The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, March 19, 2003 - 9

Kulczycki a
team player
for Michigan
By Sharad Mattu
Daily Sports Writer
When the Michigan wrestling team's season
began last November, head coach Joe McFarland's
most difficult task was to find a spot in the lineup
for fifth-year senior Mike Kulczycki.
An All-American in 2001 at 149 pounds, Kulczy-
cki struggled at the end of last season and decided
he needed to wrestle at a
higher weight this season.
But with All-American Tffl E
sophomore Ryan Bertin at
157 pounds, Kulczycki
knew a spot wouldn't sim- NCC piorS
ply open up.
McFarland's plan was to
have the two wrestle-off at
157 pounds, and then have KepAn
the loser battle junior Pat K
Owen for the spot at 165.
pounds.
But instead, injuries and Kulczycki's unselfish
attitude settled the issue.
Until the Big Ten Championships two weeks ago,
the three wrestlers had never been healthy at the
same time.
In January, Kulczycki and Bertin returned from
injuries, setting the stage for the delayed wrestle-off.
But then Owen was injured, and Kulczycki stepped
in at 165, where he has wrestled ever since.
"I talked to Mike and told him it was in the team's
best interest that he wrestle at 165," McFarland said.
"Especially because he's a senior, he could have
been real adamant about at least getting a chance to
wrestling at 157.
"The sacrifice he made shows the type of per-
son he is."
But just when Kulczycki had settled in at 165
pounds, he injured his ankle.
That happened to coincide with Owen's return, and
Owen exceeded expectations, going 4-1 with three pins.
With Kulczycki healthy before Big Tens, he and

New runners will get
a chance in spring

By Benjamin Lawless
For the Daily
For Michigan men's track coach
Ron Warhurst, optimism is crucial
to his team's success in the upcom-
ing outdoor season.
"For me, the glass is half full,"
Warhurst said. "It just looks a lot
better that way."
The team's performance in last

weekend's NCAA
Indoor National
Championships,
including Nate Bran-
nen's national title in
the 800 meters, has
left Warhurst feeling
especially positive.
Although trying not to
rest on their laurels,
Warhurst believes that
his runners' success
this past weekend will
be advantageous to his
cess in the future.

iae
team's suc-

scored, it will be an important tune-
up for the team.
"Some guys are running three to
four races, and it is critical for
them to compete well," Warhurst
said.
Brannen and freshman Nick
Willis will not be racing for the
next three to four weeks, and their
absence will give other runners an
opportunity to compete. Warhurst is
looking for strong per-
formances from Seth
Waits and Andrew Eller-
ton. Aside from the
strong middle distance
and distance squads,
Warhurst needs solid
x ytd contributions from the
rest of the team if Michi-
gan wants to succeed in
the extremely competi-
tive Big Ten.
The outdoor season
will provide an opportunity to con-
tribute for many athletes who did
not get to compete during the win-
ter due to the fewer number of
events at indoor meets.
To prepare his team, especially
thosepwhohave not participated
competitively during the winter,
Warhurst has the Wolverines train-
ing hard.
"You must train like you are
going to compete, and when you
get on the track, just go," said
Warhurst.
Warhurst hopes that his athletes
that did not get a chance to com-
pete in the winter will take advan-
tage of their opportunities in the
spring.
"When you get your chance, you
must be ready both physically and
mentally," Warhurst said."

NICOLE TERWILLIGER/Daily
Michigan senior Mike Kulczycki has wrestled at whatever weight the team has asked him to this season.
Kulczyckl and the rest of the Wolverines will compete at the NCAA Championshiops in Kansas City this weekend.

Owen wrestled-off. Kulczycki won in three tight
matches, and Owen moved up to 174 pounds.
Kulczycki demonstrated his All-American tal-
ent at the Big Tens, but only in short bursts. In
the second round he upset the Ohio State's sec-
ond-seeded John Clark 10-5, but he followed that
with tough losses to Jacob Volkmann of Min-
nesota and Penn State's Doc Vecchio. In an effort
to keep him healthy, McFarland had Kulczycki
forfeit his fifth-place match against Purdue's
Oscar Santiago.
After being sidelined for nearly a month, the long
weekend of wrestling took a toll on Kulczycki, and
could be a factor this weekend at the three-day
NCAA Championships, which begin tomorrow in

Kansas City at Kemper Arena.
"Our plan this week with Mike is to do our best to
keep him healthy, because he can have success this
weekend," McFarland said. "He has a chance at
being an All-American. I think it'd be a great
accomplishment especially with what he's been
through this season."
Kulczycki realizes his tough season will be long
forgotten if he has success in Kansas City this
week.
"Last year I had a great season, but things didn't
go well at the end," Kulczycki said as he entered the
Big Tens. "This year the season didn't go well, but
the most important part of the season is coming up,
and I'm excited to see what I can do."

While only four members of the
team participated in the meet, 27
others made the trip to Fayetteville,
Ark. to support their teammates,
and Warhurst believes the exposure
to the elite competition was a plus.
"Going to Nationals as a team
and training with the best helps the
whole team," Warhurst said.
"Maybe some of the success will
rub off on the others."
Many members of the team only
attended last week's meet as specta-
tors. This weekend's Florida State
relays in Tallahassee, Fla. will be
their chance to prove Warhurst
right. The relays will basically be a
three-day training session for the
20 Michigan athletes participating.
Despite the fact that the meet is not

Musgrove, Duprez
return as 'M' captains

By Jake Rosenwasser
Daily Sports Writer
Taking the "I" out of tennis is no
easy task. Tennis is not, by nature,
is not a team sport, but the Michi-
gan women's tennis team attempts
to stay as unified as possible.

Coach Bitsy Ritt
emphasizes this feel-
ing of unity amongst
her players. She does
not want to coach a
bunch of individual
singles players.
For the second
straight year, the squad
elected Joanne Mus-
grove and Jen Duprez

:. SAT
TimC, l

DANNY MOLOSHOK/Daily
Michigan freshman Al Montoya has been bumped and banged into all season, and coach
Red Berenson hopes the goaltender will not be a target during the CCHA playoffs.
Berenson thinks worst
is over for Montoya

MONTOYA
Continued from Page 8
A NON-ISSUE: Much has been
written about the abuse that Michi-
gan goalie Al Montoya has taken
this season from opposing teams.
And last Friday night against Bowl-
ing Green was no exception.
The freshman was poked and
bumped repeatedly after the whis-
tle, drawing the ire of Michigan
9 players and coaches.
"Anytime you see your goalie or
any of your teammates get hit like
that, it pisses you off and you don't
want it to happen to anyone,"
defenseman Danny Richmond said.
But Michigan coach Red Beren-
son doesn't expect the treatment to
continue this weekend at Joe Louis

Arena.
"We sent in the tape (of what
happened this weekend to the
CCHA), and we'll obviously talk to
the league," Berenson said. "I don't
think that's an issue. It's a good
question, but if it happens, it would
be a disappointment."
A NEW LOOK: Shouneyia was one
of many Wolverines who sported
the beginnings of a playoff goatee
yesterday. It's a more traditional
move from the last two seasons,
when players went blonde for the
playoffs.
"We're 0-2 at that, so we figured
it was time for a change,"
Shouneyia said.
In 2001 and 2002, Michigan lost
in the first round of the Frozen
Four.

to the position of captain. The sen-
iors' new role will be to inspire
hard work and encourage a solid
sense of togetherness.
At matches, it is clear that the
Wolverines truly care about their
teammates' outcomes. When a
Wolverine is finished competing,
she immediately heads to the
stands to root on her teammates
that are still in action. Cheers are
abundant after every Michigan
winner and ace.
Ritt feels that her two seniors
reiterate her messages when she
cannot be with the team.
"Jen and Joanne are extensions
of the coaching staff," Ritt said.
"They help to provide a consisten-
cy for our younger players."
Ritt feels that the two captains
do a great job of leading, but do so
in different ways. The coach
admires what Musgrove brings to
the court every day.
"Joanne is an excellent role
QI NOTES
Eye surgery one of re
for Mott's decision t
Former Michigan women's basketb
coach Ron Mott, who resigned from hi

model," Ritt said. "She works so
hard in practice and really sets a
great example."
Duprez, on the other hand, is the
more outspoken of the two captains.
"Jen has really developed into a
vocal leader," Ritt said. "She con-
tributes a lot to team meetings."
Even though each
player has different
strengths as a captain,
D'AY Ritt asserts that they
9s both put in maximum
to effort at all times.
Although the seniors
are inspirational lead-
s e ers, they do not hold
the highest positions on
singles ladder. In their
last match, a 5-2 win against
Michigan State, Musgrove played
at fifth singles while Duprez held
the sixth spot. Even though the
seniors do not play at the top
spots, their coach values their con-
tributions.
"Everybody steps on the court at
the same time," Ritt said. "Each
match counts the same."
Both captains made their match-
es count against Michigan State.
Musgrove came from behind to win
2-6, 6-3, 7-5 and Duprez breezed to
a 6-0, 6-0 win.
Ritt stresses that while the cap-
tains are expected to lead the team,
each player has the ability to set
the example from time to time.
"Everybody leads the team at one.
point during the season," Ritt said.
Each Wolverine will have the
chance to do so this Saturday when
the Wolverines try to extend their
11-match home winning streak Michelle DaCosta and the
against Marquette at 11:00. team unity, even though tt
day afternoon, spoke for the first time yesterday
about his abrupt exit from the program after three
seasons of service.
"I would like to thank the people at Michigan
,asonS for the opportunity of a lifetime," said Mott, 66. "I
will miss the atmosphere of a high-class school
reSign like the University of Michigan as well as the play-
ers and friends that I made over the last three
all assistant years. I will be having a surgical procedure on my
s post Mon- eyes in the near future and the length of time it

SETH LOWER/Daily
Michigan women's tennis team place importance on
the athletes compete Individually.
will take for me to recover is unknown, so I felt
this was the proper time for me to leave Michigan
and move on."
Mott joined the Michigan staff prior to the
2000-01 season after more than three decades of
coaching at Okemos High School. Mott is a mem-
ber of the Basketball Coaches Association of
Michigan (BCAM) Hall of Fame, the Michigan
High School Coaches Hall of Fame and the
Greater Lansing Hall of Fame.

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