The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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FEBRUARY 2021 THE WOLVERINE 17 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Clare Brush is living out her dream in her hometown, and she has her sights set high for the future. The Ann Arbor native and graduate of Pioneer High School, which resides kitty corner from The Big House, is a fifth-year senior midfield and back- field standout on the Wolverines' field hockey team. She grew up attending U-M's youth camps and was a ball girl for games while she was in elementary school. When it came time to start thinking about where to attend college and continue her playing career, Brush looked at options all over, but settled on her hometown school. "At first I was like, 'No, I've grown up here my whole life, I don't want to be here for the next four years,'" Brush ex- plained. "But I did the college search, I looked other places, and when it came down to it, Michigan was abso- lutely the best place, as far as academ- ics and athletics go, and the balance between the two of them. The sup- port of female athletes, the facilities, the coaches … everything just made sense. "I still stand by it. I truly believe Mich- igan is the best university in the world. To be an athlete here and to be able to study here, it's still a huge honor." Brush has progressively improved and received more playing time throughout her field hockey career. She suffered a bad ankle sprain with multiple torn ligaments early in her junior season in 2018, and used a medical redshirt that year. Her break- out campaign came in 2019, when she started 16 of 20 games and was a major contributor on a defense that posted a 1.06 goals-against average and allowed just 5.2 shots per game. She credits the year off of playing for much of her success, including becom- ing a team captain with a bigger voice. For her leadership and high character, Brush was U-M's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2019. "I feel like I had a lot of time to really focus on being better myself, but then also being a really good teammate," Brush said. "That definitely prepared me to be a leader on and off the field last season, and that was really excit- ing and a dream come true, to get to be out there on the big stage and play- ing for Michigan." A graduate student pursuing a mas- ter's degree in management at the Ross School of Business, Brush finished her undergraduate studies last spring, earning a degree in economics and sustainability. "My bigger career goal in the future is to work in corporate sustainability and to work in a company that is com- bining the business side with the en- vironmental side, creating business practices that support that and be- ing part of that change in our world through a business lens," she said. Those goals, along with wanting to lead a balanced life, are why she is motivated to excel in the classroom. Brush has been named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Collegiate National Academic Team and an Academic All-Big Ten honoree, showing that her strong work ethic and the high importance she places on academics are paying off. With one more season left this up- coming spring, Brush has been able to think about what her experience in Ann Arbor will do for her the rest of her life and professional career. She harkens back to an old Bo Schem- bechler quote to paint the picture of how her time at Michigan has her pre- pared for whatever comes next. "One of the sayings at Michigan is, 'Those who stay will be champions,'" she said. "I think people often think of that as champions on the field — which is so true, because Michigan is really successful and we do that — but I really think it prepares you to be a champion and at the top of your class at whatever you do in your life in general. "If you get to stay for these four years or five years and really just go through all that, learn all the lessons and take it all in, you're going to be a way bet- ter person, a stronger person, a better leader and so well-rounded going into your future. I think that's pretty awe- some." — Clayton Sayfie Brush was a major contributor on a standout defense, starting 16 of 20 games, and also received U-M's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award in 2019. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY Student-Athlete Of The Month Field Hockey Fifth-Year Senior Clare Brush