The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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OLYMPIC SPORTS PROFILE of Wolverine sluggers was not always in the plans for Will Drake. Raised on a childhood permeated with Scarlet and Gray, the freshaman standout once considered the thought of wearing the block M an un- pardonable offense. "Ironically enough, I did grow up a Buckeye; I was born into it, are growing up an Ohio State fan, especially in Ohio, you are taught that everything in Michigan is bad, but when I finally got up here it was the exact opposite. " Drake said. "When you ines and head coach Rich Ma- loney, perception is subject to change as one matures, as are childhood allegiances. All it took was an unofficial Fortunately for the Wolver- " Ohio Native Will Drake Is A Welcome Addition To The U-M Family Leading the next generation with a .383 batting average, including a 6 for 6 exhibition earlier in the year, and he was tied for third with 12 RBI. "It was one of those days about his rare six-hit perfor- mance in a 17-8 thrashing of Chicago State March 3. "It gave me a lot of confidence in what I was doing moving forward. "The biggest thing for me " said Drake opening up the season was that nervous aspect and get- ting those pregame jitters out of the way, and focus on what I needed to do. trek to 'That School Up North' to shatter any preconceived notions that would prevent Michigan from being the team to snag the Fairfield, Ohio, native's services. "Truth of the matter is, it was one of the easiest signings we've ever had, "We decided one day that we really needed to add a guy with speed that understands what it takes to get on base, and thank God we looked at Will. "After he visited the school " Maloney said. But Drake's rookie success doesn't begin and end in the batter's box. He causes as much damage with his legs as he does with the bat in his hand. "I love creating havoc on " the base paths; there is noth- ing better," Drake said. "If I can make the pitcher worry about me and throw guys like [sophomore] Michael O'Neill fastballs, I can just run for days. on an unofficial visit, I made a phone call, made him an offer, and he immediately accepted." Drake's addition to the program Through March 13, Drake was tied for the team lead in runs scored (17), and he stood second in hitting (.383 average), third in stolen bases (six) and tied for third in RBI (12). proved to be largely uncomplicated for both parties. "The more I thought about it, the easier it became," Drake said. "When I finally took my visit up there and saw everything that was offered, it was a no-brainer for me. "I felt like I was at home, it all made sense. It's kind of ironic how your opin- ion of a place can change so quickly. The 6-1, 165-pound speedster has made an instant impact for the Wolver- ines from his two-spot in the batting order, largely predicated on his athleti- cism and understanding of the game's fundamentals. " 98 THE WOLVERINE APRIL 2012 "He has an above-average feel for the game that a lot of kids don't have at his age — it's impressive," Maloney said. "He understands his role, and that is what we recruited him for, but he has really surprised up to this point with his ability to hit the gaps. "His bat stays in the zone for such a long time, which you don't see a lot in this day and age. He has a unique swing and he has a definite shot at the next level — there is no question about it. Drake has provided a valuable spark " for a U-M offense that had only one .300 hitter in 2011. One of only five Wolver- ines to start all 16 games this season through March 13, the former Buckeye State native was second on the team PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS Maloney said. "Will has good busy and a huge weapon for the Wolverines; he is tied for the team lead with 17 runs scored and trails only speedsters Patrick Biondi and O'Neill with six stolen bases. "It's been fun to watch," Drake's legs have both been " speed, he understands his role and that's what we recruited him for. "He has really played well and has been very consistent, which you don't see very often in freshman players. No matter what Drake accomplishes " between the foul poles the next few seasons, he made a decision to spend his collegiate career in Ann Arbor and is fully embracing what it means to be a Wolverine. "I always get jokes about coming to Michigan, but everyone has been real supportive, at least the people I am close to, have been there for me and are cheer- ing for me. — Kevin Minor " he said. "My friends and family " where your swing just feels on, and the baseball feels as big as a beach ball,