The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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14 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2022 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Dani Wolfe is excited for her opportu- nity to go out on a high note. Wolfe grew up down the road from U-M in West Bloomfield, Mich., and attended Walled Lake Northern High School. Heading into her senior season in Ann Arbor, the forward reflects on the road that led her to the women's soccer program. "Neither of my parents went to Michi- gan or Michigan State, so there was re- ally no rivalry in my recruitment," Wolfe said. "Wherever I felt at home, wherever I wanted to go, they were super sup- portive. It just led me to feel so comfort- able. I grew up going to these games and I always dreamed about playing at Michigan. In the back of my head, that was always there. I knew that Michigan was the place." Wolfe has had plenty of success, both on the field and in the classroom at Michigan. She was a Big Ten Distin- guished Scholar in 2022 and made Aca- demic All-Big Ten in consecutive years from 2020-21. Last season, she played in all 25 matches with 17 starts at center forward and tied for second on the team in goals (5), was third in assists (4) and tallied 14 total points. Balancing soccer and academics is a challenge, but one Wolfe has embraced. She also knows that she never has to go it alone. "The biggest lesson that I've learned is that it's OK to ask for help, that life is hard and school is hard," she said. "Balancing life is just crazy. Asking for help doesn't mean that you're weak, and it doesn't mean that you're less of a person. So, it's OK, and people want to help and that they lean on other people." Wolfe is able to stay focused on ac- ademics, especially since her major is elementary education. Soccer comes to a close eventually, and that mindset helps her take care of business in the classroom. "Academics are a big part of my life," Wolfe said. "Putting a big value on aca- demics is huge, because at the end of the day, I love soccer, but it's going to stop at some point. I am proud that I did do that. And getting all those accom- plishments while playing a sport means a lot to me." Winning at the highest possible level is a goal for her senior season, but en- joying the ride is also of importance. She hopes the pressure subsides and the team can maximize the upcoming campaign. "I would love to win the Big Ten and go far in the [NCAA] Tournament," Wolfe said. "But I just want to enjoy my senior year with my best friends that I've made. And I want to be part of a program that is as amazing as this. That's one of my main goals, because sometimes it gets so serious and you get so caught up in the moment that you forget that you're there because you love the sport, the team and the people. "Academically, I want to maintain what I have right now. I'm cruising on a good GPA. I'm loving the education major. To keep what I have going and to continue to grow and eventually be a teacher that gets to serve others and help kids out in the classroom." Wolfe was drawn to her major by her mother and grandmother who were both elementary school teachers. She is interested in pursuing a master's degree in administration to become a vice prin- cipal and athletics director. However, her initial focus is on giving back to the younger generation. "I love little kids and I think that they have so much to offer this world, but they just have to be shown the right way to do it," Wolfe said. "I just want to give them the biggest opportunity that they can to have a successful life and be what their version of successful is. We miss that sometimes with kids. That is something I'm looking forward to, and I am hoping to be an elementary school teacher." — Anthony Broome Wolfe, a senior forward, played in all 25 matches last season and tied for second on the team with 5 goals. She is majoring in elementary education at U-M. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY Student-Athlete Of The Month Women's Soccer Senior Forward Dani Wolfe