Miami Hurricanes

Miami Hurricanes
Competing in the Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), 'Miami Hurricanes' are the official sports team of University of Miami with a list of rivals including 'Florida State Seminoles' of the Florida State University and 'Florida Gators' of University of Florida.

The Hurricanes and Gators have rivaled in the fields only four times since 1987, once in 2001 Sugar Bowl, then 2004 Chick-fill-a Bowl and twice during regular season. Moreover, Florida International University is the usual contender for the Miami Hurricanes since they both are based in the same city. They both faced each other at Orange Bowl in October 2006 resulting in a massive clash on the field.

Ever since UM began ACC play in 2004 season, the Hurricanes and Gators have not faced each other. In 2008, the challenge is most likely to be renewed since UM is scheduled to meet Gators at Gainesville.University only deals with 15 sports teams in order to fulfill the requirements of equivalence with Title IX, out of which the men's sports teams include football, baseball, basketball, cross-country, diving, golf, rowing, soccer, swimming, tennis and track & field. Where as women's teams participate in sports such as basketball, cross-country, diving, golf, rowing, soccer, swimming, tennis, track & field and volleyball. With the aim of meeting the terms with Title IX, the university had to compromise on its men's rowing and diving team which had to its honor, shaping some Olympic medalists one of them being Greg Louganis. Strikingly, the university also lacks on a men's soccer team.

The teams lucky charm is 'Sebastian - the Ibis) which according to a myth, is the last animal to escape a storm and the first to come back, this trait of leadership and bravery makes him an icon. The official merchant for the University of Miami's sports team is Nike with the responsibility of whole sports kit along with other equipments and uniforms. The logo being the alphabet 'U' printed in green and orange and the official colors of team are orange, green and white.During the last quarter years, the University of Miami has secured five Division I national football championships (1983, 1987, 1989, 1991 and 2001) which makes it the team with most champion trophies and University of Nebraska falling at second place with three wins.

Vinny Testaverde (in 1986) and Gino Torretta (in 1992) are among the two Heisman Trophy winners, UM has produced. Ted Hendricks, Michael Irvin, Jim Kelly and Jim Otto - former UM football players have been nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame subsequent to their NFL careers.Besides the hit in the football, UM has experienced huge success with its baseball program, winning four national championships (1982, 1985, 1999 and 2001) and getting to the College World Series 22 times in the 34 seasons, since 1974. The team plays at the UM campus, Mark Light Field under the coach Jim Morris - ex-head coach of Georgia Tech baseball team. Ron Fraser - former coach was added into the College Baseball Hall of Fame in July 2006.

NBA has three of the players on their list from UM's men's basketball team. Rick Barry - member of the Basketball Hall of Fame played his collegiate basketball at UM and is the only undisputed All-American in basketball among Hurricanes and has to his credit the 37.4 average during his senior year, 1964-65 campaign.

Due to severe financial losses, drooping presence and with the Board of Trustees raising the issue of poor services, university abolished the program after 1972 season yet UM remained modestly aggressive for next several years. With the appointment of Leonard Hamilton as head basketball coach and acceptance of an invitation to join the Big East in 1990, the team's destiny was given another chance.

Hamilton carved UM into one of the recovered basketball programs in the Big East by the beginning of the new century and guided the team to three straight NCAA tournament appearances (1998-2000). The 1998 tournament was a come back for UM since 1960 where as 1999 tournament gave them the # 2 seed followed by Sweet sixteen manifestation in 2000.