From field to court, Miami athletic programs hitting their stride
RedHawks earned top MAC trophies for both women’s and men’s sports, continue to build momentum
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At 21-0, the the 24th-ranked Miami University men's basketball team is part of a stellar athletic season for the RedHawks.
From field to court, Miami athletic programs hitting their stride
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Published
Once a month, Miami University Athletics holds its all-staff meeting. It’s an opportunity for feedback and suggestions, and the coaching staffs of the RedHawks’ 18 varsity sports are regularly in attendance.
But, that isn’t the only time they are gathering.
“I’ve come to find out that some of the coaches are having their own meetings together and sharing ideas and thoughts,” said David Sayler, Miami’s director of Athletics. “That’s when I know things are really clicking.”
Are they ever.
So far in the 2025-2026 academic year, Miami has:
“Our student-athletes are tremendous representatives of what it means to be a student at Miami University,” President Gregory Crawford said. “They continue to make a positive impact on our campus and our community through a multitude of ways. It’s a very exciting time for Miami athletics.”
But, that isn’t the only time they are gathering.
“I’ve come to find out that some of the coaches are having their own meetings together and sharing ideas and thoughts,” said David Sayler, Miami’s director of Athletics. “That’s when I know things are really clicking.”
Are they ever.
So far in the 2025-2026 academic year, Miami has:
- Advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament;
- Earned a third consecutive appearance in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) football championship;
- Returned to the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl;
- Blistered to a MAC-best 21-0 start in men’s basketball (and counting);
- Secured a spot in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in 27 years;
- Set the pace in the MAC women’s basketball race with a 9-0 conference start;
- Combined to stay perfect so far this season at Millett Hall in men’s and women’s basketball;
- Captured the Belpot Trophy in ice hockey by winning the Friendship Four tournament in Belfast, Ireland; and
- Maintained a 3.3 grade point average among student-athletes for the fall semester.
“Our student-athletes are tremendous representatives of what it means to be a student at Miami University,” President Gregory Crawford said. “They continue to make a positive impact on our campus and our community through a multitude of ways. It’s a very exciting time for Miami athletics.”
Miami's field hockey team won a Mid-American Conference championship and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time in program history this past fall.
“Seeing other teams be successful really motivates everyone else,” said Amber Tretter, a junior forward on Miami’s women’s basketball team. “Winning both those trophies was a big thing for all the programs here. It’s a great incentive to keep things rolling.”
This was the fourth time the RedHawks have swept the all-sport conference awards.
“It doesn’t happen often,” Sayler said. “That’s the ultimate testament, the fact that, across the board, our sports were successful enough to earn those two. It’s something that we strive to do every year. It’s a lofty goal.”
Miami's women's basketball team is currently unbeaten both at home and in MAC play this season.
Buy-in from the university at large certainly helps, too.
Recently, Rodney Coates, professor of Global and Intercultural Studies, organized meals for the football and men’s and women’s basketball teams to recognize those programs for their successes. Several other members of the Miami community participated as well.
“From the Board of Trustees to the president’s office, to everyone who works with me on the president’s executive cabinet, they all want to know how they can support athletics. That doesn’t go unnoticed,” Sayler said. “That’s a big part of the reason I think success has kind of blossomed the way it has. We’re getting it done on our end here within our walls, but we’re also getting tremendous support across campus.”
Miami's football team earned a spot in both the MAC championship game and a return trip to the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl.
Miami’s men’s basketball team has also produced several “watercooler” moments. The RedHawks are one of only two unbeaten Division I teams remaining, and that success has propelled Miami back into the Top 25 poll for the first time since 1999. They currently sit at No. 24.
“You want to be part of something bigger than yourself, and one of the things that was very noticeable for me when I first got here was the pride that people take in Miami,” said Travis Steele, Miami’s men’s basketball coach. “It’s unique, and I think supporting each other across the board, just those relationships, they last forever.”
In 2024-2025, Miami was one of only 25 Division I schools to finish above .500 in football, men’s and women’s basketball, softball, and baseball. This was done with a 95% graduation rate, which put Miami in the top 20 among public schools, and a 3.3 GPA for its student-athletes.
“We talk, as a department, about graduating champions, and that’s everybody. That’s all of our teams. That’s the expectation,” Sayler said. “There’s a respect there where everybody knows how hard everybody else is working. When there’s a chance to celebrate that, we all do that together.”
The RedHawks have won 14 games so far on the ice this season, including capturing the Belpot Trophy as part of the Friendship Four in Belfast, Ireland, in late November.
Sayler noted that, on a cold and dreary early January day, many of Miami’s spring athletes were due back on campus to start preparation for their seasons. They prioritize their school work, as well as the extra time for their respective sports.
“They’re just very committed all the way around,” he said. “They all work hard, but I think our kids have that extra gear. They’ve been able to kind of figure out a way to make it all work. That’s why I think, when they’re done playing, whenever that is, that’s what will make them great. They’ve been able to manage a very complex time of their life in a very efficient and effective way.
“I’m just always so proud of them for the work they do. That’s why I can’t wait to celebrate them when they do have success, because I know how much hard work goes into that.”
Established in 1809, Miami University is located in Oxford, Ohio, with regional campuses in Hamilton and Middletown, a learning center in West Chester, and a European study center in Luxembourg.
