12 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 9, 2004
9
leers relax
with rival
Coming1up
By Jake Rosenwasser
Daily Sports Writer
After sweeping a highly regarded Miami Red-
Hawks team last weekend and playing some of
its best hockey of the season, one might think the
Michigan hockey team would be upset about hav-
ing a weekend off. But as it turns out, the Wolver-
ines are not worried about losing the momentum
they gained.
"I think the guys are pretty happy about the
break," junior center Andrew Ebbett said. "We've
got a lot of guys banged up right now and we've
got a short week next week, so it's not even a two-
week break."
The Wolverines are idle this weekend, but they
will be back in action earlier than usual next week
because their game at Michigan State was scheduled
for Thursday instead of Friday.
"Michigan State is always marked on our calendar,"
senior captain Eric Nystrom said. "And even though
we have the weekend off, this is a big week of prepa-
ration because next week is a short week. (The week
before an off week) is a good week to do a little extra
on the bike or a little extra in the weight room."
The coaches have decided to run practices that are
a little shorter than usual to help some of the players
freshen up.
"The practices aren't as intense," sophomore for-
ward David Rohlfs said. "It's good because you want
to get a little rest, but on the other hand you don't
want to get rusty at all."
Other Wolverines - like Ebbett, who tweaked his
N WOMEN'S SWIMMING
Mueller epitomizes
Renaissance spirit
6
By Max Kardon
Daily Sports Writer
During the Renaissance, versatility was
the ultimate virtue. Today at Michigan,
the spirit of DaVinci still flows through
the student-athletes.
The myriad of abilities that qualify
the Renaissance label are embodied by
Justine Mueller. Mueller, a freshman
member of the women's swimming and
diving team, does not employ a brush
like DaVinci. Instead, she conjures beauty
through combinations of muscle groups.
An expert in the individual medley, her
art is manifested by the strokes of back,
breast, butterfly, and freestyle.
Mueller, who idolizes the swimming
of two-time Olympian Amanda Beard,
saw the work of the true masters when she
qualified to compete in the U.S. Olympic
Trials last year.
"Beard said she would retire when she
broke the (Ameican individual medley)
record," Mueller said. "But she's already
done it a few times and it doesn't look like
she's hanging it up just yet."
Mueller has time to develop her style-
for international exhibition - and the pre-
cedence of Wolverine Olympians bolsters
her aspirations. Her motivation to reach
that level is illustrated by her adoption of
a personal weight program last January to
prepare for the Olympic trials.
"I'm not a huge fan of the backstroke or
the butterfly. But I know I've got to keep
JASON COOPER/Daily
Defenseman Brandon Rogers was plus-two in Michigan's sweep of Miami (Ohio) this weekend. The Wolverines
now have a week off before taking on Michigan State In a home-and-home.
ankle two weeks ago against Lake Superior State -
are looking to rid themselves of any lingering injuries
that they have accumulated over the first ten games.
"There are a lot of guys with bumps and bruises,"
Ebbett said. "My ankle is still bothering me a bit and
(junior Brandon Kaleniecki) didn't practice today.
The weekend off should give us some time to heal."
Kaleniecki injured his leg in his final shift on
Saturday and should be back on the ice in the next
few days.
Even with the shortened practices, Michigan
expects to start where it left off last weekend when
the puck drops against the Spartans on Nov. 18.
"Obviously momentum is a key in this game,"
Rohlfs said. "The weekend off shouldn't affect
us too bad because we're still out here skating
every day."
NOTES: Junior forward Jeff Tambellini was
named CCHA Offensive Player of the Week for
his six-point performance over the weekend. Tam-
bellini notched five goals and one assist over the
weekend including his second career hat trick Fri-
day night against Miami in a 5-2 win. He is the
first Wolverine to earn the honor this season ...
Michigan was ranked No. 2 in the last USCHO
poll released yesterday.
I
-"
Ike Michigan Daily
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working at them if I'm going to be the
swimmer I can be," Mueller said.
Mueller was crowned national public
school champion in the 200-meter indi-
vidual medley last year while competing
for Monroe High School.
She has the ability to compete in sev-
eral other events at the collegiate level,
thanks to the guidance and confidence of
her coach, Michigan stalwart Jim Rich-
ardson. Richardson - whose vast collec-
tion of modern-era championship banners
is worthy of the Guggenheim - has
brought national glory into Canham Nata-
torium for over two decades. Richardson
instructs his swimmers on technique,
and brings them to their peak condition
through dry-land activities that stress core
body strength.
"I had no idea a trunk twist could be
so complicated," said Mueller, pointing
at a variety of exercise bands and medi-
cine balls on the second floor of Canham
Natatorium. "It can be exhausting going
through the conditioning programs after
getting out of the pool, but that's how you
get stronger."
Versatility is a virtue made beautiful by
balance, and the core training stressed by
Richardson keeps his swimmers' bodies
on course.
Academic courses complete Mueller's
conditioning. Her pursuit of excellence
extends into the drier confines of the
classroom. An honor-roll student in high
school, she studies French, women's stud-
ies and calculus at the University - an
eclectic mix of academics that compli-
ment her athletic prowess. When success
or failure is measured by the millisecond
(as it is in the pool), it becomes easier for
Mueller to deal with hours of study.
"One good thing about being a swim-
mer is that you have to have a good sense
of balance and timing," Mueller said.
"Managing school work and practice
comes naturally. That doesn't mean it's
simple."
Mueller's greatest achievement this
year was a victory in the 200-meter indi-
vidual medley against Florida on Oct. 16,
but she has yet to paint her masterpiece.
The team is coming off a fifth place
finish at the Boilermaker Challenge last
weekend in West Lafayette and continues
to work towards improvement.
This Friday at 5 p.m., the Wolver-
ines' talent will host against arch-rival
Ohio State.
COOPER
Continued from page 10
Cooper is pleased with the progress
the team has made as the Wolverines
were able to play the game they hoped
to. She believes that Michigan played
very aggressive and was defending the
ball well on the defensive end.
Cooper and therest of them team
played in an exceptionally relaxed
manner.
But Cooper knows that this game
was an exhibition, and that when the
contests start to count she may be more
nervous.
"There was not a lot of pressure,
when it's the first game of the season
I might be real nervous," Cooper said.
"But since it was just 'practice' I was
not real nervous."
That will be a challenge that Coo-
per and the rest of the freshmen will
have to overcome, but Burnett and the
rest of the staff think they are up to the
challenge.
"We have very high expectations,
and we have a unique group of fresh-
men," Burnett said. "They are some of
the best leaders, some of the best learn-
ers and some of the hardest workers I
have seen and because of that I don't
think they will play like freshmen."
NETTERS
Continued from page 10
quit one or the other. But DaCosta is
far from average. She not only gets
by, she thrives under the mountains
of work. She's played No. 1 singles *
for the Wolverines. consistently for
the past two years and No. 1 doubles
all three. She has also been named
to the All Big-Ten academic team
both years she's been eligible and
has received the U-M Athletic Aca-
demic Achievement award all three
years. Such a hard work ethic didn't
just pop up out of nowhere.
DaCosta can attribute that to family
as well.
"Both of my brothers are really
smart and the kind of guys who can
not study, take a test, and get an A,"
DaCosta said. "I always had to work
really hard just to compete with the
grades they got."
DaCosta's competitive nature is
paying dividends.
She's looking forward to a suc-
cessful senior campaign before tak-
ing a fifth academic year to complete
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