The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK IN REMEMBRANCE • Michigan honored former Wolver- ine track and football star Willis Ward during an in-game ceremony at its Oct. 20 football game versus Michigan State. On the track, Ward competed in the long jump, high jump and hurdles, and was an eight-time Big Ten cham- pion and three-time All-American from 1932-35, competing against and beating Ohio State's Jesse Ow- ens in the 60-yard dash and 65-yard high hurdles in a dual meet during the 1935 campaign. A standout end on the 1932, '33 and '34 football teams, the 6-1, 185-pounder from Detroit helped U-M win national championships in each of his first two seasons. He is, perhaps, most famous for an Student-Athlete Of The Month Men's Soccer Senior Midfielder/Forward Etienne Lussiez becoming a varsity athlete at the University of Michigan. When he was a senior at Livonia (Mich.) Winston Churchill High School in the spring of 2009, he knew he wanted to continue playing soccer — but that wasn't the most important factor in his college decision. Lussiez came to Michigan — as a student, originally, not a student-athlete. As a freshman, he joined the Wolverines' club soccer team, but his focus was mostly on academia. Coming into college, Lussiez Senior midfielder/forward Etienne Lussiez did not take the normal route to act of defiance made by teammate Gerald Ford during a 1934 game against Georgia Tech. When the Yellow Jackets issued a warning they would not play if Ward, an African-American, participated, Michigan agreed to the bullying, but Ford said he would quit the team if U-M acquiesced to Tech's demands. Ward would convince his good knew where his strong suites were: math and science. Those were the courses he enjoyed the most in high school, and he wanted to continue taking them in some capacity. He just didn't know what that would be. to do after graduation, so I didn't want to narrow things down by going into business or a strictly math degree, "I had no idea what I wanted friend to continue playing, but the threatened boycott created national news and helped pave the way for a greater integration of African-Ameri- cans in college football. UFER AWARD RECIPIENT • The Letterwinners M Club pre- sented former wrestler Mark Churella with its annual Ufer Award Oct. 13. Presented since 1981, the award is given to a Letterwinners M Club mem- ber in recognition for his or her out- standing service to the University of Michigan athletic program. A three-time national champion, winning the 150-pound weight di- vision in 1977 and 1978, and the 167-pound weight class in 1979, Churella spent has remained an ac- tive member of the Michigan wres- tling community, including four years on the coaching staff. Sons Mark Jr., (2001), Ryan (2003-06) and Josh (2005- 08) all competed for the Maize and Blue. Churella is a 1999 inductee into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. 16 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2012 Lussiez, who has played in 28 games and scored four goals, is majoring in mechanical engineering, and industrial and operational engineering. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS ment of Industrial and Operations Engineering. "I really like the industrial and operations degree I'm pursuing, to him in the engineering de- partment, Lussiez went that route. As if mechanical engineering didn't require enough time, energy and hard work, Lussiez picked up a second degree in the prestigious U-M Depart- Seeing the options available " he said. the most business-like aspect of engineering. You look at industry and find ways to reduce waste, optimize efficiency and things like that. "Being a dual-degree major in mechanical engineering, and industry and " he said. "It's operational engineering, the combination of those two degrees seemed like a great thing for me. I knew it would be extremely versatile, and it would give me a lot of choices once I graduated. the Wolverines' varsity soccer team in 2011. Since joining the team, Lussiez had played in 28 games, starting in 16 of them. He has four career goals and nine total points. It's a lot of time and effort, but Lussiez couldn't turn down the opportunity. "It definitely took an adjustment period, After two seasons with the club team, Lussiez was offered a walk-on spot on " thing I was so excited to do, though, so it was easy to make sacrifices." Now a senior, Lussiez is glad he kept his options so open early in his academic Manhattan. "It was only 10 weeks, but I really enjoyed it, " he said. "Joining the team was some- career. Although he has focused mostly on engineering, he has taken up an interest in finance. Last summer, he did a trading internship at the investment bank Barclays in an offer to return once I'm done with school this year." " he said. "I've actually accepted — Andy Reid