Eye on the U

UM women's tennis finishes Sweet 16 round at close to 1 a.m. EST -- but beats Northwestern to advance to NCAA quarterfinals

They did it again.

For the fifth consecutive season, the University of Miami women's tennis team has advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.

The sixth-ranked Hurricanes, playing at the tournament site in Urbana, Ill., beat Northwestern 4-3. They didn't complete play until close to 1 a.m. Eastern time Saturday (match began Friday night).

The Canes get to rest on Saturday, before meeting No. 3 Texas A&M at 5 p.m. EST on Sunday.

If UM beats Texas A&M in the Elite Eight round, it would play in the national semifinals on Monday. If UM, in turn, won that match, it would advance to the national title round on Tuesday.

The Hurricanes finished as the national runner-up in 2006, but have never won a national title. 

 On Friday, it was  junior Melissa Bolivar who clinched the victory at the No. 6 spot by winning her final two games. She beat Nida Hamilton 7-6 (6), 1-6, 6-4.

 Also winning for UM were Stephanie Wagner at the No. 1 spot and Kelsey Laurente at the No. 2 spot, as well as the crucial doubles victories by Albuquerque/Riobueno and Wagner/Brittany Dubins.

 "I didn't feel comfortable throughout the match,'' Bolivar said after the match, as reported by UM sports information. "I just fought through it. You have to win, even though you're not playing your best. That's a quality we have.''

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN

 

Update on Florida Senator Joseph Abruzzo's quest for Attorney General to initiate investigation of NCAA

   I just spoke with Florida Senator Joseph Abruzzo, who asked Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi to launch an investigation "into the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) actions during its probe of the University of Miami's athletic program, per a letter dated Feb. 20.

   Abruzzo said he met with Bondi late Thursday afternoon. He said she has gotten a copy of the 52-page report that came out after the NCAA's external review of its own improper conduct. The report details the NCAA's wrongdoings in the Miami investigation. 

  "She just received the internal report that the NCAA president issued,'' Abruzzo said by phone. "They gave me a copy, too.''

   Abruzzo said Bondi wants to review the report before they meet again next week.

   "Then we'll discuss what’s going to occur at that point,'' the senator said. "She understands my concerns and didn’t brush it off by any means. But she wants to completely familiarize herself with it.

    "We'll set a time to meet later in the week.''

    Abruzzo's Feb. 20 letter to Bondi said that "NCAA Enforcement Staff violated its own rules and engaged in corrupt behavior in an attempt to manufacture misdeeds against the University of Miami. In so doing, the NCAA has demonstrated a lack of institutional control and may have engaged in unfair trade practices in violation of Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA), Chapter 501, Florida Statues.

   "...I strongly feel that the NCAA's abuse of power and payoffs must be scrutinized to the fullest extent, especially considering the NCAA's role as a regulatory institution of more than 400,000 students across the nation.''

SUSAN MILLER DEGNAN