The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK schedule earlier this summer, with the most noteworthy inclusion being a Nov. 24 matchup against Cornell at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The meeting had long been rumored to be in negotiations, with head coach Red Berenson comment- ing on its potential back in April. Michigan, which has never played a ON THE SCHEDULE • Michigan hockey unveiled its 2012-13 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Sitting Down With Women's Basketball Assistant Coach Chester Nichols ing as the Jayhawks' recruiting coordinator, and a terrific developer of talent. The Wolverine sat down with him for a brief chat about his new job. game at Madison Square Garden, the famed home of the NHL's Rangers (and the current team of U-M alumnus Carl Hagelin, 2008-11), last saw Cornell this past spring, when the Big Red upset the top-seeded Wolverines 3-2 in overtime of the Midwest Regional semifinals, ending Michigan's season. Overall, U-M is 3-3-1 against Cornell, in- cluding 2-2 in the NCAA Tournament. The last time the two teams met in the regular season was Jan. 7, 1997, tying 3-3 in Ann Arbor. The Maize and Blue open the season a week later than what has become custom in recent campaigns, hosting the Roches- ter Institute of Technology (RIT) Oct. 11. The Wolverines last began a new season that late in 2007-08, with an Oct. 12 start date. Michigan will play 11 of its first 17 games by Coach Barnes Arico, what were your initial thoughts about her and the Michigan program? Nichols: "Coach and I go way back, to the time The Wolverine: When you were approached we were both in the Big East. She was at St. John's and I was an assistant at West Virginia, so we had built a friendship. And obviously, I was over- whelmed with the offer to come to Michigan. We're coming off a Sweet 16 at Kansas, but I was truly honored that she reached out to me. The Wolverine: To leave a program like Kansas " for one that is trying to build that kind of success, you had to buy into her program. What stood out? Nichols: "It wasn't a hard sell. I wanted to see sas — to join new Michigan women's basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico in her quest to build the Wolverines into a perennial winner. Nichols has a reputation as an ace recruiter, serv- Chester Nichols decided to leave a solid job at a top-flight program — Kan- Nichols, who left Kansas to come to U-M, has devel- oped a reputation as a great the dynamics at Michigan, the foundation that was already in place and what kind of commitment there was to women's basketball. It was everything and more than what I expected. couple years. With the new facilities, how does Michigan compare to other places you've seen around the country? Nichols: "From top to bottom, Michigan is a total package, from an aca- The Wolverine: There has been a lot invested in the program the last " at home before breaking for the holiday in December. The Maize and Blue will then meet Michigan Tech and the winner/loser of the Western Michigan versus Michigan State semifinal Dec. 27-28 at the Great Lakes Invitational, played outside this year at Comerica Park (home of the Detroit Ti- gers) as part of the NHL's Winter Classic festivities. After opening the second half of the sea- son with three consecutive home games, U-M will play nine of its final 12 away from Yost Ice Arena. nounced its top performers, naming the football team and its boss, Brady Hoke, the top male team and male coach of the year. Rowing was named the top female team with softball's Carol Hutchins taking home the top coaching honor for women. U-M recognized basketball standout Trey Burke and softball pitcher Haylie Wagner as the male and female Freshmen of the Year, while swimming's Connor Jaeger and track and field's Kiley Tobel were awarded Breakthrough Athlete distinction. YEAR'S BEST • Michigan, via MGoBlue.com, an- 14 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2012 demic standpoint, a basketball standpoint and setting up players' lives after basketball. Everything is in place for the student-athlete to be successful, because there is such a commitment to excellence around here. When they talk about leaders and best, they walk the walk as well as talk the talk. The Wolverine: This isn't a program that has had a ton of success in its his- " tory, but how exciting is it to see the momentum building? Nichols: "It's always exciting. Every year is different, and it's going to be a to use that at Michigan, and how important is recruiting to what you want to accomplish here? Nichols: "That's the lifeline of what we do. It's the groundwork of the The Wolverine: You have a reputation as a great recruiter. How do you plan " program. It will be a collective effort of all the coaches, and we have a great staff, very talented from a creativity and recruiting standpoint. A place like Michigan, once we get them to campus, they will see for themselves. You can't make a place like Michigan; you let it make you. with the team gone? Are you excited about what's on the roster? Nichols: "Without a doubt. The core group that is coming back is great. The Wolverine: In your couple weeks on campus, how have the meetings " When you have veterans like that, it really helps, especially in transition. They've all been through the fire, and they know what to expect. It excites you, because there is a mission, and their vision is clear: they want to win a Big Ten championship before they leave. It's our job to do everything we can to put them in a position to make that happen. " — Andy Reid challenge, but the previous staff laid a great foundation. They have set the bar. The kids have been to the [NCAA] Tournament. They're familiar with that, and now our goal is to come in and play for Big Ten championships and, at some point down the road, play for a national championship. recruiter. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS