The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1361683
12 THE WOLVERINE MAY 2021 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Caleb Houstan Will Be An Integral Part Of U-M's Offense In 2021-22 By Chris Balas Michigan head coach Juwan Howard will have plenty of options next year offensively, especially if seniors guard Eli Brooks comes back (a real possibility). But with sophomore Franz Wagner (likely) and senior Isa- iah Livers headed to the NBA, the Wolverines are going to need scorers — more specifically, a shooter who can create room for the guards to move and to prevent defenses from collapsing on freshman big man Hunter Dickinson. Enter Houstan, the 6-8, 200-pounder out of Mont- verde (Fla.) Academy via Canada who might be the best shooter in his class. He's got the ability to shoot over people with his length and range from anywhere on the floor. He could have Nik Stauskas-type impact his first year — find a spot and let others create, making the most of his opportunities as a spot-up shooter before really expanding his game in year two. Point guard Frankie Collins and shooting guard Kobe Bufkin will get their minutes, and forward Moussa Dia- bate's athleticism will allow him to also see the floor. Houstan, though, should be an offensive weapon for U-M from the get-go. Moussa Diabate Will Be A Crucial Part Of U-M's Frontcourt By Austin Fox Yes, freshman Hunter Dickinson will likely serve as Michigan's starting center once again in 2021-22, but incoming 6-9 power forward Moussa Diabate will be a vital part of U-M's frontcourt as well. Assuming fifth-year senior big man Austin Davis moves on (he is ex- pected to), head coach Juwan How- ard will have a bit of a void to fill at the backup center spot. Junior forward Brandon Johns is ca- pable of playing the position as well, but Diabate is much more of a natural fit thanks to his defensive presence. Rivals.com has him rated as the No. 26 overall player nationally and the best four-star in the country, thanks in large part to his shot-blocking abilities and defensive prowess as a whole. He also played his high school ball at powerhouse IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., meaning he has gone up against some of the nation's best prep competition and will be battle tested by the time he gets to Michigan. Diabate isn't the top-rated freshman Howard is bring- ing in (Houstan gets that nod), but he'll nevertheless make the biggest impact next season due to the open minutes U-M will have in its frontcourt. POINT ❙ COUNTERPOINT WHICH INCOMING FRESHMAN WILL MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON NEXT YEAR'S BASKETBALL TEAM? HOUSTAN DIABATE Getting To Know Women's Golf Senior Ashley Kim Women's golf senior Ashley Kim has had quite the career at Michigan ever since she arrived prior to the 2017-18 campaign. Kim started all nine of the team's events as a freshman and then all 11 regular-season tournaments the following year, one of just two Wolverine golfers to do so in 2018-19 (alongside Ash- ley Lau). The Redondo Beach, Calif., native has earned Co-Big Ten Golfer of the Week hon- ors three times in her career (once in 2019 and twice in 2020), and was pegged as an All-Big Ten first-team mem- ber in 2020. She became just the 10th Wolverine female golfer to earn first-team all- conference recognition. Here are a few other interesting facts you may not have known about her: Nickname: "Sid. My coaches thought I walked super slow on the golf course during my freshman year, and my sister started calling me Sid The Sloth because of it. Everyone started calling me it after that." Favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor: "Mani Osteria." Best meal she can cook by herself: "I love making tacos." Hobbies: "I like to go hiking and on walks. I also work out quite a bit. I wouldn't say I'm a good singer, but I love to sing whenever I'm in the van." Favorite TV show: "'How To Get Away With Murder' is one of my favorites." Favorite movie: "'Remember The Titans.'" Dream vacation: "I would love to go to Santorini in Greece." Favorite place she's been to: "Mexico. My family goes there a lot in the winter time for vacation. I've also played in golf tournaments down there and they were a lot of fun." Favorite professional athlete: "[Former NBA guard] Kobe [Bry- ant]." Role model: "My siblings. I looked up to them while I was grow- ing up because they had a great balance of working hard and be- ing good at golf, while also doing well in school. They're thriving right now in life." Why she chose Michigan: "I wanted to get out of California and go to a big college. My sister went to Michigan and my brother went to Illinois, so I was looking for a Big Ten school. I loved Michi- gan's balance between athletics and academics." What she hopes to do after golf: "I'd love to work with an NBA team and help grow the game. I want to make people more aware of women in sports, whether it be in golf or in basketball." Her overall experience at Michigan: "I love it here. I wouldn't change it for the world, and it has been some of the best years of my life. I'm grateful to take an extra year, get my Master's and play another year of golf." — Austin Fox Kim was the 10th female in U-M golf history to earn first-team All- Big Ten honors. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY.