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’Hawks on the hunt for 11th straight national title

By Jack Reyering, For The Miami Student

Miami University Synchronized Skating is seeking its 11th straight title at the U.S. National Championships in Providence, Rhode Island this weekend.

In the collegiate division, Miami has won the title 10 straight years and 15 times overall. Along with the college squad, Miami's junior and senior teams are competing this weekend.

Senior co-captain Lexi Monti is excited to try to make it 11 straight titles for the collegiate team, but understands the win won't be handed to them either.

"We have to continuously stay motivated because we have won this competition ten years in a row and we have set the bar so high for ourselves," Monti said.

Senior co-captain Melissa Marchese has been skating for the collegiate team for four years and said this year's team is the best she's seen.

"I think this is the hardest working group of girls that I've skated with at Miami," Marchese said. "We all want it and we all work really hard together to accomplish our goals."

But Marchese, just like Monti, understands that success in the past doesn't guarantee it for the future.

"You don't ever want to get complacent because we set the bar in the collegiate division in this country," Marchese said.

The collegiate team has worked hard to combat that complacency.

"We watched all the past collegiate teams that won national championships," Marchese said. "Just to kind of understand the history of being a part of the program and the legacy that we get to be a part of."

Along with the collegiate team, the two other teams also have hopes of winning the title in each of their divisions. Senior Ashley Mulhern is a member of the senior team and she believes its skaters have what it takes to win the title.

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The senior team, which finished second in last year's nationals, is seeking its first win since 2009 and fourth title overall.

The competition runs from Feb. 27 through March 1.

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