Year in Review: Ohio athletics
By Britton Dove, Staff Writer
June 9, 2008 | 3 p.m.
As another school year comes to a close, Speakeasy Sports takes a look at the past year in Ohio Bobcat athletics with its countdown of the five biggest story lines of the 2007-2008 school year.
5. Baseball gambling scandal
In Major League Baseball it is rule 21. At Ohio University, it is rule 2915.02(a)1. Either way it’s not good news. Two Ohio baseball players (Andrew Shisila, 22, and Brent DeCoster, 22) were charged on Jan. 14, 2008, with running a sports gambling operation in the fall of 2007. Although the evidence provided only alleged gambling on professional games and not their own, it is still against NCAA rules and is subject to prosecution. The story made national news the day it broke.
4. McRae earns all-time rushing record at Ohio
On Oct. 27, 2007, Kalvin McRae did what scouts, coaches and fans predicted after his freshman season at running back-- he broke the Ohio University all-time rushing record. McRae ran for 200 yards and rushed for three touchdowns against Bowling Green State University, breaking the record and setting a new one in the process. In the third quarter, McRae passed Steveland Hookfin's mark of 3,972 on an eight-yard rush and also became the first Ohio back to rush for 1,000 yards in the three consecutive years. McRae finished his career with 4,398 yards rushing and 5,248 all-purpose yards.
3. Women’s basketball makes it to MAC Championship game, later loses coach
The Ohio Bobcats' women's basketball team compiled 20 wins in a single season for the first time since the 1994-1995 season. Ohio then made the Mid-American Conference Championship game for the first time since the 1985-1986 season but fell to Miami University, 67-56, to end their season, and just like in women’s volleyball, their coach left as well. Sylvia Crawley resigned after only two years in Athens to take the same job at Boston College. Semeka Randall was later named the new head coach, making her the ninth head coach in program history.
2. Women’s volleyball does not meet expectations
There is always a calm before the storm. Fortunately, Ohio’s “calm” lasted for four years with four-consecutive Mid-American Conference championships in volleyball. The “storm” came all at once this year starting with a Sept. 28, 2007, loss to Miami University, which snapped the Bobcats' 47-match home win streak and 64-match win streak against MAC opponents. Lightning struck again in the MAC Championship game, as Ohio again fell to Miami, preventing the Bobcats from winning a fifth-straight MAC Tournament title. Next came a loss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to Purdue. Ohio was ranked No. 19 in the country and also lost the game at home at the Convocation Center. Lastly, the coach for six years, Geoff Carlston, left Ohio to take the same position at Ohio State University. Ryan Theis, a University of Florida assistant coach, replaced Carlston this year, entering with more than 12 years of coaching experience.
1. Athletic Director Kirby Hocutt leaves for the University of Miami
Former Ohio University athletic director Kirby Hocutt traded in his green and white shirts for some Bermuda shorts, a pair of Ray-Ban sunglasses and an airplane ticket to Miami, Fla., this year when Paul Dee retired from his 16-year tenure with the Hurricanes. The top 25 rankings, the national titles and the national respect were too much for Hocutt to pass up when he was offered the athletic director position. Miami was happy to have him as well, with his experience in marketing, fundraising and business management. The Bobcats hired Wichita State University athletic director Jim Schaus to replace Hocutt. Schaus was known for his outstanding work in Wichita, where he turned a $6 million budget deficit into a $1.5 million surplus ,and he also increased the attendance at all events. Schaus started his time with Ohio on June 1.
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