The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 27 2023-24 YEAR IN REVIEW Ann Arbor, but the Wolverines had al- ready volleyed their way past the Buck- eyes (4-1) in Columbus, earlier in the sea- son. Miller assured that Michigan-Ohio State in tennis carries many of the same competitive characteristics of the show- down in another sporting venue. "In my years at Michigan, it's always been between us and them for the Big Ten Tournament title, every single year, and for the regular-season title," she said. "That makes it super intense. The tournament-clinching victory over the Buckeyes makes Miller's top three team matches of the year, but she cited a couple of other breakthroughs as well. "When we beat NC State at national indoors was huge, and beating Pep- p e rd i n e a t h o m e was big for me," M i l l e r a s s e s s e d . "Those three are the most satisfying of the year." I n d i v i d u a l l y , things were much the same. Miller treated herself to a birth- day present — a straight-sets victory over No. 12 Irina Cantos Siemers in Columbus. But she won't overlook her 6-3, 7-5 vic- tory over No. 13 Lisa Zaar of Pepperdine in Michigan's March 10 breakthrough. "As a team we'd lost to them, and I'd lost also on numerous occasions in the past," Miller recalled. "Winning against them in that match was pretty satisfying. "Ohio State, it was my birthday. I won my doubles and my singles match. That was nice to go play there and win. Those two were very satisfying." So was her overall Michigan experience, Miller stressed. As she successfully navi- gated both the academic and athletic are- nas, she drew both immediate and long- lasting rewards. "It's the balance I had between athlet- ics and academics," Miller said. "It's the best of both worlds. The team camarade- rie, and the privilege of being on a team for four years. Obviously, even in Ross, you do a lot of team projects. But that's not the same as being on a super-com- mitted athletic team, where you see each other every day, travel together, cheer for each other. That and just the Michigan experience and the school spirit were the best parts of it." When it ended, the conclusion wasn't easy, Miller acknowledged. Yet there are aspects that make it easier for now. "It is bittersweet, for sure," she said. "It was definitely really hard, the day our season ended. But after a couple of days, it was just time to move on with life. I think about my time at Michigan all the time. I have the benefit of still being in Ann Ar- bor, still being able to see my teammates fairly often. That means it hasn't hit me as hard as it might in the future, when I eventually move away. I'm just happy about all of it right now, and excited for what I have next." "For Kari to be recognized as the best female, I'm super proud of her," Bernstein added. "It just shows what she has meant to us. It's just an in- credible honor." She'll be on the move over the next 12 months, given her tennis accom- plishments. They've earned her a chance at the next level. "This year, I'm going to try to play on the pro tour," Miller said. "I have my first tournament in mid-July. Because of my season, I got the opportunity to play some of these lower-level pro tournaments, where I get wild cards, which is kind of a free pass into the tournament, because I haven't played any professional tourna- ments. That's my plan for this year. "I'm hoping to get to travel a little bit outside of the U.S. to play some tourna- ments, see if I enjoy it, and see if it's some- thing I'd want to do for the long term, although as of right now I'm planning on just doing it for a year, and then moving to New York next summer to work." The latter alludes to the other side of the athletics/academics divide, which could serve her well sooner, rather than later. The opportunity with a New York investment bank is there waiting, should she decide to pursue it. "It's definitely possible," she noted. "It may be a tough decision at the end of this year, what I want to do. Part of the hard thing is, I did this internship last sum- mer. They gave me a return offer, and I'm supposed to come back. Obviously I can't push this job off forever. I'll just have to decide whether I'm ready to move on with my life and work in New York, or whether I want to pursue tennis." Either way, she'll be tapping into les- sons well learned in Ann Arbor. She pressed her advantage to the fullest, and stands ready to ace the next step. ❏ Runners-Up Here are the best of the rest for Michigan's Female Athlete of the Year, as voted on by the staff of The Wolverine. 2. Sierra Brooks, gymnastics — This former Michigan Female Athlete of the Year and team captain finished out her brilliant career with a strong season as a graduate student. She earned Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association All- America status for floor exercise in her final sea- son. The WCGA Northeast Regional Gymnast of the Year also earned Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, with three individual Big Ten titles (vault, uneven bars, floor). Brooks placed second in the floor exercise at the NCAA Championships and broke the Michigan all-around record with a 39.850 per- formance against Stanford. The latter effort in- cluded a perfect 10.0 score on floor exercise. She leaves Michigan as an eight-time WCGA All-American and member of the 2021 national championship squad. 3. Monet Chun, golf — The Big Ten Golfer of the Year earned the Mary Fossum Award for posting the league's lowest scoring average (71.97). She finished as tri-medalist in the Big Ten Championships, finishing 7 under par. Chun tied for 30th in the NCAA Champion- ships, posting rounds of 79-74-76. In addition to the senior's medalist status in the Big Ten Championships, she also finished first at the Chattanooga Classic. 4. Erin O'Grady, lacrosse — This Michigan ju- nior became the school's first ever IWLCA Na- tional Goalie of the Year, as well as an IWLCA first-team All-American. She earned a host of other All-America citations and added Big Ten Goalie of the Year to her pile of plaudits. She led the nation in goals-against average (7.34). O'Grady recorded 150 saves on the season, becoming only the fifth Michigan goalie to top 100 in a year. 5. Savannah Sutherland, track — The junior placed second at the NCAA Outdoor Champion- ships in the 400-meter hurdles, running a career- best 53.26. She had previously run a career-best 54.04 in the event preliminaries. She earned All-America honors during both the outdoor and indoor seasons, in the 400-meter hurdles outdoors and the 400-meter dash indoors. She will compete in the Paris Olympics this summer for Canada in the 400-meter hurdles and 4x400 relay. — John Borton ❱ U-M women's tennis coach Ronni Bernstein "For Kari to be recognized as the best female [athlete at Michigan], I'm super proud of her. It just shows what she has meant to us."