The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/859588
SEPTEMBER 2017 THE WOLVERINE 75 placed third in the 1,500 at the USATF Junior Nationals this summer. "Most of our middle distance run- ners that preceded her, that ran at a high level, they came in and im- pacted us to a greater extent in track initially," head coach Mike McGuire said. "She's someone that we feel, over time, will be an outstanding three-sport competitor for us." 10. ALIA MARTIN CARMEL, IND. • SOCCER Martin is a four-time first-team all-state honoree, was selected as the 2015-16 Gatorade Girls Soccer Player of the Year for Indiana, and has been invited to multiple U.S. National Team camps throughout her career. The midfielder will join her sister Reilly in Ann Arbor this fall. Martin is one of six midfielders in Michi- gan's 2017 class and will have plenty of opportunity to see the field in her first season as a Wolverine. "Alia has not only her work rate and her ability to cover ground, but she's very skillful and very smart," Ryan said. "She's very good in the air, and she serves great balls." ❏ It proved to be another banner year for U-M's Olympic sports programs on the recruiting trail. Here's a look at the top five incoming classes in women's sports: 1. Softball — The 2017 season was disappointing by Michigan softball standards. The team placed second in the Big Ten regular season and lost in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament. The Wolverines also didn't make it out of the regional round in the NCAA Tournament, though they did rank No. 20 in the country to finish the year. Since 1995, the Wolverines finished No. 20 or higher every season. The team loses four seniors that all played important roles, so the in- coming class will need to contribute early. Left-handed pitcher Meghan Beau- bien, the nation's No. 6 prospect according to FloSoftball, highlights the group and will be called on to help replace graduated starter Me- gan Betsa. The team also gets power from infielder Alexis "Lou" Allan, the country's No. 8 recruit. The No. 10 class in the country ac- cording to FloSoftball is rounded out by infielders Taylor Bump and Natalia Rodriguez, as well as right-handed pitcher Sarah Schafer. Rodriguez is the No. 57 recruit in the country and Bump comes in at No. 64, giving Michigan four recruits in FloSoftball's Hot 100. "We think that everyone coming in is very capable," head coach Carol Hutchins said. "We've had a chance to watch them progress over that last few years, and I like the poten- tial we have in this class." 2. Swimming and Diving — Last season, U-M won its second Big Ten title in a row and finished 11th at the NCAA Championships. The Wolverines had six swimmers and div- ers graduate in the spring, but bring in a seven-member class for this fall. Sierra Schmidt and Daria Pyshnenko, the No. 4 and No. 16 swimmers in the class, lead the 2017 signees respectively, according to CollegeSwimming.com. Four of the five swimmers in the class rank in the top 60, plus head coach Mike Bottom noted that divers Nikki Ca- nale, who finished 14th on the three-meter springboard at the 2017 USA Diving World Championship Trials, and Christy Cutshaw, the 2017 Junior National champion in synchro- nized diving, "will raise our program to a whole new level." 3. Soccer — In 2016, Michigan posted the fifth 10-win sea- son in a row for the program. Though the team lost seven se- niors from last year's roster and needed help in the midfield, the 11-member 2017 class should be ready to step right in. "Our 2017 recruiting class is the largest and one of the most talented classes to join us during my tenure," head coach Greg Ryan said. "I believe this class will have a posi- tive and immediate impact on our team's success in 2017 and will be the foundation of Michigan's success over the next four years." The class includes six midfielders and the No. 1 goalkeeper recruit in the country in Hillary Beall. 4. Basketball — Michigan's 2017 season was a historic one with the team winning the WNIT to bring home the program's first postseason championship of any kind. Last season's roster sported just two seniors, and though Siera Thompson was a key part of the championship run most of the other mainstays on the team will be back for another year. However, the team does need to replace last year's top re- cruit Kysre Gondrizeck, who transferred out of the program. Five-star Hailey Brown, who helped lead Canada to a third- place finish at the FIBA U-19 World Cup, heads this year's class. Joining Brown in Ann Arbor in the fall will be Deja Church from Southfield, Mich., a three-star guard recruit ac- cording to HoopGurlz, and 6-0 wing Priscilla Smeenge, who also is a three-star recruit. 5. Tennis — Michigan lost just one senior from its roster last spring, and Isabella Lorenzini will join a squad that al- ready has the 2017 NCAA singles champion and rising junior Brienne Minor, plus junior Kate Fahey and senior Alex Najar- ian. As the No. 20 blue-chip recruit in the country, Lorenzini makes at least one blue-chip recruit in six of the last seven seasons for the Wolverines. "I feel like we're still pretty young," head coach Ronni Ber- nstein said. "We'll have a couple seniors, but I expect her to play. We'll see how it plays out as we get into the season." — Leland Mitchinson Michigan's Top Five Incoming Women's Classes Hillary Beall, the No. 1 goalkeeper nationally according to TopDrawerSoccer.com, headlines an 11-woman class for the soccer program. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS