The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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inside michigan athletics match. You have to put it all on the line. But that's why Big Ten wrestlers do the best at the NCAA Tournament. "We're used to doing it all year long. It's a curse, but it's also a blessing. You have that competition beforehand, but it's rigorous to get through it." The Wolverine: To get to where you want to be as a team at the end of the year, what areas do you want to see improvement? Huntley: "As a team, I think we're doing a great job right now. I'd like to see everyone really start believing in our training. We have worked really hard. If we can get Huntley, who competes in the 184-pound everyone believing, it's going to translate weight class, finished in sixth place at over. It's not a material thing, but you can the 2013 Big Ten Championships. feel it build over the course of a season. photo courtesy michigan athletic media relations You're wrestling better and better over time. It's a slow process, but at the end of the year, everyone should be believing in themselves, because we're working really hard." The Wolverine: The last couple years, you've seen new facilities built, assistant coaches Sean Bormet and Donny Pritzlaff come in, and recruiting classes have been outstanding. How have you seen this program grow? Huntley: "It was a lot different. I didn't get recruited by these coaches. I'm one of the last classes that were before them. We're getting back to where we were. There was a drop for a few years, where I think the culture of the team deteriorated a little bit. We're getting back to people being really focused on wrestling and what they want to do, instead of just having fun and having a college experience. The coaches remind us every day that it is fun when you win. "Everybody can come have a college experience, but you have to put that aside for a little bit and focus on wrestling. You can still have fun, but put it aside for a couple months, and it's so much more rewarding at the end of the season when you're where you want to be." The Wolverine: What do you want to accomplish individually this year? Huntley: "I want to be NCAA All-American. That's my goal. Mainly, I want to do as good as I can. I want to go out there and just compete and, at the end of it, even if I don't place, say: 'I did everything I could. I put it all out there.' "If I can get that done, I'll be happy. Things don't always work out the way you want them to, and I'm starting to realize that. If I can just work as hard as I can and be proud of the work I put in, that's really my goal." — Andy Reid