The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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NOVEMBER 2019 THE WOLVERINE 15 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Getting To Know Wrestling Fifth-Year Senior Jackson Striggow Wrestling fif th-year senior Jackson Strig- gow enjoyed a solid campaign last season a s a re d s h i r t j u n i o r 197-pounder, finishing with a 9-5 dual-meet record. The Minnesota native went 6-3 against foes from the Big Ten, and posted a 13-10 mark overall. Now in his final go- round as a Wolverine, Striggow will look to build off of last year's ef- forts when the 2019-20 campaign gets under- way Nov. 2 in East Lansing at the Michigan State Open. Here are several other interesting facts you may not have known about him: Nickname: "I don't really have one. My teammates call me Jack sometimes, but that's pretty normal." Favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor: "I really like Palio." Best meal he can cook by himself: "I make pretty good chili, with either elk or venison in it." Hobbies: "I love to hunt and fish, and I actually enjoy reading for fun as well." Favorite TV show: "'Blacklist.'" Favorite movie: "'Division III: Football's Finest." Dream vacation: "I'd say Alaska." Favorite place he's been to: "Northern Ontario. We have a cabin there, and it's probably my favorite place." Favorite professional athlete: "The guy who I find the most fun to watch is [New York Giants running back] Saquon Barkley." Role model: "My dad and my grandpa." Sports he plays besides wrestling: "The guys all play a lot of spikeball on our team, along with quite a bit of handball." Why he chose Michigan: "My dad grew up in Michi- gan, so I've always been a Michigan fan even though I'm from Minnesota. I'm from Medina, which is in the Long Lake area. "I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to compete on a really good team and go to a school that happens to be one of the top universities in the world." What he hopes to do after wrestling: "I'm hoping to find a job in mechanical engineering, which is what I'm majoring in right now." His overall experience at Michigan: "It's been a blessing, because I wasn't a very highly touted recruit coming out of high school. I got the opportunity to come here, though, and felt very lucky to experience such a great university alongside so many people who are extremely good at what they do." — Austin Fox MICHIGAN'S TOP PERFORMERS Former U-M softball pitcher Amanda Chidester: On Oct. 6, USA Softball selected her for the 2020 U.S. Olym- pic Softball Team, making her one of 15 athletes slated to represent Team USA at the 2020 Olympic Games July 24-Aug. 9 in Tokyo, Japan. Chidester was chosen after a four-day selection trial period, in which she was evaluated by the USA Softball Women's National Team Selection Committee in drills and simulated games. The catcher played at U-M from 2009-12 and was tabbed as an All-American in 2009 (second team) and 2011 (first team), and took home the Big Ten Player of the Year award in both 2011 and 2012. Cross country redshirt sophomore Christian Hubaker: He was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Week Sept. 25 after tallying the first win of his U-M career at the adi- das XC Challenge Sept. 20 in Cary, N.C. Hubaker took home the individual title by running the six- kilometer (3.73 miles) course at North Carolina State in 17:45.7, which also led the Maize and Blue to a first-place finish in the 10-team event. The Grand Ledge, Mich., native actually became the second Wolverine to win the league honor this season, after redshirt junior Isaac Harding claimed it Sept. 5 with a runner-up finish (first among collegians) at the Michigan Open Aug. 30. Soccer junior defender Jackson Ragen: He was tabbed as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week after leading Michigan to consecutive shutouts of Ohio State (2-0) and Northwestern (3-0) Oct. 2 and Oct. 6, respectively. Ragen played the en- tirety of both matches against the Buckeyes and Wildcats, and helped the Wolverine defense only allow a combined five shots on goal throughout both showdowns. The junior also chipped in of- fensively, scoring a crucial second-half goal against Ohio State and registering an assist in the win over Northwestern. Soccer junior midfielder Sarah Stratigakis: She scored back-to-back game-winning goals in Michigan's victories over Ohio State Sept. 22 and Purdue Sept. 27. With the match against the Buckeyes in Columbus tied 1-1 in the 49th minute, Stratigakis rocketed the ball into the net's lower left corner for the deciding marker. Just five days later at home against the Boilermakers, the junior once again found the lower left corner of the net, cashing in from six yards out in the 70th minute to put U-M up 2-0 (it would go on to win 2-1). Cross country freshman Ericka VanderLende: She was named the Big Ten Athlete of the Week Oct. 1 for the third time this season, after finishing more than 15 seconds ahead of her competitors in the six-kilometer (3.73 miles) race at the Ohio State Buckeye Pre- view Sept. 28 in Columbus. VanderLende finished the event in 20:17.85, in what was her first-ever collegiate race at that distance. The Rockford, Mich., native helped her Wolverines take home first place at the event (out of 12 teams), before also going on to win the U.S. Track and Field Cross Country As- sociation National Athlete of the Week accolade as well. — Austin Fox Striggow is 64-36 overall and 19-13 in dual matches during his first four years of college. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS