Podcast: Miami’s path to College World Series, Highsmith’s impact and Wong’s return
The Miami Hurricanes’ football, men’s basketball and baseball programs have all made news in the last few weeks, so it was about time for the Eye on the U podcast to make its triumphant return.
On a long-awaited new episode, David Wilson and Susan Miller Degnan, the Miami Herald’s Hurricanes beat writer, examine Miami’s path to the College World Series, analyze what Alonzo Highsmith’s arrival as general manager of football operations were mean and explain why Isaiah Wong’s return is a big deal for the Hurricanes as they try to follow up their Elite Eight run from last season.
There’s also some milkshake talk, of course.
It starts with baseball, though. Miami, the No. 6 overall seed, kicks off the NCAA tournament Friday when it hosts the Canisius Golden Griffins in Game 1 of the Coral Gables Regional. As the top seed in their region, the Hurricanes get the luxury of facing the No. 4 seed and possibly setting their rotation advantageously.
For those just dropping in for the postseason, Miami has a real chance to make it back to the College World Series for the first time since 2016, and Degnan explains what needs to happen for the Hurricanes to get to Omaha, Nebraska.
Mario Cristobal can’t help but keep making headlines, either. Highsmith is just the latest high-profile addition the coach has made to his staff and he comes home to South Florida in a brand-new role as a general manager. It fits with his decade of experience as a personnel executive in the NFL and it will give Cristobal another wise voice in his ear. Still, a GM in college football is unusual and it will be fascinating to see what exactly this role entails for Highsmith and how much of a say he’ll have in personnel decisions.
For next year, Wong’s return might just be the biggest deal, though. The star point guard pulled out of the 2022 NBA draft Thursday to come back to Miami for another season, hoping to boost his draft stock and keep the Hurricanes as a fixture in the NCAA Tournament. After two straight seasons as a third-team all-Atlantic Coast Conference performer, Wong should get the reins of the team next year and is skilled enough of an offensive player to get Miami back to the Tournament, even after it lost three starters to graduation.
As always, thanks for listening and please continue to rate, review and subscribe on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
