The Wolverine

May 2018

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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MAY 2018 THE WOLVERINE 9 BY ANDREW VAILLIENCOURT M ichigan fifth-year senior distance runner Erin Finn has been named a finalist for the prestigious AAU James E. Sullivan Award, which recognizes the country's top amateur athlete. Finn is U-M's first female finalist for the award and is hop- ing to become the school's second-ever winner — joining former Michigan baseball player Jim Ab- bott, who took home the award in 1987. Nebraska volleyball players Annika Al- brecht and Kelly Hunter, North Carolina basketball player Joel Berry II, para-eques- trian Angela Peavy, Ohio State wrestler Kyle Snyder, and former Michigan stu- dents and Olympic figure skaters Alex and Maia Shibutani are the other finalists for the honor, which will be awarded on April 17 in New York City. The AAU Sullivan Award has been presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the U.S., and was created with the intent of recognizing amateur contributions and achievements of non-professional athletes across the country. In addition to athletic achievement, such characteristics as lead- ership, character and sportsmanship are weighed heavily in the selection process. It is named after the founder and past president of the Amateur Athletic Union, James E. Sullivan. "I am deeply honored to be named a finalist for the Sulli- van Award among such a stellar field of athletes," Finn said. "It is truly a testament to the team I have around me, rang- ing from training partners and coaches to supporters and mentors. I owe my accomplishments to those who have had faith in me throughout my trials and inspired me to believe in myself in my darkest hours. "Furthermore, I have been overwhelmed by the support of my community through the semifinalist process; I had countless friends, acquaintances and strangers reach out to me to show their support. This experience has cultivated an immense amount of gratitude for the wonderful people in my life." Fan voting, which is one component of the process, is now closed. A formal vote by a selection committee makes up the rest of the selection process. She is the fifth finalist in school history, joining men's dis- tance runner Alan Webb (2001), swimmer Mike Barrowman (1990, '91), Abbott and swimmer Burwell Jones (1955). Other previous winners include former Tennessee quarterback Peyton Manning, Olympic swimmers Michael Phelps and Missy Franklin, Olympic gymnast Shawn Johnson, Olympic runner Carl Lewis, former Duke basketball player J.J. Redick and former UCLA basketball player Bill Walton. Finn is one of only six women in NCAA history to run faster than 4:40 in the mile, 9:00 in the 3,000 meters and 15:25 in the 5,000 meters. She took second place at the 2017 NCAA Indoor Championships' 5,000-meter race, becoming the only runner in history to have run sub-15:30 times at two NCAA Indoor Champion- ships events. She was the 2017 Big Ten 5K champion, finishing first overall (both men and women), and the 2018 Simmons- Harvey Quad 3,000 meters champion. Her 8:58.69 in the 3,000 meters at the lat- ter is the fastest in school history and the fastest ever run in the state of Michigan. Overall, she is a nine-time individual All-American and four-time NCAA Di- vision I Championships runner-up. She has also claimed nine Big Ten individual championships and is a five-time confer- ence Athlete of the Year. Off the track, Finn is the reigning Academic All-American of the Year for track and field and cross country, and is a two-time Academic All-American, a four-time United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) All-Academic honoree, a three-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree. Finn also won the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 2017-18, an award given to one male and one female student from the graduating class of each member institution who has dem- onstrated excellence on and off the field throughout their col- lege career. It is the highest honor that a student competing in the Big Ten can achieve. She graduated in 2017 with a degree in biochemistry with a 3.98 GPA. She is currently pursuing a master's degree in epidemiology. ❏ Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Erin Finn Named A Finalist For AAU James E. Sullivan Award Finn — one of only six women in NCAA history to run faster than 4:40 in the mile, 9:00 in the 3,000 meters and 15:25 in the 5,000 meters — is U-M's first female finalist for the Sullivan Award (given to the country's top amateur athlete). PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

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