Athletics

Spring ’24 grad parlays research and baseball experience into MLB job

lblouin — Mon, 10 Jun 2024 14:27:20 +0000

Spring ’24 grad parlays research and baseball experience into MLB job lblouin Mon, 06/10/2024 - 10:27

Matthew Williams doesn’t remember a time when he didn’t picture himself in baseball. When he was a 4-year-old kid, the dream was playing in the big leagues. As he got older and more realistic, he imagined being a coach or a strength and conditioning trainer might be where he’d land. His associate degree in exercise science from Grand Rapids Community College put him in a good position for that. But after graduation, he decided to keep going with his education and transferred into the business program at ��-Dearborn, where he also scored a starting position as an outfielder and pitcher on the baseball team. “My thinking was maybe I’d open my own training facility, and I knew the baseball side of things. But I didn’t know anything about running a business,” Williams says. About a semester in, however, he figured out the business curriculum wasn’t for him. Baseball remained the dream, but he’d have to find another path.

Williams took a straightforward approach to finding a new major: He did a thorough survey of the university’s online program catalog and tried to find something that matched his interests and exercise science background. He’d never thought about engineering, but among the course offerings in the mechanical engineering program he found several biomechanics classes. He decided to place his bets there, and it turned out to be a much better fit. He found Associate Professor Amanda Esquivel’s courses particularly interesting, and when he discovered she ran a bioengineering lab that focused on athletics and injury prevention, he reached out to see if she had any open positions. “It was kind of a chance thing,” Williams says. “I didn’t really know that doing research with a professor was something you could do, but a friend of mine was telling me about their experience, so I just sent Professor Esquivel an email and hoped she’d have something available.” It turned out Esquivel did, and Williams landed a position as an undergraduate research assistant. For someone who loved sports and exercise science, it was pretty much a perfect part-time job. In the lab, Williams got to work on several projects that used wearable sensors and video motion capture to research how various movements strain the body, with a goal of preventing ACL injuries. Though many of the studies focused on girls’ soccer, Esquivel also helped Williams with his own independent study, where he analyzed open source data collected on baseball pitchers.

Williams played three years for ��-Dearborn’s baseball team and owns several team records, including most career home runs. He had to miss the April commencement ceremony for a game. He hit three home runs that day, the most ever by a ��-Dearborn player in a single game. Photo courtesy ��-Dearborn Athletics

Williams wasn’t necessarily thinking about it when he started in Esquivel’s lab, but the work was basically setting him up for that career in professional baseball he’d been searching for. Elbow injuries, long a problem for pitchers, have become a full-blown plague in the modern game. Today’s pitching is all about velocity, and as athletes try to throw harder and harder, they’re almost literally ripping their elbows apart. Even young pitchers are having to resort to Tommy John surgery — the sport’s now-routine remedy for ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, named after a former MLB pitcher. Fear of catastrophic elbow injuries is also why starting pitchers going deeper than five innings is now the exception not the rule, something many fans and critics have pointed out has fundamentally changed the nature of the game. Williams says teams now closely track pitching speed and total innings pitched in an effort to ensure their star players don’t end up on the disabled list — or out of baseball altogether.

In the past few years, teams have also started using biomechanics labs to reduce injuries and evaluate prospects. Using the same technology that Williams used in Esquivel’s lab, trainers try to figure out if aspects of a pitcher’s throwing motion are putting them at risk for injury, as well as whether changes to their pitching mechanics could help prevent injury. With high-speed cameras, force plates in the pitching mound and wearable sensors affixed to an athlete’s legs, torso, pelvis, shoulders and elbows, Williams says engineers can actually track how energy flows through the body at critical stages of the pitching motion. The data reveal, for example, if a risky amount of torque is being placed on the throwing elbow. You can also measure whether a change in motion, like a slightly earlier rotation of the pelvis, can reduce strain on the elbow without sacrificing velocity.

As a baseball player, Williams knew that biomechanics labs like this were becoming a big thing in the sport. So as graduation approached, he started looking into whether he could parlay his ��-Dearborn experience into a job. “I basically Googled ‘MLB and biomechanics’ and found a job posting with the Kansas City Royals to work with their pitching prospects in Arizona,” Williams says. Not surprisingly, with Williams’ history as a pitcher, lifelong baseball player and someone who had experience working in the same kind of biomechanics lab, the Royals snatched him up. Williams says it’s basically a dream job — aside from the fact that it’s with one of the Tigers’ division rivals and it’s not actually playing baseball. However, he’s not ready to accept that his playing days are behind him. He points out that he still has one year of college eligibility. And if he decides to go to grad school at some point, he’ll likely take a look at his chances of making the school’s baseball team when deciding where to apply — even if that means being the oldest guy on the field. That, or he says he’s considering trying out for the independent league team near the city he’ll be living in in Arizona — though there’s no chance he’d give up his job with the Royals even if he made the roster. “The pay is like $200 for three months. So, yeah, probably not worth it,” he says. His years at ��-Dearborn, however, seem like they were.

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Story by Lou Blouin

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Mon, 06/10/2024 - 14:26

After working in Associate Professor Amanda Esquivel’s bioengineering lab, ��-Dearborn slugger Matthew Williams landed a gig working with pitchers in the Kansas City Royals’ biomechanics facility.

��-Dearborn baseball player Matthew Williams. Photo courtesy ��-Dearborn Athletics

Gearing up for the new year

rudmehta — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 15:39:21 +0000

Gearing up for the new year rudmehta Thu, 09/08/2022 - 11:39

This article was originally published on September 5, 2019.

Over the past two academic years, ��-Dearborn Athletics’ has accomplished some major feats: There were three teams with runs to national tournaments. Student-athletes and coaches have won countless awards within the conference and nationally.

And now, along with their intensity, ��-Dearborn’s varsity teams bring a cohesive branded maize-and-blue style to every competition. All with that Nike swoosh. From travel gear to competitive wear, Nike outfits ��-Dearborn student-athletes and coaches.

“We have 16 varsity sports and we are proud ��-Dearborn Wolverines,” says Sports Information Director Nick McCutcheon, who played lacrosse for ��-Dearborn when he was a student. “Gone are the Block Ms from 1996, the mismatched maize and hand-me-down jerseys. Our athletes and coaches are now outfitted with high-quality Nike gear.”

The five-year agreement with Nike and Team Sports, which was signed July 1, included a signing bonus to help get teams started with their new looks. Athletic programs also receive 40-percent off retail price and will earn rebates based on annual sales percentages.

But the partnership not only benefits student-athletes; it also includes campus colleges, departments and offices.

Campus staff and faculty can organize — if you want to do this: first contact McCutcheon at nmccutch@umich.edu — a pop-up online Nike store for your college, department or office that includes properly branded material for your campus area.

“There’s a lot of positive momentum happening in Athletics and we want to include everyone in it.”

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Thu, 09/05/2019 - 05:00

��-Dearborn Athletics’ partnership with Nike and Team Sports outfits teams, coaches, fans and more. And Athletics is sharing the Nike love — any campus area can have custom ��-Dearborn Nike apparel made for their own cohesive look.

Get fall festive

rudmehta — Thu, 08 Sep 2022 14:29:41 +0000

Get fall festive rudmehta Thu, 09/08/2022 - 10:29

This article was originally published on October 9, 2019.

Fall is a classic campus season. Cool air perfect for college hoodies and a warm drink. Beautiful scenery with Michigan’s array of fall colors.

So in the words of the great Julie Andrews, here are a few of our favorite things.

Decorate for the season

It’s decorative gourd season, folks. Give your pumpkin a maize and blue twist this fall with some Michigan inspired art. Carve out a block M or come up with your own unique design to make your home or office ready for fall. Make sure to stop by Halloween Week @ the Library for some on campus pumpkin decorating.

Take a walk around campus

Fact: Campus is gorgeous in the fall. Take a walk outside to lower stress and observe the changing colors on the trees, especially on the trails near the Environmental Interpretive Center. If you take a colorful campus photo, make sure to enter it in our fall @umdearborn Instagram challenge launching over fall break!

Pick up a spooky read (or movie) from Mardigian Library

Go classic with Alfred Hitchcock or check out some more recent titles like A Quiet Place. Seen the Stephen King movie, but never read the book? The fall is the perfect time for a scare!

Enjoy a sweet treat

The secret to a productive office meeting or campus event? The food of course! Fall is the perfect time to enjoy cider and donuts at a campus event — word is they'll be at Oct. 21's Conversation with the Chancellor. Or keep it basic and stop by Starbucks for a pumpkin spice latte.

Treat yourself to some new ��-Dearborn outerwear

Now that summer in officially in our rear window (we had to work in another Hitchcock mention), it’s time to layer up when heading outside. Pick up a warm Michigan hoodie or wrap yourself in a maize and blue scarf.

Rock out for game day

Get ready to cheer on your favorite ��-Dearborn athletics team and root for Michigan Football with this game day Spotify playlist by University of Michigan. Remember, ��-Dearborn athletics events are free for ��-Dearborn students, faculty and staff and ��-Dearborn students are eligible to purchase season football tickets in Ann Arbor.

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Wed, 10/09/2019 - 05:00

Whether you need a good fright or cozy comforts, ��-Dearborn in autumn is a-maize-ing. Here are campus suggestions on how to get the most out of fall.

Women's Ice Hockey has beat every team that they've played.

rudmehta — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 16:45:09 +0000

Women's Ice Hockey has beat every team that they've played. rudmehta Wed, 08/10/2022 - 12:45

This article was originally published on February 3. 2020.

The Zamboni is finished smoothing the ice. Golden Earring’s 1982 song Twilight Zone — a sports fan favorite — fades out. And Brooke Spiegel leads her team onto the ice.

The Women’s Ice Hockey captain won the face-off. She then, 27 seconds into the period, knocks the puck in for a goal. Fifteen seconds later, Brooke scored again. And the fans in the stands — which were so full that a student enjoyed a hotdog in the food-restricted area and went unnoticed as he enjoyed the standard concession stand fare — pumped their fists in the air to the “Let’s Go Blue” chant.

Fans in the stands at the Jan. 31 game.

By the time the game ended, Brooke had a hat trick (as did teammate Claudia Maguire). The final score: 12-0. Not that some of the opposing team’s fans even saw it. With five minutes left in the third period, they began to filter out. A man in a Michigan hockey jersey, returning to the Fieldhouse after grabbing his camera from the car, saw them leaving and asked if the game was over. “It is for us,” a woman wearing red replied.

As Brooke skated off the ice, she celebrated with her team. But they weren’t just in the moment. They also had sights on what’s next: Getting to the American Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs and winning a title.

With team stats like an average 6.67 goals per game and a 16-2 record (they split the series with U-M and Sault College in Canada), that’s not surprising.

That is, until you hear that it’s the team’s first year. And the team is made of mostly freshmen and sophomores.

“People didn’t expect us to be this good. After we began winning games, other teams from around the country tried to get on our schedule, but we couldn’t fit them in,” says Brooke, a sophomore who was the first player signed to the team. The team, currently ranked No. 2 in their division, will know if they make playoffs by the end of the month.

We spent time with Brooke last week to see how a player on this inaugural team — eyeing a championship trophy — balances time on and off the ice on an average weekday.

Brooke Spiegel listens to a presentation in one of her College of Business courses.

Morning.

Brooke typically attends a 7 a.m. Student Athlete Advisory Committee meeting on this day, but it was moved to next week. Enjoying the extra sleep, Brooke began her day at 9 a.m. by unpacking her water, laptop, and papers in Lecturer Gerald Holowicki’s Introduction to Operations Management course. There are guest speakers from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles who are speaking to the class on product development. The class heads outside after the presentation to check out a 2020 Dodge Charger, which is a shade of blue — perfect for a Michigan campus, which is noticed and appreciated by Brooke.

Brooke Spiegel, center, talks to classmates and Operations Management Lecturer Gerald Holowicki.

Following that class, Brooke — who plans to major in marketing and wants to work for a sports company or a sports team — continues her pre-business course schedule. She heads down the Fairlane Center South Hall for Lecturer Patty Graybeal’s Managerial Accounting class. Brooke has a test next week and Graybeal has students break into small groups for study sessions, while she walks around the class to give personalized assistance. While speaking to Brooke about accounting equations, they also talk about sports — Graybeal did track and was a distance runner — and the dedication it takes to play.

Midday.

It’s almost 12:30, so Brooke heads to the Fieldhouse. It’s her break in-between classes. She sometimes stops for physical therapy, but she has a test at 2 p.m. today, so she chooses to study. After checking in at the Wellness Center for the required study hours all athletes have, Brooke heads to a quiet table on the second floor of the Fieldhouse. While eating lunch — her mom made pasta last night and there were leftovers — one of her hands is on the computer while the other is balancing food on the fork.

Brooke Spiegel takes a lunch study break at the Fieldhouse.

Her schedule is very regimented — there’s no real time for extras — but she’s ok with that. She’s been skating since preschool and remembers spending her time as a youth traveling for hockey games — first on a boy’s team, then on a girl’s starting around age 8 — and having little time for anything else. Her number today, 21, was the number she was given when she transitioned to the girls’ team, which she sees as a significant milestone. “If I didn’t have a chance to grow up playing with girls, I’d have a different style of play today. And I don’t know if I’d be here today. It’s important that everyone has an opportunity to be involved in something they love.” She then shares that she spends most of her Monday nights after practice coaching youth girls’ hockey in Trenton.

Her interest began because her dad played and coached hockey — and she remembers her older brothers playing and wanting to get involved too.

Her older brother Andrew, ‘19 B.B.A., was on the ��-Dearborn men’s ice hockey team and Brooke says she almost didn’t attend here because other colleges were looking to recruit her and she wanted to go her own way. But a visit to campus changed her mind. “Walking around campus, it just felt like home. If you’ve even been a ��-Dearborn student, you know what I mean.”

She also liked the idea of having a role in beginning a program. Her high school, Ladywood — where Brooke was the captain who led her hockey team to state finals — closed after her senior year. “I saw the end of one very strong program and I wanted to be behind the scenes when helping to build up another.”

Brooke Spiegel talks with Finance Lecturer Nicholas Vlisides in the Bloomberg Finance Lab.

Packing up her laptop and traveling back to Fairlane Center South, Brooke is ready to take her Corporate Finance test in Lecturer Nick Vlisides classroom. She said it’s not her favorite subject, but she enjoys her teacher’s banter with class. Once, when she let him know that she’d have to miss class because of a tournament schedule, he joked that he’d deduct points unless she put some numbers on the boards. Her reply? ““Does it mean you’ll give extra credit?

End of the day.

Returning to the Fieldhouse, Brooke finally stops in for physical therapy at the Wellness Center. It’s a busy place where women are getting taped up before games and practice. Women’s basketball players were waiting to be seen before their 5 p.m. game. A softball player had to get on the bus to head to a tournament in Chicago and stopped in for a quick check on her arm.

Brooke says she’s there for an injury that she’s agreed to get checked prior to suiting up. She doesn’t typically get taped up prior to practice because she wants to test her endurance, but “they turn me into a mummy with all that tape” before games. Other hockey players were getting checked out too — one woman had a concussion from an on-ice impact and relaxed on the therapy table, another had a physical therapist help her sore back by stretching.

Brooke Spiegel and Athletic Trainer Kelsey Rasky

Hopping off the table, Brooke thanks Athletic Trainer Kelsey Rasky for “working her magic” and heads down the Fieldhouse stairs into the locker room to dress for practice. The team tries to start practice promptly at 4:30 p.m., but instead gathers at the gate to discuss upcoming games as they wait for the Zamboni to finish smoothing the ice.

After the Zamboni is parked in the garage, Brooke helps her teammate Victoria Hahn adjust her goalie pads and they head out to warm up before Head Coach Tim Ames has the team do passing and conditioning drills. As the women do the lightning drills, they stop in unison at the blue lines. Their passing is precise. They are in-sync when they play. After 6 p.m., the team puts the equipment away and goes over their strategy for the next game, which is away against Miami-Ohio.

The ice hockey team works together during practice drills.

Around 7 p.m., Brooke emerges from the locker room, her pink backpack — that’s her favorite color; it’s on her hockey stick too — over her shoulder. Instead of traveling home, she walks to the library to continue her study hours.

“It can be chaos. Like most athletes in season, I’m here for 12 hours most days. But it’s worth it. As soon as I step on the ice, all is calm.”

Well, as long as you’re not on the other team.

Editor’s Note: The ��-Dearborn women’s ice hockey team won the Jan. 31 Miami-Ohio game 15-0. Their next three home games are 2 p.m. Saturday against Concordia, and 3 p.m. Feb. 21 and 2 p.m. Feb. 22 against Miami-Ohio.

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In their inaugural year, this ice hockey team has won games against Ohio State, Michigan State and U-M. We recently spent time with the team captain to see what it’s like to be a busy student who’s also building a winning sports program.

Highlights from ��-Dearborn Athletics: February 2020

rudmehta — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:39:43 +0000

Highlights from ��-Dearborn Athletics: February 2020 rudmehta Wed, 08/10/2022 - 11:39

This article was originally published on February 7, 2020.

Several of the Wolverine’s winter sports are winding down as national tournaments approach, but there are still home games on the calendar. For home games, admission is always free for ��-Dearborn students, faculty and staff.

The spring season is also ready to get underway with three programs preparing for Spring Break trips down south.

Follow the Wolverines all season at the all-new athletics.umdearborn.edu. The ��-Dearborn Nike Store is open until March 15.

Women’s Basketball

After a historic 2018-19 season, the ��-Dearborn women’s basketball team is right back in the thick of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament mix this season. ��-Dearborn has won three of four, including a 62-53 victory at Lourdes University on Wednesday to push the team’s record to 14-11 overall and 7-8 in the league. The Wolverines play three straight at the ��-Dearborn Fieldhouse, starting against Concordia University at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 12, and concluding with Senior Night against No. 13 Indiana Tech on Feb. 19.

Men’s Basketball

After a midseason lull, the men’s basketball team is back to its winning ways, including an upset win over No. 13 Lourdes University on the road Wednesday. ��-Dearborn rallied from a double-digit fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime. Senior Cody Kegley finished with a game-high 25 points and made three of his seven 3-pointers in overtime to lead the Wolverines to an 86-78 win. With five games left in the regular season, ��-Dearborn is 15-10 overall and 8-7 in the WHAC. The team returns home next week for three straight, starting against Concordia University at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12 at the ��-Dearborn Fieldhouse.

Women’s Ice Hockey

The ��-Dearborn women’s ice hockey team is in its first season of competition, but no one would know that by the performance the Wolverines have put forth so far in 2019-20. The team is an astounding 17-2 overall with three games left on the regular-season schedule and ��-Dearborn is ranked second in the ACHA D2 West Region. Wins over Michigan State University, Ohio State University and the University of Michigan (D1) have ��-Dearborn making plans not to just go to the national tournament, but to compete for the title. The Wolverines close the season with two games against Miami University-Ohio Feb. 21-22 at the ��-Dearborn Ice Arena.

Men’s Ice Hockey

The Wolverines are back in the mix at the top of the ACHA D1 rankings this season, currently sitting at No. 6 in the country with a handful of games remaining on the schedule. Heading into this past weekend, which included three Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference games against Lawrence Tech, ��-Dearborn is at the top of the WHAC standings as the team is seeking its second straight regular season title. Men’s Ice Hockey concludes its regular season with three of the last four games at the ��-Dearborn Ice Arena, starting with two against Cleary University Feb. 14-15.

Bowling

The second-year ��-Dearborn Men’s and Women’s Bowling programs recently closed the regular season and are preparing for the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships Feb. 22 in Fort Wayne, Ind. ��-Dearborn picked up two program firsts as Amanda Williams and Mark Bilancetti were both named WHAC Bowlers of the Week on Jan. 27 after a successful tournament in Pittsburgh.

Softball

The ��-Dearborn Softball team opened the 2020 season with six games in three days at the NAIA Leadoff Tournament Jan. 30 - Feb. 1 at The Dome in Rosemont, Ill., just outside of Chicago. The Wolverines went 2-4 on the trip as the team prepared for Spring Break to start later this month in Florida. Softball will travel to The Spring Games for 21 contests from Feb. 29 - March 11 in Kissimmee, Fla.

Men’s Lacrosse

The ��-Dearborn Men’s Lacrosse team opened 2020 with a home game against Alma College Saturday at the Detroit Country Day Fieldhouse. The Wolverines will play one more home contest on Feb. 15 against Kalamazoo College before traveling to Savannah, Ga., for three games Feb. 29 - March 3.

Baseball

The Wolverine baseball team, which surprised the rest of the WHAC in 2019, narrowly missing the league tournament in the program’s second year, while leading the conference in overall hitting, will open the spring portion of the 2020 season with three games against Robert Morris University-Illinois Feb. 22-23 in Florence, Ky. ��-Dearborn travels to Florida for Spring Break where the Wolverines play 11 games from Feb. 29 - March 7 starting in Auburndale.

Wellness Center Update

After more than a month of being closed, the ��-Dearborn Wellness Center at the Fieldhouse reopened its doors on Feb. 3 with new flooring throughout the workout areas. The new surface is a Mondo flooring, making the facility more workout friendly for the entire ��-Dearborn community.

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��-Dearborn’s Department of Athletic & Recreation is in full swing. See season highlights and learn who's playing next.

The women's ice hockey team, in its first year and a No. 2 seed, is eyeing playoffs.

Highlights from ��-Dearborn Athletics: March 2020

rudmehta — Wed, 10 Aug 2022 15:10:27 +0000

Highlights from ��-Dearborn Athletics: March 2020 rudmehta Wed, 08/10/2022 - 11:10

This article was originally published on March 10, 2020.

Winter sports are wrapping up for 2019-20, while spring seasons are off to a great start for the University of Michigan-Dearborn Department of Athletics & Recreation. Here is a rundown of all the action surrounding Wolverine athletics.

Baseball

The baseball team recently completed its Spring Break trip to Florida. The highlight of the season so far was a no-hitter thrown by sophomore Tyler Koons against Robert Morris University on Feb. 22. Koons faced the minimum 21 batters in the seven-inning game, throwing an immaculate final inning, with three strikeouts on nine pitches. The Wolverines returned home with a record of 7-15 overall and travel to Huntington, W.V., to take on Aquinas College in a three-game series on Saturday and Sunday.

Softball

The Wolverine softball team is currently competing at THE Spring Games in Kissimmee, Fla., until March 11. ��-Dearborn is 9-12 overall to start the season and will return home on Wednesday to prepare for the start of Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference play. Sophomore Erin McCune was named the WHAC Pitcher of the Week for the first time in her career on March 2, while sophomore Madelin Skene has led the offense this season with a .450 batting average, 27 hits, seven home runs and 23 RBIs. Skene currently ranks second in the nation in home runs.

Men’s Lacrosse

The Wolverines traveled to Savannah, Ga., for Spring Break to play three games, returning home with two wins, 26-5 over Point University and 17-10 against St. Andrews University. ��-Dearborn closed the trip with a loss to No. 9 SCAD Savannah. Senior attackman Ben Phillips set a new program record for points in a game with 13 in the win over Point, including eight goals and five assists. He was named the NAIA National Player of the Week for his efforts, only the second Wolverine in program history to win the award. ��-Dearborn is in action next at home against Columbia College at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Detroit Country Day Fieldhouse in Beverly Hills, Mich.

Men's Ice Hockey

The ��-Dearborn men’s ice hockey team recently collected some new hardware for the trophy case, winning the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference regular season and postseason tournament championships. The team is the first in ��-Dearborn history to win the regular season and tournament titles in the same season. The Wolverines enter their 21st ACHA National Tournament as the No. 6 seed and with an overall record of 27-6-2. ��-Dearborn will face off against No. 11 Davenport University on March 21 in Frisco, Texas in the Round of 16. The Wolverines defeated the Panthers 4-3 in Dearborn in the only matchup between the teams this season.

Women’s Ice Hockey

The ��-Dearborn women’s ice hockey team recently completed its first season of competition with a two-game sweep on the road at No. 2 Liberty University. Unfortunately, ��-Dearborn was No. 5 in the final ACHA Division II rankings, missing the National Tournament by one spot. The Wolverines closed the season with a record of 19-2-0 (21-2-0 including two forfeits by Miami-Ohio) and have been accepted into ACHA Division I for the 2020-21 season.

Women’s Basketball

The 2019-20 season came to a close for the women’s basketball team in the first round of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament in a loss to Lawrence Tech. The team finished the season with a record of 17-14, the second most wins in program history. Junior Ro’Zhane Wells was named to the All-WHAC First Team and Defensive Team, while junior Mariah Taylor was named to the All-WHAC Second Team.

Men’s Basketball

��-Dearborn men’s basketball closed the 2019-20 season with a record of 17-14 after falling in the first round of the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Postseason Tournament to Rochester University. Senior Cody Kegley closed his career with 1,293 career points, placing him seventh all-time in program history. Kegley was named to the All-WHAC Second Team for the second time in his career. Junior Jason Gigliotti was also named to the All-WHAC Second Team, while Damian Forrest earned All-WHAC Freshman Team honors.

Bowling

The second-year ��-Dearborn Men’s and Women’s Bowling programs recently competed at the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Championships on Feb. 22 in Fort Wayne, Ind., with both teams finishing eighth. The Wolverines now prepare to travel to the USBC Sectionals as the second season for ��-Dearborn bowling continues.

Difference Makers

The ��-Dearborn Department of Athletics & Recreation is proud to announce five Wolverine student-athletes have been named to the ��-Dearborn Difference Makers Class of 2020. The group includes Marina Goocher (Club Wrestling and Women’s Cross Country), Victoria Hebda (Women’s Cross Country), Daniel Kerr (Baseball), Jenna Rogers (Women’s Basketball and Women’s Soccer) and Brooke Spiegel (Women’s Ice Hockey and Women’s Golf).

Follow the Wolverines all season at the all-new athletics.umdearborn.edu. Admission to all home games is always FREE for ��-Dearborn students, faculty and staff. The ��-Dearborn Nike Store is open until March 15.

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See season highlights and learn who's playing next.

Softball team sophomore Madelin Skene has led the offense this season with a .450 batting average, 27 hits, seven home runs and 23 RBIs. Skene currently ranks second in the nation in home runs.

Cultivating Cross Country Champions

rudmehta — Mon, 25 Jul 2022 17:57:36 +0000

Cultivating Cross Country Champions rudmehta Mon, 07/25/2022 - 13:57

This article was originally published on April 13, 2020.

With barely enough runners to qualify for a team score, the University of Michigan-Dearborn cross-country programs began competition at the varsity level in 2011.

Through years of building and creating a culture of accountability, servant leadership and competitive drive, the Wolverine men’s and women’s teams enter their 10^th season in fall 2020 with aspirations for their best campaigns to date.

With the men’s team earning its first national ranking in 2019 and the women on the verge of a breakout season, Joe Horka, who is entering his eighth season as head coach, said the goals are clear; learn to win and do what it takes to become champions.

Leadership from the Top

After two years under former Head Coach Lee Shaw, ��-Dearborn turned the cross-country teams over to Coach Horka in July 2013. He is a graduate of Madonna University where he was a standout on the Crusader cross-country team, earning the Madonna Male-Scholar Athlete of the Year award in 2007-08 and two NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors. He went on to the University of Miami (Fla.), earning his Juris Doctorate in 2011, and is currently practicing law in the metro-Detroit area.

In his time with the Wolverines, the programs have continued to reach new levels of success on race day, in the classroom, and in the community. To date, ��-Dearborn cross country has totaled of 42 WHAC All-Academic Team awards, 21 NAIA Scholar-Athletes, four All-Conference honorees, four WHAC Runner of the Week honors and three Chancellor’s Awards, along with multiple additional honors throughout the years for academics, performance and community leadership.

“Joe (Horka) is a great leader and without his efforts, nothing we have accomplished would be possible,” ��-Dearborn junior runner Caitlyn Hynek said. “He works with the top runners the same amount as everyone on the team. He wants us to be great and puts us in position to accomplish our goals.”

Hynek said she is self-aware about her abilities, knowing that she is never going to be the fastest on the team. She walked on for her freshman season and nearly quit after day one. However, Horka convinced her to stick with it and Hynek now understands the value it has added to her time at ��-Dearborn.

The Early Years

The Wolverine cross-country programs began competing as a club program in the mid-2000s, offering ��-Dearborn students the opportunity to continue their competitive running careers at the college level. Cross-country was one of the first sports added to the roster of varsity programs during the expansion of the last 12 years of ��-Dearborn athletics.

With the elevation to varsity status, ��-Dearborn was able to begin recruiting runners to the school with the chance to receive athletic financial aid. The first few seasons brought tempered growth, with several holdovers from the club teams laying the foundation for the future.

In the team’s inaugural season of competition, ��-Dearborn earned its first national qualifier, as Joan Stoian received a bid to the 2011 NAIA Women’s Cross Country National Championship. Stoian also became the first Wolverine runner to earn a Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference postseason award, named to the 2011 All-WHAC Second Team.

Over the next several seasons, Horka dealt with retention issues, as student-athletes transferred or decided not to continue with the sport. The team continued to build and with renewed support for athletics from the University, the cross-country programs began to take steps towards the top of the WHAC. The foundation was laid by names such as Quinn Osgood, Ryan Pickell, Mallory Nemeth and Megan McDonald, all of whom went on to become assistant coaches under Horka for the Wolverines, helping maintain a consistent culture.

Recruiting Wolverines

College cross-country runners typically have a different experience than that of an average student-athlete. At the majority of institutions in the NAIA and across all levels of intercollegiate competition, being a cross-country runner means that you are also expected to join the institution’s track and field team. With indoor and outdoor seasons taking place in the winter and spring months, in addition to a cross country schedule in the fall, the demand on a student-athlete’s time is unyielding, with competition stretching almost continuously from August into May each year.

At this time, ��-Dearborn does not offer track and field, a circumstance that Horka has found a niche for recruiting a certain type of student-athlete.

“It is in a way a blessing,” Horka said. “Not being a year-round athlete allows our students to take advantage of opportunities in the classroom, internships and part-time jobs. Our athletes do have practices in the spring, and are expected to train throughout the year, but we can prioritize one season, giving student-athletes the time to take advantage of a full college experience."

Horka admits that there are a percentage of recruits that dismiss ��-Dearborn at the start due to the lack of track and field team. If the future does hold the addition of track and field at ��-Dearborn, Horka and his staff are confident that the Wolverines could quickly become a contender in the NAIA given the popularity and depth of talent in the southeast Michigan region.

“Our low-cost tuition and high standard of education could make us a very attractive destination to student-athletes that are right now choosing the expensive route of private-schools to be able to continue their track and field careers,” Horka added.

Trending Higher

Cross Country athletes Ryan Excell, Josh Mussen and Jarrett St. John

With the expansion of available scholarships, Horka was able to push the Wolverines forward starting in 2017 with a strong recruiting class on both sides, with the inclusion of Josh Mussen who became the first ��-Dearborn men’s runner to qualify for the NAIA National Championships in his freshman season. The same season brought a strong core of women’s runners, led by Victoria Hebda, who has paced the ��-Dearborn women’s program for the past three seasons.

The following season, Horka was able to bring in his strongest recruiting class on the men’s side. Ryan Exell, an NAIA National Championship qualifier in each of his first two seasons, led the group. Exell holds the team record in an 8k, which he set in 2018 and later broke in 2019. He was named the 2018 WHAC Newcomer of the Year and was the program’s first All-WHAC First Team honoree in 2019 with a program best fifth-place showing at the league championship meet. The 2018 season also saw Wolverines capture their first ever team event title at the 2018 Lansing Invitational.

When asked what moment the men shifted from a middle-of-the-pack team to a contender, Horka highlighted the Louisville Classic in 2019 where the Wolverines finished sixth-out-of-37 teams, a field that included some of the NAIA’s top programs. ��-Dearborn earned its first national ranking in the NAIA Top-25 Poll the next week, a landmark moment for the Wolverines.

"We had to make a big statement because we weren't really on anyone's radar," Horka said. “The Louisville performance that earned us the ranking was the best day that the program had to date. We earned it that day.”

Following the team’s first ranking, the ��-Dearborn men entered the WHAC Championship with its eyes on a team title, but fell short. The disappointing result was another wake-up call for the team, as now they know just how good they have to be as a team to get where they want to go.

“It was the first time that we were in a playoff atmosphere,” Horka said about the final month of the 2019 men’s season. “Having beat teams that were previously out of reach. We get that it is a process. We understand that winning is not easy.”

Getting Ahead of the Pack for the Future

Horka is excited to get back to work with his team and assistant coaches for the 2020 season, as his latest recruiting class could be one of the best he has seen, adding depth to a group of high-caliber returners.

The coaches are confident that both teams are closing in on bids to the NAIA National Championships. Osgood added that the team has shifted how it approaches a season. Instead of just trying to fill a schedule with events that are local and budget friendly, the Wolverines are seeking out the competition that will help the program position itself for the postseason.

“We want to get better every year,” Horka said. “Not up and down. Consistent upward trending. National appearances for both teams and consistent rankings. Get a team in the top-10 at ��-Dearborn. We are working toward that goal.”

Always better today than yesterday; that is the culture for ��-Dearborn cross-country.

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Mon, 04/13/2020 - 05:00

Coach Joe Horka has grown the Wolverines team to new levels of success on race day, in the classroom and in the community.

Cross Country Coach Joe Horka

Fun things to do around campus this fall

rudmehta — Thu, 23 Jun 2022 19:49:18 +0000

Fun things to do around campus this fall rudmehta Thu, 06/23/2022 - 15:49

This article was originally published on October 25, 2021.

Fall is a classic campus season. Cool air is perfect for a Michigan hoodie and a warm drink while looking at beautiful scenery in an array of fall colors. And it’s all steps from your office or classroom.

Wander around the woods

Join the Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) staff naturalists on guided walks through the outdoor Environmental Study Area from noon-1 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays this fall for their "I Wonder Wanders" walks. Don’t worry — they aren’t going for Blair Witch Project realness. These daylight walks are for the EIC experts to give us a bit more information about stunning fall foliage and the creatures that call campus home. No RSVP needed and it's specifically for the ��-Dearborn community. Ready for a quick outdoor adventure? Please gather at the picnic tables behind the EIC a little before noon.

EIC in the fall

On those rainy fall days, get some history

If the weather isn’t cooperating for a walk around campus’ EIC, stroll around the Henry Ford — the museum is open year round — and see artifacts like Rosa Parks’ bus, cars that date back to the late 1800s, and American toys and music throughout the past 100 years. There are millions of artifacts to see, so there’s something for everyone.

All ��-Dearborn students get a free membership at the Henry Ford if they show their MCard at the museum’s Welcome Center. Student perks include unlimited access to the Henry Ford Museum, Greenfield Village and Giant Screen Experience traditional films.

Exterior of the Henry Ford Museum

Decorate for Hail-o-ween

Add a bit of “Go Boo” to your Halloween decor and pumpkin carving party. There are six unique ��-Dearborn pumpkin carving stencils that you can use to get started, or come up with your own unique design.

Ronen and Rebekah Tuxbury, children of staff member Sarah Tuxbury, chose the "Batty for Michigan" design.. Photo by Scott Piestrak

Watch or read scary stories

Pick up a spooky novel or film while at Mardigian Library. The library also has a selection of horror movies and scary stories that you can enjoy right from your computer like Stephen King’s Carrie and Bram Stoker’s Dracula on e-book, and films like Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, Jordan Peele’s Get Out and Joss Whedon’s The Cabin in the Woods via streaming. Library hours are here and you can browse their selection here.

Mardigian Library offers fall books and movies

Warm up with fall flavors

Maple, pumpkin spice, chai, and caramel are arguably the unofficial ingredients of fall in Michigan. Find these flavors in lattes, hot ciders and pastries on menus across campus, from McKinley Café to Mug Life. Looking for a meeting spot or snack break near campus with autumnal flavors? Try Brome Modern Eatery, where milkshakes are blended with salted caramel and Madagascar vanilla bean, or brunch at The Great Commoner, where brown butter pancakes are topped with burnt cinnamon whipped cream and Michigan maple syrup. Dearborn is also home to a number of Yemeni cafes, like Qahwah House and Romantica Café, where Arabic coffees are brewed with spicy flavors, such as fresh ginger, cardamom and cloves.

Dearborn is also home to a number of Yemeni cafes, like Qahwah House where Arabic coffees are brewed with spicy flavors, such as fresh ginger, cardamom and cloves.

Say ‘Go Boo!’ when you cheer on our athletes

Want to get pumped for your favorite Wolverine team? Check out this Spotify Gameday playlist by the University of Michigan. And there’s tons of upcoming action you can watch. Our Dearborn Wolverines Men’s Ice Hockey team has a home game at 7 p.m. Nov. 5 vs. Concordia in the Fieldhouse. The Women's Ice Hockey team has a game coming up against Ann Arbor at 9 p.m. Nov. 5 at Artic Edge in Canton. Women and Men’s soccer and volleyball have upcoming home matches too. Check out the Dearborn Wolverines schedules.

��-Dearborn home athletics events are free for ��-Dearborn students, faculty and staff.

Photo of Women's Ice Hockey at home

Have a fun fall idea for us to add to this list? Drop us a line at ��Dearborn-News@umich.edu.

Campus Life

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Environmental Interpretive Center

Student Engagement

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Mon, 10/25/2021 - 05:00

Here are a few of our favorite things.

Fall colors on campus on the pathway to the Science Learning and Research Center. Photo by Sarah Tuxbury

This summer youth golf program is targeting a kink in the STEM education pipeline

lblouin — Thu, 18 Jul 2019 14:23:20 +0000

This summer youth golf program is targeting a kink in the STEM education pipeline lblouin Thu, 07/18/2019 - 10:23

There’s plenty to like about what the City of Westland and the University of Michigan-Dearborn’s College of Engineering and Computer Science (CECS) have been doing in the ever-evolving space of youth STEM education. The two partners already have an innovative mentoring program at the Jefferson Barns Learning Lab, which hopes to spark kids’ college and career dreams by pairing ��-Dearborn students with youth in the city’s economically challenged Norwayne neighborhood. Now this summer, that same core idea is getting a sporty twist with a two-week day camp targeting STEM’s gender gap.

Women continue to be underrepresented in many STEM careers, and research has identified a curious kink in the educational pipeline as a likely factor. “Studies have shown that the middle to high school transition is when some young women start shifting away from things like engineering and computer science,” says Jeanne Girard, director of Extended Learning and Outreach at ��-Dearborn.

Given this challenge, Girard and her team of collaborators set out to design a program that could help sustain young women’s interest in STEM subjects through this critical time. One color-outside-the-lines idea that stuck : A two-week day camp that combines building mobile apps with playing golf.

Professional golfer and former ��-Dearborn golf coach Kelly Kuhlman, who’s helping with the golf instruction, says golf and app development aren’t as strange a match as they may appear. She says technology and analytics are playing a bigger role in the sport all the time. And with constant mental analysis of distances, trajectories and angles of approach, there’s a ton of computational problem solving that’s baked into the game.

Computer science professor Brahim Medjahed says pairing sports with app development makes a lot of sense from his perspective too. “I like to think that computational thinking is fun in its own right,” he says, smiling. “But it’s summer. Kids want to be outside. And they love their phones. So why not teach them about coding, but in a way that seems fun to them?”

That’s why the summer camp will include a half day of golf instruction with Kuhlman and ��-Dearborn’s student-athletes; and another half where Medjahed, two of his standout female computer science students, and Jefferson Barns Learning Lab Director Josh Rychlicki will teach participants how to build apps for their phones. One cool thing: The apps will be designed to help students with an aspect of their golf game (for example, recommending an appropriate club based on the distance to the hole.) What exactly the apps do, though, is totally up to the kids.

��-Dearborn education professor Mesut Duran will also be lending his expertise with a post-project evaluation. In particular, he’s interested to see if combining sports with STEM activities can do what the team hopes it can do — namely, strengthen students’ interest in STEM subjects during their identity-shaping teenage years.

Westland mayor William Wild says partnerships with ��-Dearborn faculty, staff and students is crucial to pulling off innovative projects like Girls, Golf and Gadgets. “Part of that is about a pooling of resources,” Wild says. “But it’s also about leveraging everyone’s creativity and unique expertise to come up with ideas that really reach kids and provide a meaningful opportunity that they wouldn’t have otherwise.”

CECS Associate Dean and Professor Ghassan Kridli also sees big potential in the project’s creative approach. “The program offers a way to kindle curiosity among the participants in STEM education by helping them develop their own connections of the applications of STEM in everyday life,” he says. “The success of the program is a win for all.”

###

The Girls, Golf and Gadgets program is made possible with support from the Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Legacy Funds at the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan. The camp runs August 12 through August 22, and participants can register through July 26 at umdearborn.edu/G3-program. There is no cost for the program. The Jefferson Barns Learning Lab is supported with funding from the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program, which is awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, and is administered by the Michigan State Police.

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Thu, 07/18/2019 - 14:19

The City of Westland and ��-Dearborn are banking on a pairing of sports and technology to keep young women dreaming big about STEM.

Credit: Mimi Cummins via Flickr/Creative Commons

Coach Jordan Sweeney has a winning combination as the women’s basketball team sets campus record

jmcheat — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 14:51:28 +0000

Coach Jordan Sweeney has a winning combination as the women’s basketball team sets campus record jmcheat Mon, 03/18/2019 - 10:51

Women’s Basketball Coach Jordan Sweeney

When the ��-Dearborn women’s basketball team had the chance to set the highest single-season win total in the program’s 40-year history, they did. But they didn’t stop there.

With their 24-7 2018-2019 season, they became the winningest basketball team in campus history — surpassing the 21 wins by the 2017-18 men’s basketball team.

Coach Jordan Sweeney said the team was prepared to have a winning season — and knowing the history-making opportunity was within reach pushed them even harder.

“Breaking the win record was a great feeling. And when I went into the locker room at the end of that game, they doused me with a bucket of water,” said Sweeney, noting the celebratory tradition that coaches often receive from their players after a monumental win. “Not every moment is going to be a big moment, but we did have some great ones this season. As a coach, you always want to see your team, your players succeed.”

Sitting down with Sweeney after the season, he shared what basketball has taught him and why he loves the game.

Get in the game — your way.

If you don’t fit into traditional forms of success, keep looking. There is something for you out there.

Growing up, I didn’t fit within the box in school. I had a speech impediment — every once in a while, you can still hear it — and it affected my confidence in the classroom. I tried, but I wasn’t the best academically. So I looked for other ways to stand out.

When I was young, my dad used extra cement from a basement job he did to pour a slab of concrete in the yard for a basketball court. My older brother, Jason, and I played with kids in the neighborhood all the time. Basketball gave me a way to grow; it gave me confidence and helped form my drive to push myself. It also gave me a way — as a small town kid in the Upper Peninsula — to fit in. In high school, my senior-year team won a state basketball title. I averaged 12 points per game and was noticed by recruiters. Without basketball, I don’t know if I would have gone to college and graduated. I’d like to think I would have, but I have to acknowledge that it opened doors for me that might not have been there.

Success is a combination of preparedness and luck.

If you want something, put yourself out there. But realize you also need to come prepared. It’s important to be ready when your lucky break comes.

After I was done playing basketball in college, I helped coach a high school team and a summer AAU league out of Mount Pleasant, Mich. I knew basketball helped me grow as a person and I could see how it helped develop these other young players too. That’s when I knew I wanted to get into coaching college ball and make this a career. Professional coaching spots are hard to find; but I was persistent in offering my time and was eventually called to help with a college’s summer basketball camp.

I got the opportunity to prove myself; I was always on time and worked hard. Sometimes work ethic is enough to get you noticed and help build your network. Word of mouth led to a meeting with a Ferris State University assistant coach and I got onto the coaching staff for the men’s basketball team. That was the foot in the door. It’s where I was prior to coming to ��-Dearborn.

Working toward goals is similar to playing on a basketball court. If you work hard, it is not going to guarantee you a win. But it does give you a better opportunity to win.

Surround yourself with people who make you better.

Our basketball team broke a win record this year. That’s something we are all very proud of. My players worked hard for that; so did the coaching staff.

It’s important to share that the team has spent the last couple years rebuilding. Last year our overall record didn’t reach .500. But that’s a part of the process. The most difficult thing about a rebuild is patience and realizing that success isn’t an overnight thing, especially if you want it to last. You need to put in a lot of hours and learn what motivates your players, find concepts that will put your team in the best mental place possible and recruit people who are the right fit for your team. You need to lay a foundation before you get to a winning season.

I don’t have an exact science to it all yet, but I do know that I have a really good coaching staff. They are talented, dedicated people; we all work well together. I’ve found that if you surround yourself with the right people, you’ll have a better chance at success. This is true on and off the court.

Winning is nice. But there are lessons in losing too.

You experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows in sports. It is important that you learn from letdowns too.

Earlier this season, with seconds left, sophomore forward Cydney Williams hit a three-point shot to send us into overtime against a team that we weren’t projected to beat. Fans were going wild. The girls ran out onto the court. But as overtime wound down, our opponent hit a last-minute shot — we lost by two points at the buzzer. I’m not going to lie, it was crushing. In only a few minutes, we experienced a wide range of emotions.

A coach’s job isn’t just to win. It’s also to help players make sense of those moments and prepare them going forward. I have players who know they aren’t going to play pro basketball; they are studying to be doctors, business owners and engineers. And the life lessons gained here in lifting yourself back up, team building and trust, and work ethic will last long after the season ends.

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Mon, 03/18/2019 - 14:50

Basketball helped the third-year coach find success as a youth; now he’s working to do the same for his players.

Athletics

Spring ’24 grad parlays research and baseball experience into MLB job

Gearing up for the new year

Get fall festive

Decorate for the season

Take a walk around campus

Pick up a spooky read (or movie) from Mardigian Library

Enjoy a sweet treat

Treat yourself to some new ������-Dearborn outerwear

Rock out for game day

Women's Ice Hockey has beat every team that they've played.

Morning.

Midday.

End of the day.

Highlights from ������-Dearborn Athletics: February 2020

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

Women’s Ice Hockey

Men’s Ice Hockey

Bowling

Softball

Men’s Lacrosse

Baseball

Wellness Center Update

Highlights from ������-Dearborn Athletics: March 2020

Baseball

Softball

Men’s Lacrosse

Men's Ice Hockey

Women’s Ice Hockey

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Basketball

Bowling

Difference Makers

Cultivating Cross Country Champions

Leadership from the Top

The Early Years

Recruiting Wolverines

Trending Higher

Getting Ahead of the Pack for the Future

Fun things to do around campus this fall

Wander around the woods

On those rainy fall days, get some history

Decorate for Hail-o-ween

Watch or read scary stories

Warm up with fall flavors

Say ‘Go Boo!’ when you cheer on our athletes

This summer youth golf program is targeting a kink in the STEM education pipeline

Coach Jordan Sweeney has a winning combination as the women’s basketball team sets campus record

Treat yourself to some new ��-Dearborn outerwear

Highlights from ��-Dearborn Athletics: February 2020

Highlights from ��-Dearborn Athletics: March 2020