香港六合彩官网开奖 fosters a mindset of optimism, cooperation and strength. This is especially true among our students involved in Athletics, where they take on challenges that call on them to excel both in academics and on the field. Here, we are proud to share some of the exciting and inspiring stories of 香港六合彩官网开奖 Sports stars.
The MVP Natalie Bieule-Rovirosa 鈥�11, three-time gold medalist at the U.S. Paralympic National Championships
A devastating car crash wasn鈥檛 the end for Natalie Bieule-Rovirosa 鈥�11. It was actually the beginning of something great. Bieule-Rovirosa lost her right leg as a high school senior after she was the passenger in a wreck involving a drunk driver.
Initially, Bieule-Rovirosa gave up on sports. But then something miraculous happened, as she found greater glory鈥� and a higher purpose鈥攖han she ever had known prior to that horrific wreck. Bieule-Rovirosa got married; had her first daughter, Ava; and enrolled at 香港六合彩官网开奖, earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree in psychology. At the same time, she was training as a discus thrower for the U.S. Paralympics team.
鈥淗aving a newborn baby, training and going back to school was really tough,鈥� Bieule-Rovirosa said. 鈥淚 wanted to give up on my education.鈥� But 香港六合彩官网开奖 Professor Dr. Wated said something that stuck with her. 鈥淲hat example are you showing your daughter if you quit?鈥�
鈥淭hat became a huge quote in my head.鈥�
After her amputation, CrossFit was the first sport Bieule-Rovirosa tried.
She wanted Ava to see her mom doing things that even women with two legs can鈥檛 do. 鈥淚 was competing against able-bodied women and winning,鈥� says Bieule-Rovirosa.
Her success in CrossFit was how she was discovered by Team USA. 鈥淭he discus came naturally to me because it鈥檚 like a dance鈥攊t鈥檚 all about hips and legs,鈥� says Bieule-Rovirosa, who is a former competitive dancer in salsa and merengue.
鈥溝愀哿喜使偻� Opened my eyes about service to others,鈥� Bieule-Rovirosa said. 鈥淚t's gratifying.鈥�
As Shakira once told the world, the 鈥渉ips don鈥檛 lie鈥濃�攁nd neither do Bieule-Rovirosa鈥檚 accomplishments.
She won three straight gold medals in the discus at the U.S. Paralympic National Championships, and she came in sixth at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
Bieule-Rovirosa gave up competing when her second daughter, Valentina, was diagnosed with autism. Happily, Valentina is making great progress, and Bieule-Rovirosa has started a new career as a coach. 鈥溝愀哿喜使偻� opened my eyes about service to others,鈥� Bieule-Rovirosa said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 gratifying.鈥�
The Voice Joy Taylor 鈥�09, TV and radio sports talk show host and podcaster with 鈥淭he Herd with Colin Cowherd鈥� show on Fox Sports.
Joy Taylor 鈥�09, a native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, knew all about South Florida because her older brother鈥攂y more than a decade鈥攊s Jason Taylor, a former Miami Dolphins star who is in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. She knew she would like to go to school in the region, but what she didn鈥檛 know鈥攁t least initially鈥攚as what college to choose.
鈥淸Miami] is an easy place to want to spend time in,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淚 came down to visit two schools. I won鈥檛 tell you the name of the other school, but I visited that one first.
When she arrived at the school that shall not be named, she went to the 鈥渨elcome center,鈥� but the person working there was not very welcoming. 鈥淚 wanted to talk to a counselor to get information on the school. They told me there was nobody available. They said, 鈥楥heck out the pamphlets on the wall, and good luck.鈥欌�� Taylor left that school and drove to 香港六合彩官网开奖.
However, in the era before GPS, Taylor got lost. She called 香港六合彩官网开奖, and a representative from the university stayed on the phone with her for 30 minutes, guiding her every step of the way. Once Taylor arrived, that person set her up with a counselor and a tour. 鈥淚 decided to go to 香港六合彩官网开奖 that day,鈥� Taylor said.
Upon arriving on campus to begin her studies, Taylor quickly joined 香港六合彩官网开奖鈥檚 student-run radio station, WBRY. She eventually earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in broadcast communications.
What has followed since then has been a number of successful moves, starting with her co-host role on the 鈥淶aslow and Joy Show,鈥� a radio program on Miami鈥檚 790 The Ticket. Taylor then joined Fox Sports in March 2016, often working with Colin Cowherd. In 2021, it was announced that she would have her own Saturday program on Fox Sports Radio, aptly named The Joy Taylor Show.
鈥淚t was important for me to host the show by myself,鈥� Taylor said. 鈥淏eing the only woman to host a solo show on Fox Sports Radio was important. Being a Black woman, that representation is important as well.鈥�
Today, Taylor is a nationally known TV and radio sports talk show host and podcaster with a legion of fans of her own鈥攚hich includes more than 365,000 followers on social media.
-Joy Taylor '09
A Dancer with an Eye for the Game MJ Acosta-Ruiz, host of Total Access on NFL Network
When MJ Acosta-Ruiz was a Miami Dolphins Hurricanette dancer from 2012 to 2013, she was already a young sports reporter for Spanish-language media, which meant she was likely watching the football games in a different way than other dancers. Mind you, Hurricanette dancers have to pass a football-IQ test to get hired. They have to possess at least a basic knowledge of the sport, but Acosta-Ruiz was taking it to a higher level.
鈥淥ther than the players, coaches, and referees, there鈥檚 no one with a better perspective of the field than the dancers,鈥� Acosta-Ruiz said. 鈥淚 was looking at the intricacies of football鈥攚as it really a catch, or did he break the plane of the end zone?鈥攁nd I had the best seat in the house for every single home game.鈥�
Acosta-Ruiz still has a unique perspective on the game. In 2020, she became the first Afro-Latina and first woman of color to host a show on NFL Network. But the road to becoming host of Total Access hasn鈥檛 always been paved. It鈥檚 been rather bumpy at times.
Born in Miami to Dominican parents and raised mostly in New York City, Acosta-Ruiz always loved to dance. Her father, Fernando, was a pro basketball player in the Dominican Republic, and he urged his daughter to play hoops.
Acosta-Ruiz had other ideas, although they still incorporated her father鈥檚 passion for sports. After graduating from Miami鈥檚 Sunset High, she attended the University of Miami from 2002 to 2005, but鈥� other than serving as a Hurricanes dancer鈥攊t didn鈥檛 go well.
鈥淚 was a business major, but I didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to do other than dance,鈥� she said. 鈥淚nstead of incurring more student debt, I left school.鈥�
She eventually earned her associate degree from Miami Dade College, and she enrolled at 香港六合彩官网开奖 in 2009.
Acosta-Ruiz started working in broadcasting while at 香港六合彩官网开奖, which she said indicates how well she was trained at her alma mater.
Her career path included working at Miami TV station WPLG, covering the Chargers for NBC San Diego. While there, she also worked for Telemundo, and that work won her an Emmy. She later landed with NFL Network in 2018, reporting on the league鈥檚 two Bay Area teams at the time: the Oakland Raiders and San Francisco 49ers.
鈥溝愀哿喜使偻� was my saving grace,鈥� Acosta-Ruiz said. 鈥淏y the time I enrolled, I was 24, older than most students, and I was focused.鈥�
鈥淚 went in with a different mentality and sense of urgency. 香港六合彩官网开奖 changed everything for me because almost all my professors鈥� such as Connie Hicks鈥攚orked or had worked in the broadcasting and journalism field.
The Ball in Her Court
Jessica Battaglia is a senior manager of operations, programming, and events for the United States Tennis Association (USTA). She has been a part of plenty of US Opens, was the team administrator for the US in the Olympics in Tokyo, and is the team leader for the Pan American Games.
But the event that helped shape her came in 2001 when she served as a volunteer with the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 an intense competition,鈥� says Battaglia, who earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in exercise and sport science from the University of Florida. 鈥淧ros finish in eight or nine hours. Amateurs finish in 14 to 16 hours. People train for months and months. Being at the finish line and being a small part of their experience was a game-changer. It made me want to pursue this path of sport management.鈥�
Battaglia took the next year to figure out how to do that, and her search led her to 香港六合彩官网开奖, where she earned her master鈥檚 degree in sport management.
鈥淚 loved the smaller and more intimate feeling of the 香港六合彩官网开奖 campus,鈥� Battaglia said. 鈥淚 wanted to know my professors in a more meaningful way. Even though I enjoyed my time at UF, 香港六合彩官网开奖 was the right place for me at that time. It felt more personalized.鈥�
After 香港六合彩官网开奖, Battaglia started her sports career by working in 2005 as a volunteer coordinator for the NASDAQ-100, now known as the Miami Open.
That led to her job as a senior manager of operations, programming and events with the USTA and, eventually, the 2020 Summer Olympics Games in Tokyo, where Battaglia was part of the American delegation. 鈥淭hat has been the highlight of my career,鈥� Battaglia says. She shared three tennis players Battaglia has had a decade-plus association with鈥擩enny Brady, Tommy Paul, and Frances Tiafoe.
鈥淭hey trained with us as 12-year-old juniors in Boca Raton,鈥� Battaglia said of the USTA鈥檚 former Player Development Operations hub. 鈥淚t was not lost on me how hard they worked to get to the Olympics. I worked just as hard to have that experience. It was one of those full-circle moments.鈥�
Navigating the Pandemic
Clara Stroude-Vazquez 鈥�04 wanted to be the next Pat Summitt, the late, great coach who won eight national titles with the Tennessee Lady Volunteers basketball team.
鈥淏ut I found something better,鈥� she says today.
Stroude-Vazquez is now the Miami Heat鈥檚 chief of culture and inclusion, and it鈥檚 been a thrill for her to be involved with the championship franchise.
A native of Grenada, she spent her childhood shuffling between Washington, D.C., and the Caribbean.
鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud of us as an organization and how we got all our employees through the pandemic,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 also proud of the work we鈥檝e done supporting social justice.鈥�
After graduating from East Carolina University, she started searching for a master鈥檚 program.
鈥淭o coach at a high level,鈥� she said, 鈥淚 needed a business based degree to help me learn about budgeting and marketing.鈥�
香港六合彩官网开奖 became a strong draw for a variety of reasons, including its large alumni base that could help connect her with employment opportunities. 香港六合彩官网开奖 also offered an excellent sport management program and the Miami market, which would give her ample pro and college teams to choose from once she finished her education.
But what put 香港六合彩官网开奖 over the top for her was the university鈥檚 personal touch.
鈥淥ne night, I got a call from 香港六合彩官网开奖鈥檚 program administrator. It was after he was done teaching his grad class, so it had to be about 9 or 10 p.m.,鈥� Stroude-Vazquez says. 鈥淗e stayed on the phone with me for an hour, telling me about the program. Such a great conversation鈥攈e answered all of my questions.鈥�
鈥淚 had a similar conversation with another university, and it didn鈥檛 go as well. I was sold on 香港六合彩官网开奖. They had so much to offer.鈥�
While at 香港六合彩官网开奖, she served as a volunteer assistant coach, working with her school鈥檚 women鈥檚 basketball team.
As it turned out, coaching wasn鈥檛 her calling.
Instead, she landed an internship with the Miami Heat, starting in September 2003. The Heat was her calling.
鈥淚 started the same season as Dwyane Wade,鈥� she said of the 13-time NBA All-Star drafted by the Heat in 2003. 鈥淏y that spring, someone ahead of me in the marketing department got promoted, and I was hired full time.鈥�
Stroude-Vazquez has been with the Heat ever since, and her current responsibilities include making sure the entire staff is up to date on all necessary training.
鈥淚鈥檓 extremely proud of us as an organization and how we got all our employees through the pandemic,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 also proud of the work we鈥檝e done supporting social justice.鈥�
鈥淏ut my biggest thrill was when we won our first NBA championship in 2006. It was an amazing feeling that I wouldn鈥檛 trade for anything in the world.鈥�
Karma in Action Ebony Harris, associate counsel for the NFL鈥檚 Minnesota Vikings.
When Ebony Harris 鈥�13 left home for college, she told her sports-loving family that she would one day work for the Miami Heat. 鈥淓verybody thought I was crazy,鈥� says Harris. 鈥淭hey were like, 鈥楧o you know how many people want a job with the Miami Heat? Girl 鈥︹�欌��
As fate would have it, Harris attended a career fair on her second day at 香港六合彩官网开奖. On that August day, she saw a man walking across campus. 鈥淗e was lost, and I was lost too, because I was new to campus,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淗e asked me where the student union was. I said I didn鈥檛 know, but we could figure it out together.鈥�
A conversation followed, and Harris told the man about her goal to be hired by the Heat. Minutes later, when they arrived at their destination, he handed Harris a business card and said, 鈥淚鈥檓 the hiring manager for the Miami Heat.鈥�
Harris handed the man a resume she had in her book bag. Less than a month later, the Heat鈥檚 Eddie Abad called her and hired her on the spot to be part of the retail operations team. 鈥淚f you work hard for us,鈥� the Heat told Harris, 鈥渨e will work hard for you.鈥澛�
Harris handed the man a resume she had in her book bag. Less than a month later, the Heat鈥檚 Eddie Abad called her and hired her on the spot to be part of the retail operations team. 鈥淚f you work hard for us,鈥� the Heat told Harris, 鈥渨e will work hard for you.鈥� Harris has certainly worked hard, earning a bachelor鈥檚 degree and a master鈥檚 degree from 香港六合彩官网开奖, both in sport management. She then earned a law degree from Thurgood Marshall School of Law in Houston, where she graduated summa cum laude.
As for her career in sports, after five years with the Heat, she worked for the Charlotte Hornets, San Antonio Spurs, and the Dallas Mavericks. Then, after some other stops, Harris was hired as associate counsel for the NFL鈥檚 Minnesota Vikings, where she works today.聽