The Wolverine

  OLYMPIC SPORTS "All the pieces are there, and now we just have to work to make sure we get to where we want to be." Top Player: Michigan's tallest player, standing 6‑5, junior middle blocker Abby Cole was an All‑Big Ten unani‑ mous selection a season ago after leading Michigan with 415 kills and 103 team blocks. She also set a U‑M single‑season record with a .359 hitting percentage and had 23 double‑digit kill nights. "I think she took a big step last year in becoming one of the most dominant players in the conference offensively," Rosen said. "She put up very consistent numbers night in and night out. Teams really had to focus on her, and even when they focused on her, she still had great offensive production. "Her challenge now is to step up her defensive side. She has the physical stature to be a great blocker, but her experience was very limited. That part of the game takes the longest to catch up. She is up for that challenge." Athletes To Watch: Michigan grad‑ uated four‑year starting setter Lexi Dannemiller and seeks to replace her with two athletes — senior Carly War‑ ner and freshman Maddy Abbott. "We'll likely run a two‑setter system," Rosen said. "That system allows us to take the focus away from the setter, and takes the pressure off them to run the entire offense. It puts the pressure and expectation on the ball‑control players, and I like that because that's where our experience is." Don't Miss: Michigan versus Pitts‑ burgh Sept. 12. MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY First Event: Sept. 5, at EMU Open. Big Ten Predicted Finish: Top two. NCAA Best-Case Scenario: Top 10. Coach's Expectations: "We want to be a team that challenges at the top of the Big Ten, and we want to be a pro‑ gram that consistently challenges at the top of the Big Ten," second‑year coach Kevin Sullivan said. "I don't know if it's realistic to say we're going to win the Big Ten every year, but we want to get our program to a point where we are in the conversation. "And going into nationals, certainly coming off the 11th‑place finish last year, I would like to see us take a step back into the top 10." Top Runner: The first Wolverine to garner back‑to‑back All‑America hon‑ ors (2013‑14) since Nate Brannen in 2002‑03, fifth‑year senior Mason Ferlic led U‑M across the finish line in all six events during the 2014 campaign. He finished fourth at the Big Ten Cham‑ pionships, seventh at the NCAA Great Lakes Regional and 13th at the NCAA Championships, recording career bests at the conference and national meet. "Not only is he probably our top ath‑ Hear a fall preview on the men's cross country team with coach Kevin Sullivan. CLICK THE ICON TO PLAY OR STOP THE PODCAST

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