The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/813087
MAY 2017 THE WOLVERINE 15 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MICHIGAN'S TOP PERFORMERS Softball senior Megan Betsa: The Mc- D o n o u g h , G a . , n at i ve wa s named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Week March 20, March 27 and April 3. She tossed seven shut- outs and racked up 87 strikeouts in seven starts over that period of time. Through April 17, Betsa boasted a 17-6 record and 1.39 ERA. Baseball junior Drew Lugbauer: The Pleas- ant Valley, N.Y., product was named the Big Ten Player of the Week and the Perfect Game/ Rawlings National Player of the Week April 3-4 after a seven-day stretch in which he helped Mich- igan post five wins. Lugbauer hit three home runs and three doubles for a slug- ging percentage of 1.263 on his way to his first career weekly honors. Swimming and Diving freshman Felix Auböck: The native of Vienna, Austria, was tabbed as the Big Ten Swimmer of the Year March 28 by the conference's head coaches. Auböck became the 15th Michigan swimmer to win the award and the first since 2015. He finished as the runner up in the 1,650- yard freestyle race at the NCAA Champion- ships, one of three top-10 individual finishes for him. Water Polo freshman Heidi Ritner: The standout from Newport Beach, Calif., broke Michigan's freshman wins record by a goalkeeper with 24 at the end of the regu- lar season. Ritner earned CWPA Defensive Player and Rookie of the Week honors April 12 after recording 29 saves in wins over Brown, Hart- wick and Harvard. She has won the defensive honor three times with four rookie laurels; she was also named the U-M athletic department's Rookie of the Year for success academically and athletically in mid-April. Lacrosse sophomore Mira Shane: The goalie from Princeton, N.J., earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors March 21 fol- lowing her first two wins of the season. She helped the Wolver- ines to victories over Detroit and Ohio State, with the one over the Buckeyes marking the first conference win in program history. Against the Buckeyes, Shane made seven saves and corralled three ground balls. — Leland Mitchinson Sitting Down With Fifth-Year Senior Offensive Lineman Pat Kugler Fifth-year senior offensive line- man Pat Kugler was one of the nation's top prep centers when he arrived at Michigan, but he has yet to live up to his lofty, four-star ranking. He's out to change that this spring, and he's off to a good start. Kugler talks about his progress and more in this recent Q&A: The Wolverine: Last year you had a chance to win the center job, but Mason Cole got it. What makes you better prepared this season? Pat Kugler: "It's my last oppor- tunity; my last go around. We battled it out last year and I didn't end up getting the starting job last year … that happens. I'm try- ing to make the most of this op- portunity, just seizing every op- portunity I get. "I've got to outwork everybody. There were times I'd probably get outworked, wouldn't do the extra work the past couple years. It's just about trying to get in there and trying to get all the extra work I possibly can." The Wolverine: How do you feel you played through the first several spring practices? Kugler: "Good. I think I'm one of the top five [linemen] … but everyone thinks they're one of the top five. "If I'm not starting during spring ball, I'll earn that during camp. If I don't, I'll try to be the best senior leader I can regardless of my role on the team." The Wolverine: How different is the offense with the shifting around of coaches and the new hires? Kugler: "This is not a new system, but there's new terminology with [new passing game coordinator] Pep Hamilton in there. It's just about getting the calls down. They put a lot more emphasis on making calls on the center. That's been the key for me, trying to get everything down. "It's been going really well so far. I'd say most, 95 percent, of the plays are the same; it's just new terminology, knowing every time what you've got to do." The Wolverine: How tough is it going against this defensive line every practice? Kugler: "[Redshirt junior] Bryan Mone and [fifth-year senior] Mo Hurst, you have a block on them and it's, 'Aah.' It happens [that you get beat]. You've got to do what you've got to do to get it done. "Mone is a different animal, that's for sure. Mone is a different story. He's one of the strongest guys on the team. If you don't have good technique, you're going to get blown off the ball regardless of who you are." The Wolverine: There had been talk that you might seek a fifth year elsewhere if you didn't win the starting job. Is that an option? Kugler: "Nope. It's Michigan through and through for me. It's 'Go Blue' all the way." — Chris Balas Kugler, a former four-star prospect, has had a strong spring and is in the mix to land a starting job in the fall. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN