The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 9A
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom Wednesday, February 13, 2008 - 9A
ues ions
abound on
recruiting
trail
By DAN FELDMAN
Daily Sports Editor
The Michigan men's basketball team's inconsisten-
cies have caused plenty of problems on the court.
But they're making Michigan coach John Beilein's
job more difficult off the court, too.
Beilein has been traveling the country scouting and
recruiting high school players, but has struggled to
identify his team's needs for future seasons, because
many of his current players haven't established them-
selves.
The coach, who claimed to be going on recruiting
visits every off-day, said he has never done this much
in-season recruiting in his 30-year career. Players said
the team has adjusted to assistant coaches taking over
while Beilein is recruiting.
"They don't tell us too much," sophomore Ekpe
Udoh said. "They just tell us that they're on the road
trying to get good players for us."
Beilein can't talk to recruits while on visits, but
calls them afterward. He has had difficulty talking to
prospects at times because he thought he would know
more about this year's team by now. But the uncertain-
ty has created what he hopes is an appealing recruit-
ing pitch.
"I think it's a great opportunity for them to come
in and say 'Well, I've got a chance. I've got a 50-50
chance of playing,' as opposed to 'Hey, we've got one
scholarship left. Do you want it or not?'" Beilein said.
Beilein said he's looking for versatile players, rather
than players specialized in a particular skill.
Senior small forward Ron Coleman is the only
starter who will graduate this year. Earlier in the sea-
son, that void seemed like it would be nearly impos-
sible to fill. No other Wolverine small forward was
playing particularly well. And neither of the two play-
ers already committed for next year - shooting guard
Stuart Douglass and center Ben Cronin - play the
position.
But junior forward Jevohn Shepherd stepped up
and played well while Coleman was sidelined with a
sprained ankle. In particular, Shepherd displayed a
strong perimeter game, a staple of Beilein's offense.
The arrival of Arizona transfer Laval Lucas-Perry,
who sophomore DeShawn Sims called the strongest
player on the team, creates the possibility of a three-
guard lineup.
At other positions, Beilein specifically pointed to
the recent emergence of redshirt freshman forward
Anthony Wright and freshman point guard Kelvin
Grady as two developments leading him to rethink his
team's needs.
The Wolverines have three scholarships available
for next year. If they use two on Douglass and Cro-
nin, two would available for the following year. Shep-
See BASKETBALL, Page 10A
RODRIGO GAYA/Daily
After losing third-period leads in three of its last four games, the Michigan hockey team knows it must refocus mentally in the final 20 minutes if it hopes to stay atop the CCHA standings.
ice-cold in third period
By COURTNEY RATKOWIAK
Daily Sports Editor
For the past two weeks, the Michi-
gan hockey team has played like the
third period doesn't matter.
The problem is, it's probably cost the
Wolverines three points in the CCHA
standings.
In their last four games, against
Miami (Ohio) last weekend and North-
ern Michigan the previous week,
Michigan is 1-0-3. But the Wolverines
led in the third period of all four games
before being outscored by 6-2 in the
third period of all three games and set-
tling for three ties.
Michigan's third-period struggles
were highlighted against Miami last
Friday, when the Wolverines were held
without a shot for the first 16 minutes.
In that span, the RedHawks - who
were losing 4-0 coming into the period
- outshot Michigan 11-0 and scored
twice.
The Wolverines were too busy col-
lecting penalties to put together plays.
Michigan had eight penalties for a total
of 35 penalty minutes in the period
(including a 10-minute and a game mis-
conduct). After coming in with a four-
goal deficit, the RedHawks were well
on their way to a comeback.
"Is that mental fatigue? Is that physi-
cal fatigue? I can't put my finger on it,"
Michigan coach Red Berenson said.
"But you can't be giving up two-goal
leads ... your goals are too precious.
We've got to be a better team in the
third period."
Despite Berenson's uncertain- trouble covering men in the defensive
ty, freshman defenseman Tristin zone. And it can't help that the Wolver-
Llewellyn had a definite answer. He ines have been trying offensive plays
said mental lapses, not a lack of condi- they probably wouldn't when the game
tioning, caused Michigan's deteriora- is close.
tion in the third period. But their experiments have led to
Defenseman Scooter Vaughan called dramatic momentum shifts.
his team's recent performance in the Though the Wolverines threatened
third period "lackadaisical." After hav- to collapse against Miami in both
ing late leads against Miami in both third periods, their third-period woes
games last weekend, complacency set were most shocking against North-
in - and that's when the former No. 1 ern Michigan. In October, Michigan
team capitalized. defeated Northern Michigan twice
"It feels a lot more laid back," in Marquette. But on the Wolverines'
Llewellyn said. "Yeah, there's a sense home ice, sandwiched between high-
of urgency, but it's almost like our play- profile series against Michigan State
ers have a switch. A lot of times, they and Miami, the Northern games were
just turn it off when we get that big of expected to give the Wolverines a rela-
a lead." tively easy four points.
Llewellyn said Michigan has had See HOCKEY, Page 10A
Borseth's intensity fires up team
Freshman steps it up
in surprise first meet
By JASON KOHLER
Daily Sports Writer
Imagine a nicer, but not tamer, ver-
sion of legendary basketball coach Bob
Knight, and you might begin to under-
stand Michigan coach Kevin Borseth.
The first-year Michigan coach has
brought excitement back to the women's
basketball program, not just because the
Wolverines are enjoying their first win-
ning season in six years, but also because
of Borseth's intense sideline antics.
Borseth can be found on the Michigan
bench breaking clipboards, jumping up
and down or barking commands to his
players.
Against Indiana Jan. 24, Borseth fell
to the floor and pretended to have passed
out in reaction to an official's call.
"I sell the farm on every possession,"
Borseth said. "Sometimes I see a call I
don't like and I'm animated about that."
But when the officials make a call
against the Wolverines (6-6 Big Ten, 13-
9 overall), don't expect Borseth to throw
his chair across the floor. Instead, he just
turns around and argues the call with a
helpless person in the stands.
"They won't let me talk to the referee,"
Borseth said. "I have to talk to someone.
They're watching the same thing I'm
watching."
But Borseth isn't one to dwell on the
past. He quickly turns back to the action
and encourages his players on the court.
"I coach play-to-play," Borseth said.
"You just can't really rest on the fact you
just made a basket and you can't sulk on
the fact you just gave one up."
Sometimes, Borseth's frustration with
a play turns into anger. He said he thinks
his temper could negatively impact his
team. But his players, past and present,
don't see it that way.
In fact, Borseth's former players miss
the coach's tantrums. Rachel Porath,
See BORSETH, Page 10A
Michigan coach Kevin Borseth has been animated throughout his
first season on the Michigan bench.
Hard-working Hyrne follows sister's success
By COLT ROSENSWEIG
Daily Sports Writer
At blind volleyball, a favorite
offseason pastime ofthe Michigan
men's gymnastics team, freshman
Ian Makowske is always in great
demand.
The gymnasts, avid fans of the
women's volleyball team, play the
game many days after practice
during fall and summer. They use
tall blue panel mats between the
teams instead of a net, making it
impossible to see the other team
- or defend against sneak attacks.
Makowske is consistently one of
the first players picked, and will
be one of the starters when the
gymnasts challenge the volleyball.
team to a contest of the blind vari-
ety after their season ends.
"He's one of our key players
in blind volleyball," junior Jamie
Thompson said. "Everybody
fights over Ian. He's got this kick-
ass serve and he's a good spiker."
Until Feb. 2, that was
Makowske's only spot in a start-
ing lineup. But against Iowa, he
finally got the chance to compete
as agymnast.
His father made last-minute
travel plans, catching a 3 a.m.
flight to watch his son's collegiate
debut that afternoon in Iowa City.
At first, itdidn't seemas though
the trip would have a happy end-
ing. Makowske came off the pom-
mel horse during his first set - a
mistake that might have sent him
into a tailspin one year ago.
But not this year.
The freshman rebounded
immediately, posting Michigan's
second-highest floor score and
one of its few hits during a mostly
dismal high-bar rotation.
"Just the collegiate debut alone
was great, but having my dad
there too made it even better,"
Makowske said. "It was really
great to be able to show him what
I'm doing with all the help he's
given me."
For Makowske, Michigan was
destiny.
His grandfather, Paul DeMar-
rais, graduated from Michigan in
1956. His parents met as students
at the University in the early eight-
ies. His uncle, Quinn DeMarrais,
played on the Michigan baseball
team and graduated in 2000. In
fact, most of
his extended
family still MAKOWSKE
bleeds maize
and blue.
"Theysaid
I could go to 7
any school
I wanted,"
Makowske
said. "Aslong HOMETOWN:
as it was in Redding, Conn.
Ann Arbor." SKILLS:Blind
Makowske
dreamt of Volleyball
competing EVENTS: Floor.
for Michi-
gan for most High bar
of his life. A Pommel Horse
poster of the
1999 nation-
al champion men's gymnastics
team still hangs in his bedroom at
home in Redding, Conn. When he
received his letter of acceptance,
Makowske ripped up the rest of
his half-finished applications.
So when Makowske faced the
prospect of redshirting his first
year,he balked.Thoughhis coach-
es told him he'd realistically only
compete in one or two meets in
his freshman season, Makowske
knew it was crucial to keep alive
the possibility of making the line-
up. Without that motivation, he
wasn't sure if his improvements
would continue.
"If that possibility wasn't there
I don't know if I would have
the same work ethic," Makowske
said.
The Iowa meet was the shot
he'd been waiting for, and he
didn't waste it.
Success didn't just fall into
Makowske's lap, though. Behind
that debut were six months of
improvinghis skills, difficulty and
See MAKOWSKE, Page 10A
Junior captain leads
team by example as
she piles up goals
By RYAN KARTJE
For the Daily
It's hard these days to find an
athlete who leads by example. One
who produces results in the pool,
letting actions speak louder than
words.
One hundred and twenty-seven
goals in three years speak vol-
umes for junior women's water
polo captain Julie Hyrne who was,
described by her teammates as
"the quiet leader."
"It's her work ethic in practice
and matches that inspires us,"
junior captain Mary Chatigny
said. "She leads by example."
Michigan coach Matt Anderson
saw Hyrne play as a 13-year old in
Sunnyvale, Calif., and was blown
away.
"I knew
right then H
she would be HYRNE
playing for
mesomeday,"
Anderson
said. "And
when I came
to coach at
Michigan, HOMETOWN:
I knew she
would be a Sunnyvale, Calif.
Wolverine." MAJOR:
Hyrne Political Science
didn't expect
a future in POSITION:
water polo Center
until she
saw her
sister's own
success earn her a scholarship at
perennial powerhouse San Jose
State. Hyrne began swimming
at a young age and continued to
swim competitively through high
school, earning an All-American
honor in the 200-yard freestyle
relay.
But it was her family's love for
water polo that put the ball in her
hands, and it didn't take long for
Hyrne to find her true calling.
Hyrne leads the 14th-ranked
Wolverines with seven goals this
season, and was recently named
CWPA Player of the Week for the
third time in two years. Last sea-
son, she was named to the CWPA
All-Western Division first team.
Despite the high honors, Hyrne
remains quite modest about her
skills.
"I still need to progress," Hyrne
said shyly when asked about her
multiple awards.
Hyrne continues to quietly
climb through the ranks of great
water polo players at Michigan
and is currently the fifth highest
goal-scorer in school history.Just
19 goals stand between her and
second place, a feat she should eas-
ily accomplish this season. Two-
time All-American and Hyrne's
former teammate Shana Welch is
first with 247 goals.
Hyrne may be quiet, but it's no
secret she loves to score.
Last year againstUC-San Diego,
she notched 10 points, the highest
single-game total in program his-
tory.
"She can affect the game in so
many ways," Anderson said. "She
just sees the ball, and she wants
it."
It's the effect Hyrne's pres-
ence has on her teammates that
prompted Anderson to give her
captain status this year.
"Maybe she's not the most out-
spoken leader, but she leads by
integrity," Anderson said. "She
makes everyone around her bet-
ter."