The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/641955
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS said. "I was looking into pursuing a PhD off the bat, but I decided to wait on that for now. "With environmental consulting or academia, they have departments and jobs in my field all over the country so I could really go anywhere with it. I love living in Michigan and I'm a Michigander at heart. Everywhere I go I don't think it's as good as Michigan, so I may stay right here." — Brandon Brown Getting To Know Water Polo Senior Ali Thomason Senior attacker Ali Thomason is the epitome of student‑athlete at Michigan. She has been the best and most athletic player on her team and is a two‑year captain. She tallied 40 goals in the first 13 games this season and is one of the fastest swimmers in all of collegiate water polo. Head coach Dr. Marcelo Leon‑ ardi calls her the most athletic water polo player he has seen. Nickname: "I guess it's Ali, which is short for Alexandra. Some people call me 'AT.' Kelly Martin calls me 'Ali Baba' and that's starting to catch on a little bit." Favorite restaurant in Ann Arbor: "Definitely Jolly Pumpkin." Best meal she can cook by herself: "I love to cook. My go‑to dessert is just chocolate chip cookies. When I'm at home I love cooking flan with my dad. If we're talking dinner, I love barbecuing flank steak and grilled vegetables." Sports she played besides water polo: "I did gymnastics, tennis, I skied, ran cross country and track, I swam and played softball." Hobbies: "If listening to music counts, I love doing that. I finally got back into reading a little bit so I've been doing that more, too." Favorite TV show: "Definitely NCIS." Favorite movie: "I really like Disney movies. I don't know if I can pick just one, but 'Mulan' is probably one of my favorites. Recently for my Children's Disney class I watched 'Cinderella.'" Dream vacation: "I would say anywhere warm, like the Bahamas or Hawaii. After that I'd like to backpack for like a week in the mountains or something." Favorite sports venue she's been to: "I really love The Big House, honestly. When I was a kid I always went to [San Jose] Sharks hockey games at the SAP Center, too. I always knew it as 'The Tank,' which was cool." Favorite professional athlete: "Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov. That's like a childhood favorite person right there." Role model: "There are lots of different people for different things. I guess I always look to my grandparents, though. Ron Brady and Mary Alice on my