The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/614487
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Student Athlete Of The Month Volleyball Junior Middle Blocker Abby Cole Growing up on the western side of Michigan, Abby Cole quickly became a domi- nant athlete, not only in volleyball but also in basketball. With a busy schedule of tournaments, practices and games, Cole still managed to become an exemplary student. She was a member of the honor roll and also the National Honor Society in high school. That, along with her ath- letic talent, eventually earned her a scholarship to the University of Michi- gan. "I grew up in Grand Haven right on the lake," said Cole, a junior middle blocker. "I went to Grand Haven High School and I feel very blessed to grow up how I did. I have a great family. I have great parents, they are my role models and they are really supportive." That support system allowed the 6-5 Cole to chase her dream as a volleyball player and become a student-athlete at Michigan. She's entering veteran status now, but admits that balancing the demands of school and sports was tough at times. "College is very different from high school," she said with a humble laugh. "In high school, it was a lot easier to manage everything as far as time goes. Once I got to college, everything was much more demanding. "Freshman year was a 'learning the ropes' kind of year for me. It was a tough year for me academically with volleyball. I came back stronger my sophomore year and understood how to manage my time; I knew my way around and it was just a bet- ter year. I learned to be really productive with my off time and that really helped." Off time isn't something that college athletes get a lot of, but Cole has learned to maximize hers. If she's not in the gym or in the classroom, she loves to devote her time in ways that are more rewarding than anything else she's done at U-M. "One of the coolest things that Michigan offers us, being student-athletes, is the opportunity to visit with patients at Mott Children's Hospital," Cole said. "During the offseason I like to go up there every Thursday. It really puts things in perspective for Cole was named All-Big Ten for the second consecutive campaign in 2015. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS