The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 13 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Samantha Saenz has been with Michigan track and cross country since 2018, excelling as a distance runner. In cross country, she finished 17th at the 2023 NCAA Great Lakes Regional, clocking a time of 20:53.1. She also earned U.S. Track and Field Cross Country Coaches Association All-Academic Athlete honors in Feb- ruary 2024. Here are some things about Saenz that you may not have known: Best Aspect Of Being From Con- cord, Mich.: "The small town. That really propelled my competitiveness. I wanted to stand out; I wanted to be the best. Doing that in a small town can be hard because of the lack of resources, but that fueled my competitive side." Favorite Restaurant In Ann Ar- bor: "I go to Stray Hen a lot for brunch, but Biercamp has the best food." Best Meal She Can Cook By Her- self: "I need to get into cooking more, but I love making stir fry." Favorite Professional Athlete: "A runner named Emma Coburn; she graduated from Colorado. She's been to the Olympics for the steeplechase. I just love her energy and how nice she seems." Sport She Enjoys Besides Run- ning: "My family is a big volleyball family. I grew up playing volleyball — I absolutely love it. It's something I think I'll do in the future for fun." Favorite Television Show: "'The Vampire Diaries.' I watch it pretty reg- ularly, even though I've seen it like a million times." Favorite Movie: "'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' But the most recent one that just came out is 'Wonka.' I'm a sucker for musicals." Why She Chose Michigan: "When I was being recruited, my coach, Mike McGuire, stood out to me the most be- cause he's super good at recruiting, he reaches out personally, and he's just a great coach. He's known for having successful distance programs, so that was such an awesome aspect. I enjoyed my other visits, but it always came back to Michigan. I also don't know if I could've left the state of Michigan, just being close to family." What She Hopes To Do After Running: "I have a very exciting year. I'm getting married in August, so that's my biggest priority after run- ning. Career-wise, when I got into the sports management program, I was pretty hesitant, but when I realized the resources and all that came with the program, I was really excited, because I've always been a hockey fan. We've gotten a lot of connections with the Detroit Red Wings. … I definitely want to work in the sporting world, either professional or amateur." Favorite Memory At Michigan: "Just making those friendships and liv- ing with my best friends, the day-to- day, has been something that I'll take with me forever. One specific memory was last year, winning the Outdoor Track and Field Big Ten Champion- ships. That was so much fun." Overall Experience At Michigan: "In one word: growth. There have been ups and downs, there have been some really hard times, but then also some really, really good times. I wouldn't have wanted to do it anywhere else. This is a great university, and it has been so much fun figuring out who I am, who I'm not." — Clayton Sayfie Saenz said she "owed it" to head coach Mike McGuire and the Michigan program to return for a sixth season in Ann Arbor rather than spend it elsewhere. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY ❱ Getting To Know Women's Track And Cross Country Graduate Samantha Saenz