4
8A -- Thursday, February 14, 2008
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Heptathlete Shotwell vaults
into school record books
By MACKENZIE MELVIN
Daily Sports Writer
Every day, sophomore Frank
Shotwell runs full speed at a 12-
foot high bar, uses a pole to propel
his body over it, and drops onto a
cushion below.
It sounds terrifying to most
people, but Shotwell and the
Michigan men's track and field
teamrely on his pole-vaulting, one
of seven events in the heptathlon,
to win competitions.
"I was a little scared at first,
running down the runway," Sho-
twell said. "Just going up in the
air and not knowing where you're
going to land is a little scary."
In high school, Shotwell was a
natural in the hurdles, had good
speed for the sprints and even
tried some of the throwing events.
The pole vault didn't come so eas-
ily.
"It took agood year to learn how
tovault," Shotwell said. "That was
one of the events that gave me the
most trouble."
All facets of track and field are
tested within the heptathlon. Pole
vaulting, high jump, long jump
and shot put fulfill the field por-
tion. The 60-meter dash and the
1,000-meter run test an athlete's
speed and the 60-meter hurdles
their agility.
Shotwell competed in the hep-
tathlon for
the first time
this season
at the Akron
Open on Feb.
2.
He placed
in the top
three in all
seven events,
earning first
place in the
60-meter
hurdles and
second place
the pole
vault.
His over-
YEAR: Soph.
HOMETOWN:
Medina, Ohio
EVENT:
Heptathlon,
decathlon
mance," Michigan coach Ron
Warhurst said. "He might get us
to Nationals."
Shotwell's mark was a provi-
sional qualifying score, making
him eligible for the NCAA Indoor
Championships. It also earned
him his first Big Ten Field Athlete
of the Week award.
But breaking the heptathlon
record is just the beginning for
Shotwell. When he first came to
Michigan, Shotwell sat down with
coaches and discussed his goals.
They all decided that by gradu-
ation he could break both the
indoor heptathlon and outdoor
decathlon reco-ds.
High hopes for last season
were crushed when he sprained
his ankle in practice a few weeks
before Big Ten Outdoor Champi-
onships.
Shotwell hopes a healthy ankle
will make the difference this year.
Aside from breaking records,
He wants to win the heptathlon
and the decathlon at the Big Ten
Championships this season.
If Shotwell avoids injury, it's
the competition that should be
scared these days.
FOOTBALL
From page 5A
what I have to adapt to yet."
The wide-open nature of next
year's team hasled some to question
how well Michigan will play out of
the gate.
ESPN analyst Kirk Herbstrhit,
an Ohio State graduate, predicted
Michigan would be 6-6 next season.
But Rodriguez responded to
the predictions the same way he
answered questions abouthis tumul-
tuous relationship with West Virgin-
ia - by deflecting them.
"Nah, I hadn't heard him say that,"
Rodriguez responded. "He won't be
the first guy to make a prediction,
and he won't be the last."
He paused for a second, then
smirked.
"Where'd he go to school?" he
asked.
SPEED IS TOP PRIORITY: Rodri-
guez challenged the stereotype of
WILDCATSr
From page_5A
ern (11 points and four rebounds).
And again, on Jan. 6, Queen
helped spark the decisive 14-2N
second-half run that catapultedc
the Wolverines to victory over
the Wildcats. She scored a career-E
high 12 points, 10 of them during1
the run.
Queen is also happy to play at
Northwestern because it affords
the Oak Forest, Ill., native at
chance to see her family and
friends.i
Her hometown is an hour away
from Evanston, and she expectst
about 20 family members and
friends to attend the game. T
"My spirits are up when I seet
the Big Ten as a slow conferen
with big, strong players - and sa
Michigan will be quick to set a hi
standard.
On Signing Day, Rodriguez nam
runningback/receiverTerrenceRo
inson as an example of a fast athle
at an offensive skill position, whi
cornerback Boubacar Cissoko ru:
the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.
And he said Michael Shaw, a ru
ning back from Trotwood, Ohio, w
"one of the fastest prep players intl
country."
Strength and conditioning coa
Mike Barwis will assist with spec
training, and the increased emphas
on speed won't just be limited to t
incoming recruits.
"I like guys that can run at<
positions, even the kicker," Rodi
guez said.
"I've been getting on Zolt,
[Mesko], our punter. He's committ
to do it. 'Coach, I'm going to be ab
to run as fast as anybody you've go
I don't know."
my family," Queen said. "I'm very
excited, just happy to see my fam-
ily because I know that they don't
come outa lot (to Michigan)."
With the support of her family,
Queen will look to help the Wol-
verines prove they can win games
on the road.
Michigan has just one confer-
ence road victory, and with three
left on the schedule, it must take
advantage against the struggling
Wildcats.
"Yeah, there's some talk (about
the postseason)," Queen said. "But
it's all talk. And we have to prove
it out on the court."
Michigan can't let Thursday's
contest sneak up, either. The
Wolverines could easily look past
Northwestern, especially because
they play Sunday at Indiana, a
ce WRIGHT
id
gh From page 5A
ed sive abilities so much he
b- opted to sit Sims offense in
te favor of Wright's defense
le for the final moments of the
ns Wolverines' 65-55 loss to
Ohio State.
n- "I play defense for
as the team and not just for
he myself," Wright said. "I just
try and be in the right place
ch helping (or) trying to take a
ed charge."
is In a season in which not
he much has gone right for
Michigan, Wright is a sign
all of progress for the pro-
i- gram.
And while the music
an he listens to before games
ed remains obscure, Wright's
le name will soon be known
t.' well beyond the Chesa-
peake region.
team just above Michigan in the
Big Ten standings.
r But with the postseason a
possibility, the Wolverines are
going to come out hungry - espe-
cially seniors Krista Clement
and Janelle Cooper, who haven't
played postseason basketball
since high school.
"They are hunting for us,"
said Queen, reiterating Bors-
eth's thoughts on Northwestern.
"They know that we have trouble
on road games. They know what
to expect. And we know what to
expect, too."
Over the final three weeks,
the Wolverines will go through
uncharted territory for Michigan
women's basketball team.
And it all starts tonight at
Northwestern.
all score of
5,525 points gave him a first place
finish and a new Michigan hep-
tathlon record. Sean Clancy had
owned the record since 1995, until
Shotwell shattered the mark by
217 points.
"That was a fantastic perfor-
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