The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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14 THE WOLVERINE OCTOBER 2017 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS Emma Way knew from a fairly young age that she wanted to play field hockey in college. "I have three older sisters and they all played, so I just kind of followed them," she explained. "I picked it up in middle school, and by high school I quit all other sports and focused on field hockey." However, her intended field of study — communications — was more of a mystery until recently. "One of my teammates did re- ally well in some communications classes and said I'd be a perfect fit for it," Way said. "So I tried a couple of classes and liked them and de- cided to stick with it." While many athletes often have a hard time balancing academics and athletics in college, Way said she has found an approach that has worked well for her. "I usually try and get things done right away, because I don't know what kind of time I'll have later on," she explained. "I try not to put things off — I'm not a procrastinator at all. I like to get them done immediately, because it's often tough to bunker down after practice." Excelling in both the classroom and on the field isn't anything new for Way, though. She made the honor roll every semester of her high school career, and was also named to the Pennsylvania All-Big 15 Team — given to the top high school athletes in the state — three of her four years. The athletic awards didn't stop after high school, either. She tallied the game-winning goal in the regular-season finale against Ohio State of her rookie year and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week. At the Big Ten Tournament that year, she added a game-winning goal in overtime. Now in her junior season, Way said she's happy with the 4-2 start for her team, which included a 3-2 victory over No. 1 North Carolina in the season opener. It's the second straight year U-M has beaten top-ranked UNC to start the season, and Way notched the game-winner in 2016. Even though she was held without a point this year, it felt just as good to start the campaign with such a big victory. "We had a big freshman class coming in, so we had to figure out where every- one would be playing," she explained. "We've all played with confidence so far, and the team chemistry and dynamics have been great." While Way said she's focused on winning a Big Ten championship this season and making the NCAA Final Four, she also realizes the eventual importance of a degree from Michigan. "Our coach often says that if you graduate, you'll always be able to say you have a degree from the University of Michigan," Way noted. "It's exciting to think about all the different things I could do with a Michigan degree after college. "I want to work in sports. Maybe something related with TV — I don't want to be on TV, but I'd like to do something behind the scenes." In just a year and a half, Way will have that coveted Michigan degree and count- less opportunities ahead. — Austin Fox Student Athlete Of The Month Field Hockey Junior Forward Emma Way Way ranked second on the team in scoring (six goals and four assists) despite starting just three times last year, and has gotten off to a strong start with four goals and five assists through the first six games of the season. PHOTO BY SAM JANICKI MOVING? Don't miss an issue of The Wolverine! Let us know your new address! Email gevans@comanpub.com or call us (M-F, 8-5): 1-800-421-7751