The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK SUSALLA A SENIOR CLASS AWARD FINALIST Michigan softball senior right fielder Kelsey Susalla garnered a major dis- tinction March 29, becoming one of 10 finalists for the sport's 2015-16 Senior CLASS Award. The award focuses on four essentials among seniors nationally: classroom, character, community and competition. Susalla excels in all. She hit above .300 throughout Michigan's non-conference season, and has remained among the Wolverines' leaders in home runs (eight, tied for second) and RBI (37, third) through April 10. She made the 2015 NFCA Great Lakes All-Region first team and the NCAA's All-Tournament team in Michi- gan's run to the national championship contest, batting .380 with 14 home runs and 61 RBI. On the community front, she's been active in local organizations such as Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. She also worked with the ChadTough Foundation, raising awareness about pediatric brain tumors, and she's a regular at Mott Children's Hospital, visiting sick children via the "Michigan From The Heart" program. Susalla earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2015 and has twice garnered the University of Michigan Athletic Academic Achievement Award. CLASS, in this case, stands for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School. Nationwide voting for the award is ongoing, and fans can get involved through the Senior CLASS Award website through May 9. The award recipient will be announced dur- ing this year's Women's College World Series June 2-8 in Oklahoma City. CHRIS O'NEILL A FINALIST FOR BYRON NELSON AWARD Michigan senior golfer Chris O'Neill became one of five national finalists for the 2016 Byron Nelson Award, pre- sented by Cleveland Golf/Srixon, on March 23. The Golf Coaches Association of America made the announcement. O'Neill finds himself among a quintet including Clemson's Stephen Behr Jr., Illinois' Alex Burge and Charlie Dan- ielson, and Oklahoma State's Jordan Niebrugge. Senior golfer Chris O'Neill has notched five top-10 finishes so far this year, including a season-best tie for sixth at the Inverness Intercollegiate in September. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS