The Wolverine

OLYMPIC SPORTS PROFILES Liesl Morris Grows Into A Leader one thing that maybe didn't happen my freshman year. I wasn't used to thinking that way. "And the more I grew and the more support I had, I realized that that is the way you want to lead. You want to bal- ance everyone's role on the team — and that atmosphere didn't exist my freshman year. verines built a 5-3 record through Sept. 21 with losses to No. 2 North Caro- lina and No. 13 Wake Forest, and a near- upset of No. 7 Connecticut. Morris, a primarily defensive mid- fielder, is fifth on the team in points with six, which had helped diversify the offense that has revolved around junior Rachael Mack the last two seasons. And their success can be traced back Despite the youthful roster, the Wol- " to the young, inexperienced talent ral- lying around Morris' lead. "She's very important, "She's a super-experienced player. She's very mature. She works hard and leads by example every day. She's a wonder- ful hockey player, and she has been an outstanding captain, which is some- thing we definitely needed with so many young players. "When there are so many freshmen, they don't know what to expect. They don't know what the culture is like; they don't know the expectations or how intense it is. She sets the tone for the team every day. " Pankratz said. Morris, a midfielder, is the only senior on a 25-woman roster that includes 11 true freshmen. PHOTO BY DARYL MARSHKE Michigan field hockey coach Marcia Pankratz's first year back in Ann Arbor, senior midfielder Liesl Morris would get red faced and embarrassed when she got singled out. "I liked staying under cover, off the center stage," Morris said. When she was a freshman during Pankratz noted that leadership wasn't one of Morris' "natural personality traits. This season, Morris didn't have much of a choice. Of the Wolverines' 25-woman roster, 19 players are in their sophomore or freshman seasons. There are 11 true freshmen, many of whom have had to play critical roles as Michigan tries to defend back-to-back Big Ten titles. Morris is the lone true senior on the 82 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2012 " team. She and redshirt junior goal- keeper Haley Jones are the last players on the roster who were recruited by former coach Nancy Cox. Shortly after the Wolverines were eliminated from the second round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament, 5-1, by No. 1 North Carolina, Pankratz called Morris into her office to have an impor- tant conversation. The coach told her, "That leadership role is in your hands now. Whether you want it or not, it's there. The message hit home for Morris. "I learned that being a leader doesn't mean you have to take the spotlight. If anything, you orchestrate the team and atmosphere in a way that everyone has their own spotlight," she said. "That's " teresting" to play with so many young- sters and that sometimes she may feel like the mother of the group. But they have all bought in, and the success is coming. "Being the only true senior, I feel con- fident and really excited for this team," Morris said. "They have another year together as a unit. That's great. When I leave this team, there will be a great family here. And that's nice to know. I'm excited that I'm the only true senior. Morris' growth has been invaluable to Morris admitted that it has been "in- " the team. "She's a great, wonderful woman," Pankratz said. "It has been a real plea- sure to watch her blossom into this suc- cessful woman who is truly confident and can walk out with her head up and her shoulders back and lead the group. She feels strong about exerting her in- fluence on the team. It's been fun to watch. " — Andy Reid "

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