10 - The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, September 22, 2004
MEN'S ;ROSS COUNTRY
Kieliszak making
most of fifth year
By Scott Bell
For the Daily
A youth movement that has hit the
Michigan cross country team this
year. Freshmen Mike Woods and
Victor Gras earned the hype they
received at the beginning of this sea-
son. But lost in the shuffle of these
fresh-faced freshmen lies another
newcomer - one who has nothing
to lose while participating in his last
season of varsity sports.
Graduate student and Princeton
transfer Jonathon Kieliszak is com-
ing off the best race of his cross
country career, finishing just a sec-
ond over the 25-minute mark and
grabbing a top-five finish at the
Spartan Invitational over the week-
end. Coach Ron Warhurst wasn't
surprised by Kieliszak's weekend
performance.
"He has really adapted well to our
training methods," Warhurst said.
"He worked very hard this summer
and it's paying dividends now."
Kieliszak mirrors his coach's
thoughts: "I was extremely reli-
gious about my training, making it
my number one priority, and I think
that helped a lot."
But cross country wasn't always
Kieliszak's top priority. In fact, he
admits that it was a secondary con-
cern at Princeton.
"Throughout my time at Princ-
eton, I was focused on track and
never gave cross country the atten-
tion it deserved," Kieliszak admits.
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Continued from page 9
has existed for just three years, but
coach Amy Robertson's skill for
recruiting has helped to build a legiti-
mate contender.
Heading into their matchup with
Michigan, the No. 17 Hoosiers have
compiled a 6-2 record.
"Playing down there is always
harder than playing at home," Pan-
kratz said. "It will be a good test for
us, and a good opener."
After the opener, there is hardly
a letdown in Michigan's schedule
- four of the seven Big Ten teams
are currently ranked in the top 20.
Iowa is ranked lowest of the Big Ten
teams, but after playing the tough-
est nonconference schedule of the
seven, it could easily work its way
"This year, considering I only have
a season of cross country eligibility
left, I have been able to focus solely
on cross country and that mindset
has definitely helped me,"
Kieliszak was raised in a track
family; his sister, Jessica, was a
four-year letterwinner in track at
Holy Cross College.
"My sister was three years ahead
of me in school, so watching her
compete in track caused my interest
in the sport to grow," Kieliszak said.
This early interest, instilled in
him at a young age, continued into
the Ivy League and his running
career there.
While at Princeton, Kieliszak
majored in electrical engineering
and picked up seven varsity letters
in the process (four in track, three
in cross country).
Coming to Michigan for gradu-
ate school opened the door for
Kieliszak to run one last year of
cross country.
Kieliszak isn't the only graduate
student on this team. Matt Mul-
vaney, a Miami graduate, has also
helped bring experience to this rel-
atively young Wolverine squad.
With the compliments coming
from Warhurst, one would think that
he would have only positive things to
say about his newly found star.
But the Michigan coach does
have one criticism of Kieliszak:
"(Kieliszak) should have come
here instead of Princeton right
away."
up the ranks.
"Iowa is always strong," Pankratz
said. "They are very well coached
and they have some nice players
there. Every game is a real battle
against Iowa. We're just going to
try and not worry about them until
we have to play against them."
When looking at their sched-
ule, Pankratz and the Wolverines
neglect to focus on a specific game
because every game brings the pos-
sibility of defeat.
Michigan is fortunate to host
Northwestern, Michigan State and
Ohio State, but faces imposing
road games at Indiana, Iowa and
Penn State.
"The Big Ten is a blockbuster
conference," Pankratz said. "We're
just going to go through it and do
the best we can, game by game."
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Michgans Mtt iemeer s oe o tw fifh-yar enirs ladig te Mchian scce tem. iemyer arres 4. GPAin echnicl eginerin. FLEIHOT
Veeanutllkcin M5owr
By Anne Ulble
Daily Sports Writer
Fifth-year senior co-captains Matt Nie-
meyer and Joe Zawacki are the only two
remaining players from the 2000 team,
when the Michigan men's soccer program
was promoted from club to varsity status.
The seasoned players have wit-
nessed the team's transformation from
an unknown into a top-five nationally
ranked program over the course of five
seasons. In the face of tough criticism
and competitive opponents, the Wolver-
ines have gained respect from the com-
munity, the University and the nation.
"There's a quote by Bob Marley
in the locker room that sums up our
team and it says: 'In this great future,
you can't forget your past,"' Michi-
gan coach Steve Burns said. "I think
that Matt and Joe are definitive of
this statement. They are the links to
the past that have brought the team to
where we are right now."
Niemeyer and Zawacki have been a
part of the team for five years. Niemeyer
redshirted his junior year for medical
reasons and Zawacki redshirted his
freshman year. With an extra year of
experience over the senior class, they
have been able to provide an impressive
level of leadership. Burns credits each
of them for playing a critical role on and
off the field.
"They are guys that you can count
on," Burns said. "They understand
the effort that is involved to make the
team work, and they don't take it for
granted."
Niemeyer, a St. Louis native, chose to
attend Michigan primarily for the out-
standing academic reputation.
A mechanical engineering major,
Niemeyer carries a 4.0 GPA and was
nominated yesterday as one of three
Michigan students to compete at the
state level to be honored as a Rhodes
Scholar. His decision to play soccer for
the Wolverines was made when he saw
the opportunity to start a tradition at a
well-known school.
"How many people get the chance to
start a varsity program at Michigan?"
Niemeyer said. "That doesn't happen
very often and you know that with
Michigan's reputation you'll be able to
build a strong program when you put the
work in."
Zawacki's decision to attend Michi-
gan was based on location. Coming
from Livonia, he wanted to stay close to
home, but still have the chance to play
Division I soccer.
"I wanted to be a part of making a
new program," Zawacki said. "This was
my way of leaving my mark somehow."
Zawacki knew from the first day that
he stepped onto the playing field that
competing at the college level would be
difficult and would require a lot of work
from both himself and his teammates.
"Getting used to being a competi-
tive program and learning the ropes of
Division I soccer was a huge challenge
to overcome," Zawacki said. "Not only
that, we also had to earn the respect of
everyone here at Michigan."
In their inaugural year, the Wolver-
ines were 6-10 overall and 1-5 in Big
Ten play.
"The first year was about learning
the college game," Niemeyer said. "We
were a team that had never played Divi-
sion I soccer and breaking into the Big
Ten Conference was difficult because it
was so physical."
Over the next few years, the team
improved its Big Ten and nonconfer-
ence record. Now, Michigan has made a
national championship its new goal.
The Wolverines are on track to earn a
bid to the NCAA Tournament this year.
They are 6-0 and cracked the top three
(No. 3) in the National Coach's Poll for
the first time in the program's history.
"It took a lot of work to get this pro-
gram where it is now," Zawacki said.
"And it's going to take the hard work
of the underclassmen to keep it moving
forward."
While Burns admitted that it will be
tough to see the two seniors depart, he
finds satisfaction in knowing having
been a part of their maturity.
"From a coaching standpoint the
freshmen come in and they're scared
of the head coach," Burns said. "Over
time, they begin to pick up on senses
of humor and they begin to grow more
mature and they understand how to
relate better with adults. I get to see all
of that."
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