Miami Hurricanes Athletic Program Ranked 53 In Power 5 By Yahoo
In a ranking of the 65 schools in the Power Five conferences (ACC, Big 10, Big XII, Pac 12 and SEC), the Miami Hurricanes Athletic program is ranked 53rd over the last five seasons according to Yahoo.
The rankings were compiled by schools finish in the Directors Cup. As a private school, the Miami Hurricanes don’t have the money that state schools have to support as many sports.
Yahoo’s explanation of the rankings was as follows:
"“An average of their annual standing in the Learfield Directors Cup over the past five school years (2012-13 through 2016-17). The Learfield standings are used by the National Association of College Directors of Athletics (NACDA) as the official measuring stick for how universities perform overall athletically in a given year.”"
Twelve schools were ranked below Miami. Four ACC schools and two private schools were ranked behind the Hurricanes.
Boston College and Wake Forest were the private schools and two of the four public schools ranked behind Miami. Georgia Tech and Pittsburgh were the other two ACC Schools on the list.
Nine private schools nationally were listed ahead of Miami. Three of those were ACC Schools. Notre Dame was ranked 13th, Duke 20th and Syracuse 39th, The list was topped by Stanford who is also a private school.
"About the Hurricanes, Yahoo said: “Trajectory: Steady. The Hurricanes should be much, much better than they are, given their location.”"
Those that will be quick to argue with these rankings should know it’s strictly based on performance. To dismiss the rankings is naive. The rankings also go beyond just football and Men’s college basketball.
Yahoo’s Pat Forde ran the numbers. Stanford’s nearly perennially placing atop the Director’s Cup comes without being an elite power in either football or men’s basketball. The Cardinal won four National Championships this past school year. This was the 41st consecutive school year that Stanford has won a National Championship.
Miami has not won a National Championship in a team sport since the football team won in 2001Shakimba Wimbley won Miami’s first National Championship in an individual sport in six years this year. She captured Indoor 400 Meter title in indoor track.
Most fans focus on just basketball and football. At Miami many only on football. Some will point to the NCAA Tournament appearance by the Men’s Basketball team and the Football’s team’s first bowl victory in ten years.
A season ago, Miami went to the Sweet 16 in basketball but lost their bowl game. The women’s basketball team advanced to the second round but were upset at home as a four seed to 12th seeded Quinnipiac.
The biggest highlight of the Year in Sports for the Miami Hurricanes was Freshmen women’s tennis player Estela Perez-Sommariba who advanced to the NCAA Tournament semifinals.
Next: Miami Hurricanes Freshman Lonnie Walker Discusses Future
With strong recruiting classes in both football and men’s basketball and some young talent throughout the Miami athletic program’s the future looks bright in Coral Gables. Hopefully, UM will be able to rise in the rankings over the next few seasons.