The Wolverine

August 2012

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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With A Second Male Athlete Of The Year Title, Wrestler Kellen Russell Ranks BY HIMSELF IN A CLASS Among The Best At U-M In 30 Years K BY MICHAEL SPATH ellen Russell is used to accomplishing feats few else have achieved. He is one of only six wres- tlers in program history, dating back to 1928, to win multiple national titles. He is also the only Wolverine ever, and the 11th wrestler in Big Ten history, to win four Big Ten championships during a career. He accumulated a 71-1 record over his final two seasons, ranks eighth all time at U-M with 134 wins (134-12), and stands second with a .918 winning percentage. Thus, Russell was unfazed when he was announced as the 2012 Michigan Male Athlete of the Year, becoming only the second U-M student-athlete to be recognized twice in the 31 years that the university has awarded the honor; Russell was also selected in 2011. Football great Charles Woodson couldn't match Rus- sell, nor could basketball star Glen Rice, ice hockey's first Hobey Baker Award recipient, Brendan Morrison, or baseball pitcher Jim Abbott. Russell, instead, joins swim- mer Tom Dolan (1995-96) in exclusivity. of someone like Charles Woodson, but I would put him on that same level of "Maybe he didn't get the notoriety YEAR IN REVIEW Male Athlete Of The Year athlete mentally and physically," said wrestling coach Joe McFarland, who has been with the program since 1992 and the head coach since 1999. "I've 22 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2012 seen him do things, outside of wres- tling, that are absolutely incredible. "He's just a great athlete, and he's very competitive, and he's so well- mannered. He's a great ambassador for Michigan athletes. He's the kind of kid you want every student-athlete to be like. "I've never heard the kid ever brag about himself. I've never seen him use an excuse. He wants to win in the worst way, trains to be the best, and holds himself accountable for all of his actions, and that's in the classroom too — his teachers rave about him. "He possesses a lot of old-school qualities when it comes to respect for himself, for his peers, his coaches, his sport, and everyone he meets, and that goes back to the way his parents raised him. He's the kind of kid you want to recruit and coach the rest of your career." A graduate of the prestigious Blair Academy — one of the premier high school wrestling programs in the country — Russell was always slated to be a difference maker at Michigan, but the Maize and Blue have long re- cruited top-tier talent and not every- one reaches the pinnacle of the sport. During McFarland's 14 campaigns, U-M has produced 45 All-Americans, but only three national champions (who have combined for five NCAA titles). From the moment he first stepped foot on the Ann Arbor campus, how- ever, Russell was different, exuding the qualities that led Ryan Bertin to victories in 2003 and 2005 (both at 157 pounds) and Steve Luke to his win at nationals in 2009 (174-pound weight class). "That first day he walked in to our wrestling room, he didn't take a backseat to anybody," McFarland said. "Whereas you see a lot of young kids come in a little intimidated or trying to find their place, and they go through growing pains associated with being a freshman, but he didn't expect that. He wanted to compete right away, and he really has that Russell ranks eighth all time at U-M with 134 wins and second with a .918 winning percentage (134-12). PHOTO COURTESY U-M MEDIA RELATIONS

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