The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/201975
Strength Up The Middle Michigan's Centermen May Be Young, But They Possess The Talent To Make A Name For Themselves S By Michael Spath ophomore Andrew Copp was born three months after Brendan Morrison completed his freshman season at Michigan in 1994, but once he became old enough to skate Copp began attending U-M games, and the first name of lore he learned about was Morrison's. Sixteen years after Morrison left Michigan as a Hobey Baker Award winner (1997), a three-time firstteam All-American (1995-97) and a national champion (1996), Copp donned the winged helmet; and though the two have very different styles of play, they share a common thread — Morrison was and Copp is a centerman. "I've always known there is a huge tradition of guys that have played center here, have had great college careers at Michigan and then went on to be successful in the NHL," said Copp, who is U-M's first-line center this season. "I know there have been a lot of great forwards that played wing, but some of the names I know, like Morrison, Mike Cammalleri, Andrew Ebbett, T.J. Hensick and one of our coaches, Brian Wiseman, were all centers during their time at Michigan." In head coach Red Berenson's 29 seasons prior, no position has been more recognized than center, with 14 first- or second-team All-American campaigns, including 11 first-team laurels. U-M's wingers during that span have garnered 12 All-America honors, while defensemen have tallied seven and goalies have brought in four. This season, the Maize and Blue feature a pair of centers — sophomore Boo Nieves and freshman J.T. Compher — that were second-round draft picks, a rugged budding twoway standout in Copp, and a gritty