Senior quarterback Mitchell Guadagni threw for a career-high 266 yards and three touchdowns as the Rockets cruised to a 45-0 victory over Murray State before a home-opening crowd of 25,361 at the Glass Bowl Saturday night.

The victory was the first shutout for the Rockets in 19 years, a span of 228 games going back to a 42-0 Toledo win over Marshall Oct. 14, 2000. It also was the first time Murray State had been shut out since 2005.

Guadagni, who suffered a concussion in Toledo’s 38-24 loss at Kentucky two weeks ago, completed passes to nine different players and threw for touchdowns of 8, 11 and 43 yards. Guadagni’s favorite target was junior tight end Drew Rosi, who caught a career-best five passes for 84 yards and one touchdown. Toledo’s offense racked up 538 yards, 348 in the air and 190 on the ground.

Toledo’s defense kept the Racers in check all night, forcing two turnovers and holding them to 331 total yards, just 93 of which came in the second half. The Rockets’ defense came up big when it counted, too, holding Murray State to 4 of 15 on third down and 0 of 3 on fourth down.

In the first quarter, Murray State drove down to the Toledo 28-yard line on its first possession, but was stopped on downs when Jordan Fisher halted a short pass for no gain on a fourth and six. Moments later, MSU had a chance to get on the scoreboard, but Zaden Webber’s 45-yard field goal attempt hit the left upright.

The Rockets got on the board first when freshman Evan Davis nailed a 40-yard field goal with 3:21 left in the first quarter.

Toledo struck on the first play of the second quarter on an eight-yard pass from Guadagni to redshirt freshman Devin Maddox to give Toledo a 10-0 lead. Moments later, Guadagni hit Rosi for an 11-yard strike to increase the lead to 17-0. The drive was set up by a 66-yard bomb from Guadagni to Bryce Mitchell to the MSU 11-yard line.

In the third quarter, Toledo took advantage of a Samuel Womack interception, extending the lead to 24-0 on a 43-yard TD pass from Guadagni to Desmond Phillips.

Murray State missed another chance to score when a 45-yard field goal attempt was blocked by David Hood.

On the very next play, the Rockets made it 38-0 on a 55-yard bomb from Carter Bradley to Danzel McKinley-Lewis.

Toledo added to its lead with a 42-yard TD run by freshman Micah Kelly to make it a 45-0 game in the fourth quarter.

The Rockets travel to Colorado State Saturday, Sept. 21. The game is slated to start at 10:15 Eastern Time and will be broadcast on ESPN2.

More than 70 people will become U.S. citizens during a naturalization ceremony Tuesday, Sept. 17, at 11 a.m. in the Law Center McQuade Auditorium on The University of Toledo’s Main Campus.

Judge Mary Ann Whipple of the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio will preside over the ceremony, which will celebrate Constitution Day at the University.

UToledo President Sharon L. Gaber will give welcome remarks at the event, which will feature alumna Grisoranyel Barrios as this year’s guest speaker.

Barrios moved from Venezuela to Toledo when she was 7 years old. She attended Springfield Local Schools before coming to The University of Toledo, where she received a bachelor of arts degree in political science and a bachelor of social work degree in 2018.

She is pursuing a master’s degree in social work specializing in policy at the University of Washington in St. Louis and plans to graduate in December.

Barrios attended the 2017 naturalization ceremony, where she opened the court, and became a U.S. citizen in March 2019.

“I look forward to participating in the ceremony yet again, but this time as a UToledo alumna and a U.S. citizen,” Barrios said.

“Hosting this naturalization ceremony on campus is a wonderful way to celebrate Constitution Day and to honor our country’s history,” Diane Miller, chief of staff and associate vice president for government relations, said. “It is so moving to watch individuals achieve their dreams of becoming U.S. citizens.”

Constitution Day is annually observed in America to commemorate the formation and signing of the Constitution of the United States on Sept. 17, 1787.

The free, public event is sponsored by the Office of Government Relations and the Center for International Studies and Programs.

For more information on the naturalization ceremony, contact Lisa Byers, executive assistant in the Office of Government Relations, at lisa.byers@utoledo.edu.

The University of Toledo named Brie Globig as the Rockets’ interim women’s swimming and diving coach Thursday.

Globig takes over the reins of the program following the resignation of Jonas Persson, who has accepted a position at the University of Utah as the associate head coach for the swimming and diving program.

“We are excited for the upcoming season and look forward to the accomplishments of our swimming and diving student athletes” said Senior Associate Athletic Director Kelly Andrews. “We know that Brie and Gabby Agostino, our diving coach, are going to provide our student-athletes with outstanding leadership.”

Globig is entering her first season with the Rockets and fifth season overall as a head coach. Prior to her newly appointed role as interim head coach, she was hired as the assistant coach in July.

“I look forward to helping guide the Rockets to a successful 2019-20 season, both in the pool and the classroom,” Globig said. “The culture and values instilled in the program will ensure the continued success of each athlete and the team as a whole.”

Globig comes to Toledo after serving as head coach for four years at East Stroudsburg University. Prior to her four seasons there, Globig worked as a graduate assistant swimming and diving coach at California University (Pa.) in 2013-14.

She swam collegiately at Bloomsburg (Pa.) University from 2008 to 2012.

At ESU, Globig coached eight individuals who qualified for the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Championships in the 2018-19 season; this included a fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle. The Warriors set 14 school records and two pool records during her time at ESU. Globig led the Warriors to their best finish at the PSAC Championships in 16 years during the 2017-18 season: Seven Warriors combined for 27 scoring performances at the conference meet. ESU saw two individuals qualify for “A” finals for the first time in five years, with two swimmers earning top-10 finishes. The Warriors also notched a fifth-place finish in the 400 free relay, their best relay finish since 2004.

ESU also had a strong showing in the classroom last season, earning College Swimming Coaches Association of America Scholar All-America team honors by registering a 3.34 team grade-point average.

As a four-year swimmer at Bloomsburg, Globig qualified for the PSAC Championships in three freestyle events during her last three seasons with the Huskies. Globig also earned NCAA “B” standard times in 2010, 2011 and 2012 in two different events.

Globig graduated from Bloomsburg in 2012 with a degree in pre-physical therapy and health science. In 2014, she earned her master’s degree in sport management with a concentration in intercollegiate athletic administration from California University (Pa.).

Andrews added a national search for a permanent head coach will begin immediately.

Toledo will make its 2019 debut at the Glass Bowl with a matchup vs. Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) opponent Murray State Saturday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m.

The Rockets opened the season with a loss at Kentucky Aug. 31 and a bye week Sept. 7.

Toledo started strong against the Wildcats, moving out to a 14-7 lead thanks to rushing touchdowns from sophomore running back Bryant Koback and senior quarterback Mitchell Guadagni. But Kentucky outscored the Rockets 31-10 the rest of the way, denying Toledo the chance for its second-ever win against an SEC school.

Guadagni completed 7 of 12 passes for 122 yards before leaving the game due to injury late in the third quarter. He also tied Koback for the team lead with 73 rushing yards. Juniors Danzel McKinley-Lewis and Bryce Mitchell topped the Rockets with three receptions apiece.

Sophomore Saeed Holt led Toledo’s defensive efforts with a career-high 10 tackles to go with a tackle for loss and forced fumble, while junior Tycen Anderson registered a career-best eight stops.

The Racers are 1-1 and coming off a 63-17 loss at No. 3 Georgia Sept. 7. In its opener Aug. 31, Murray State dumped National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics opponent Pikeville, 59-20.

This will be the first meeting between Toledo and Murray State on the gridiron. The Rockets are 24-2 vs. FCS opponents since the NCAA split up Division I in 1978.

Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. The game will be carried by ESPN3.

To ensure a positive game-day experience, fans are advised to arrive early in order to give themselves plenty of time to find suitable parking.

Tickets are still available. Go to the Toledo Football Central website, call 419.530.GOLD (4653), or go to the Athletic Ticket Office at Savage Arena. The office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.

Students are admitted free with their Rocket ID; faculty and staff can buy tickets half price with ID.

Vicky Kulicke brought more than 25 years of combined experience in higher education and the public sector when she started her job as director of Title IX and compliance at The University of Toledo.

She joined the UToledo staff Sept. 9.

Most recently, Kulicke was an equity officer and Title IX deputy coordinator for seven years at Bowling Green State University.

An advocate for social justice, Kulicke introduced Bowling Green to the national grass roots campaign, Not in Our Town, which addresses bullying and discrimination, and builds safe, inclusive communities.

“We welcome Vicky and her wealth of experience she brings to her new role at the University,” Dr. Phillip “Flapp” Cockrell, vice president for student affairs and vice provost, said. “We are confident Vicky will help ensure a safe, inclusive and diverse learning environment at UToledo.”

Kulicke also has worked as an equal opportunity compliance specialist and human resources compliance administrator. At Insperity (formerly known as Administaff Inc.) in Phoenix, she made sure the company followed federal, state and local laws, regulations, policies and guidelines that prohibited discrimination in the workplace.

“I am honored and excited to join The University of Toledo to lead our prevention, education and response efforts regarding Title IX and compliance,” Kulicke said.

She received a bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Illinois State University and became a certified affirmative action professional from the American Association for Access, Equity and Diversity in 2017.

In addition, Kulicke was an adjunct faculty member in criminal justice at Mohave Community College in Lake Havasu City, Ariz.; was a human relations associate for the city of Bloomington, Ill.; and worked as a victim/witness coordinator in the McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office in Bloomington.

The fourth annual Re-Tie the Red Ribbon fundraiser presented by The University of Toledo Medical Center’s Ryan White Program will take place Saturday, Sept. 14, at the SeaGate Convention Centre in downtown Toledo.

Re-Tie the Red Ribbon supports UTMC’s Ann Wayson Locher Memorial Fund for HIV Care, which provides HIV care for adults and children in the Toledo area who have needs not covered by other agencies or programs in the community.

Tickets for the fundraiser are $50 each and include a variety of food stations and entertainment. The event will take place from 6 to 10 p.m.

“The University of Toledo Medical Center has been the regional referral center for HIV care for more than 30 years and has served the needs of the growing populations of persons with HIV,” said Richard Meeker, manager of community engagement and development at the Ryan White Program. “Support of this event makes a difference to the women and men in our community who depend on the services of the Ryan White Program.”

Wayson Locher opened the first grant-funded free and anonymous HIV testing site in northwest Ohio in 1985 and was one of the key organizers for The University of Toledo’s Ryan White Program. The memorial fund was developed in her honor after her death in 2010.

UTMC’s Ryan White Program offers high-quality comprehensive HIV/AIDS care services. The program uses a multidisciplinary model that incorporates healthcare, mental health services and case management for those affected by HIV/AIDS in Lucas County and the surrounding counties in northwest Ohio.

Entertainment at this year’s Re-Tie the Red Ribbon event will be provided by the Toledo School for the Arts Alumni Band, The Overton Project, and jazz vocalists Ramona Collins and Trez Gregory.

The Ryan White Program is seeking sponsorships with opportunities that range from $250 to $5,000 and include VIP tickets and recognition at the event.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit The University of Toledo Alumni Association website.

Dr. Angela Fitzpatrick started her new job as director of the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women Sept. 9.

The feminist activist, educator and scholar has been building community, inspiring action, and uplifting student leaders for more than a decade.

Since 2015, Fitzpatrick was director of the Women’s Center and an affiliate faculty member in the Department of Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Prior to that, she served as assistant director and lecturer in the Women’s and Gender Studies Program at Coastal Carolina University in Conway, S.C., and was an instructor in the Women’s and Gender Studies Department at Bowling Green State University.

“We are excited Dr. Fitzpatrick will join us at UToledo to lead the Eberly Center for Women,” Dr. Michele Soliz, associate vice president for student success and inclusion, said.

“Dr. Fitzpatrick is dedicated to diversity, equity and inclusion, which has driven her service to campus and community,” Dr. Willie McKether, vice president for diversity and inclusion, and vice provost, said. “She has a reputation for developing networks that mold and mobilize change-makers of all genders.”

The Eberly Center for Women promotes the advancement of women at UToledo and in the community by creating an environment that supports learning, discovery and engagement that helps them achieve their highest potential.

“I look forward to becoming part of the team in the Eberly Center for Women,” Fitzpatrick said. “I am eager to learn more about the needs of our various stakeholders and expand our programs and services so that we can make an even greater impact on campus and in the community.”

She received a bachelor of arts degree in honors and anthropology from the University of North Dakota and continued her education at Bowling Green State University, where she received master and doctoral degrees in American culture studies.

Fitzpatrick was honored with the Excellence in Teaching Award from the National Society of Leadership and Success while at Coastal Carolina University. At the University of Cincinnati, she received the Equity and Inclusion Award from the Division of Student Affairs.

The Office of the Provost has appointed two deans to take on additional responsibilities as vice provosts.

Dr. Christopher Cooper, dean of the College of Medicine and Life Sciences, and executive vice president for clinical affairs, has been appointed to serve as vice provost for educational health affairs.

Dr. Linda Lewandowski, dean of the College of Nursing, has been appointed to serve as vice provost for health affairs for interprofessional and community partnerships.

In his vice provost role, Cooper will serve as a liaison between the Office of the Provost and the deans of the four health-related colleges with a focus on facilities and college resources related to health education.

In her vice provost role, Lewandowski will serve as a liaison between the Office of the Provost and the external community for targeted health-related partnerships and initiatives, and will be responsible for the development and implementation of interprofessional collaborations among the University’s health-related academic programs.

For the seventh consecutive year, more students have returned to campus this fall semester for their second year of studies, once again confirming the University’s growing trend of student success.

The University of Toledo’s first-to-second-year retention rate is 76.4%, and the six-year graduate rate improved to a record high of 51.2% as a result of campus-wide increased efforts to support student success.

This year’s entering class has a record high academic profile with an average ACT score of 23.03 and average GPA of 3.48.

Total enrollment for fall semester 2019 is 19,782, according to official 15-day census numbers, which includes 15,568 undergraduate students and 4,214 graduate and professional students. UToledo had 20,304 students enrolled in fall semester 2018, of which 16,065 were undergraduates and 4,239 were graduate students.

“We’re proud to see our efforts to support students having such a positive impact on our retention and graduation rates. We’ve exceeded our Strategic Plan goal three years ahead of schedule,” UToledo President Sharon L. Gaber said. “Our goal now is to continue this positive trend while also refocusing our efforts to strategically grow enrollment so more students can benefit from the UToledo experience.”

This academic year UToledo focused on opportunities to expand programs in the health professions to meet both student and community demand.

The College of Nursing experienced a 10% increase in enrollment with the largest cohort of students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nursing. UToledo added faculty in order to accept more students into the program and launched a new competency-based education RN to BSN program, which is the first of its kind among Ohio institutions. This new online program provides the flexibility for working nurses to advance their careers through self-paced learning that’s personalized, accessible and convenient.

The College of Medicine and Life Sciences grew its graduate programs and recruited a highly qualified class of M.D. students with more than 5,400 applicants for 175 spots. The new class of medical students had an average MCAT score that places it in the top 20% nationally.

Toledo recently hired a new director for the Pre-Health Advising Center, Tess Newlove, to continue efforts to support success for students interested in health professional programs.

New research from The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences strongly suggests postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, is an autoimmune disorder and may help pave the way for a simple blood test that could help physicians diagnose the condition.

POTS is characterized by large increases in heart rate and sometimes decreases in blood pressure when standing up. That can cause lightheadedness, heart palpitations and even loss of consciousness. In addition to fainting, POTS patients also regularly suffer from a litany of additional symptoms, including fatigue, pain, gastrointestinal issues, bleeding disorders, anxiety and brain fog.

About 3 million Americans are believed to be affected, but because of its wide-ranging and seemingly unrelated symptoms, POTS is notoriously difficult to identify.

“The trouble with diagnosing POTS is that it’s currently principally a clinical diagnosis. It’s based on history, the absence of other illness, as well as the finding of increase in heart rate when standing. There is no blood test right now to aid in the diagnosis. It can be an incredibly frustrating process for patients,” said Dr. Blair Grubb, Distinguished University Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics in the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences and director of electrophysiology services at The University of Toledo Medical Center.

In the largest study of POTS patients to date, published Sept. 9 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, Grubb and UToledo research collaborators found 89 percent of patients they examined had elevated levels of autoantibodies against the adrenergic alpha 1 receptor.

“People have suspected an autoimmune connection for years, and other small-scale studies have suggested it,” said Grubb, one of the world’s foremost experts in syncope and disorders of the autonomic nervous system. “We did a much larger cross-section of patients than has ever been done before and found that almost all of them tested positive for autoimmune antibodies. That’s a significant finding.”

None of the 55 patients who participated in the study had another recognized autoimmune disorder. Fifty-two were female, with an average age of 30.

Researchers screened the patients’ blood for autoantibodies against nine receptors. A handful of patients showed elevated levels against all nine. But it was the prevalence of adrenergic A1 subtype receptor autoantibodies that make their findings so intriguing.

“I think that we have identified a biomarker. We now might have the ability to diagnosis this, or at least have an inkling. Like other autoimmune disease, we can take a blood sample and detect if there are increased levels of autoantibodies present. According to our results, autoantibodies against this particular receptor should be present in about 90 percent of patients with POTS,” said Dr. William Gunning, a professor of pathology in the UToledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, and the paper’s lead author.

Gunning and Grubb say much more research is needed. However, this study adds significantly to the evidence that POTS is an autoimmune disorder — and it shows it may be possible to give physicians unfamiliar with the condition an easy way to test for it.

“What this does is prove the concept,” Grubb said. “Other studies had used very expensive research tests. What we used are the same kind of testing methods that would be used by regular hospitals. We wanted to do something that would potentially be a test applicable to the general population, not just a research test.”

While Gunning and Grubb caution they’re still investigating the precise methods by which POTS is established, their study does raise the possibility that existing immune modulating medications could be a viable therapeutic method for some patients.

The study was supported by funding from the Dysautonomia Advocacy Foundation, the Life as a Zebra Foundation, and the Virginia Lounsbury Foundation.