the season with a win in the Westfield Insurance Cup. Sophomore Jenn Johannigman and senior Kate Norton were named the Offensive and Defensive MVPs, respectively. The Bearcats placed four on the all-tournament team, including Johannigman, Norton, sophomore Kim Sykes and senior Becky Imhoff.
One quick fact that you may not know about our women's soccer head coach is that Coach Glenn is the second-winingest coach in US collegiate soccer history. We are proud of Meridy and of the honors she brings to UC.
Our men's soccer team launched the season with a big win at Xavier and boasts the preseason BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Year in Omar Cummings. The senior forward led the Bearcats in scoring in 2005, delivering seven goals and seven assists for 21 points. He finished the campaign ninth in the BIG EAST in goals, fourth in assists and fifth in points and was a unanimous first team All-BIG EAST selection. Head Coach Hylton Dayes and his Bearcats compete in what many believe to be the toughest league in the nation, the BIG EAST, so come out to Gettler Stadium and help build a true home pitch advantage for both of our soccer squads this fall.
The Cincinnati volleyball squad has also gotten off to a fast start with two big wins in the State Farm Bearcats Invitational presented by the Vernon Manor Hotel. Coach Sunahara has a veteran club which was picked third in the BIG EAST in the preseason coach's poll, while also grabbing one of the 15 first-place votes. In addition to the team honor, a league-high three Bearcats were named to the preseason all-conference squad. Sophomore Jessie Nevitt headed the list as one of three unanimous selections on the 12-player squad. Senior Noel Olson and junior Jenny Custer joined their teammate on the team.
Our 2006 cross country squads are poised to continue the success they earned last fall, especially in BIG EAST action. Sophomores Ellen Knopf and Justine Yauch are ready for big success this fall. Knopf recorded three top-10 finishes to begin the 2005 season and Yauch finished in the top 25 in each of her three races. Megan Knapp is another one of the young dynamos as the current sophomore scored in all but two meets as a frosh, and her 48th-place finish at the BIG EAST Championships put her among the top-10 freshmen in the conference. Our UC men will look to junior John Dixon and sophomore Rick King, and will be anchored by senior Taylor Garvin, the team's top veteran. Dixon earned three top-five finishes at the start of 2005, but illness took him out of action at the end of the campaign. Rick, who was joined by brother Randy as a top newcomer, scored in all eight meets and looks for a big season in 2006. The men's top finish last year came at the Queen City Invite, where they retained the title for the fifth consecutive year and later finished sixth in the BIG EAST.
Of course our first football game of the season is set for under the lights, Saturday night, September 2 as the Colonels of Eastern Kentucky come to Nippert Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. for Mark Dantonio's third edition of Bearcats. The team had a productive preseason at Camp Higher Ground and has come together nicely behind captains Brent Celek and Dominic Ross. A graduate of Cincinnati's LaSalle High School, Celek was rated as the No. 13 tight end in the country in The Sporting News' preseason All-American checklist. Ross is a three-year starter in the defensive secondary, who shared the team lead with two interceptions and finished fifth in tackles with 59 last season. These Bearcats face one of the toughest schedules in the nation and, as all of our teams do at UC, compete in the always rigorous BIG EAST.
As I begin my first full Autumn on the job I look forward to seeing you at our many events on campus and out in the Cincinnati Community. I also encourage you to write to me with comments, suggestions or questions at Bearcat.AD@uc.edu. It is always great to hear from you and to meet the folks who fuel the passion of our Bearcat student-athletes. These 530+ individuals are amazing examples of the best of today's college generation. I am proud to work for them, and for you, our fans, alumni and friends.
Thanks for your continued support!
Go Bearcats,
Mike Thomas
