8E - Tuesday, September 6, 2011 NEW STUDENT EDITION The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Rivals in the Spotlght \\9 P _ FILE PHOTO Botterman closes out spectacular senior season N \( a By MATT SPELICH Daily Sports Writer April 17, 2011 - At the begin- ning of the season, one name was associated with Michigan wom- en's gymnastics. By the end of the season, that same name has become synonymous with NCAA women's gymnastics. That name is Kylee Botterman. Botterman, Michigan's cap- tain and All-Around sensation, completed her senior season with the highest accolades that can be awarded to an NCAA ath- lete. Amongher individual achieve- ments, Botterman has been named the Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, NCAA All-Around Champion and the 2011 AAI Award winner for the top gym- nast in the NCAA. She is also the front-runner for the prestigious Honda Award, decided on April 22nd. With all the individual atten- tion, Botterman attributes her success to one thing - confi- dence. "I don't think I'm the most tal- ented gymnast in the country," she said. "But I am confident. I believe in what I'm going to do before I get on the apparatus, and that's something most peo- ple struggle with. I really value self-confidence and the men- tal aspects of gymnastics and I think my mental strength has led to a successful career." In the moments leading up to her final team competition, while she was dancing through her floor routine, Botterman was almost moved to tears. "In the middle of my routine I almost started to cry," Botter- man said. "I was like, 'This is my last competition.' And while all the girls were lined up along the side I started to say, 'I love gym- nastics guys, I just love it,' and they all just started making fun of me. It was kind of a cheese ball thing to do, but I'm really going to miss these moments." After the Wolverines finished last at the NCAA Super Six this past weekend, Michigan coach Bev Plocki could do nothing but smile when commenting on Bot- terman and her career in Ann Arbor. "(Botterman) has been the heart and soul of our program," Plocki said. "This season was an unbelievable season for her. She missed one routine the entire year, which is unheard of ... To say that we're going to miss her next year is really an understate- ment. She's a very special ath- lete, and more importantly a very special person." While many would assume an athlete with Botterman's abil- ity and love for her sport would have aspirations to compete at the next level, this will actually be her final year of competition. Instead she is focused on graduation and on her wedding to former Michigan hockey star Chad Kolarik. The Wolverine power couple has finally set the date - August5. Botterman has become a name synonymous with many words, but she has always been a woman of very few. She summed up the end of her career in one sentence. "The ride has been fun, but bittersweet now that it's done," Botterman said. The Ohio State University In the spring of 1835, angry men from Michigan and Ohio lined up on opposite sides of the Maumee River. Taunts were made, and feelings got hurt. This conflict, known as the "Toledo War," was a prelude to a bitter battle beginning in 1897, when blue- and scarlet-blooded college men started to anually face off on the gridiron to take out their ancestral indignation. Bo Schembechler. Woody Hayes. Charles Woodson. Archie Griffin. These are names in a long line of war heroes on both sides who have made the contest into what ESPN has called "The Great Rivalry in All of Sports." Around here, it's known simply as "The Game:' While the past decade was dominated by a juggernaut Ohio State pro- gram, change is in the air. New Michigan coach Brady Hoke (not to mention a competent defensive coor- dinator) has come. Michigan quarterback and reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Denard Robinson is staying. Former Ohio State coach Jim Tressel (and his Wolverine kryptonite) is gone. Better yet, the scandal caused by former Buckeye quarterback Terelle Pryor has left Ohio State interim head coach Luke Fickell in quite a pickle. Could this year finally be the year Michigan snaps the seven-game losing streak against Ohio State? Nobody knows, but on November 26, everyone will be watching when the two teams lay out 114 years' worth of good old- fashioned hate at Michigan Stadium. - HEIKO YANG Michigan State University There's no love lost between Michigan and Michigan State, and the battle for in- state supremacy between the rivals never fails to produce big moments. In front of a world-record-setting cro hockey game, the Wolverin Spartans in Ann Arbor at T at the Big House. With 110, roaring, Michigan blanked 5-0 behind spectacular pla defenseman Jon Merrill an Carl Hagelin, each of whor The dominating perforn football team's loss to the S October. In what started a, streak, Michigan State shre verines' abysmal defense ii For the first time in 14 year basketball team won a gam Center, ending a six-gamel They later capped off their with their first series swee in 14 years. Notre D The Wolverines have be Irish ever since Fielding Y Bend, Ind. pit stop in 1887 Michigan football team th Dame how to play football ignited one of college foot: toric rivalries. The Wolver lead the all-time series 22- matchup won't be just ano scoreboard. Sept. 10 welco ing Irish back to Michigan Arbor's first night game in history. At this historic gan coach Brady Hoke will loot wings - winged helmet, th rousing chorus of "The Vic The Wolverines have no toric matchups against the Fighting Irish on the gridiron, but on the ice as well. There is not so much a division rivalry between Michigan and Notre Dame when it comes to wd for an ice college hockey, but instead a new spirit of aes took on the competition that overcomes the two teams 'he Big Chill when they hit the ice to play. In the 2010-11 .000-plus fans season, the Wolverines edged out the Irish the Spartans by just two points at the end of CCHA con- y from freshman ference play. Notre Dame's hockey success d senior forward has been heightened within the past decade m had two goals. under the leadership of coach Jeff Jackson. sance avenged the Jackson has already led Notre Dame to a Spartans in early 116-65-22 record, earning the Irish two three-game losing conference championships and two regular- edded the Wol- season championships in just the past five n a 34-17 victory. years. Notre Dame also clinched their sec- 's, Michigan's ond bid to the Frozen Four this past season e at the Breslin with a win over New Hampshire. losing streak. Yost and Knute Rockne. The feelings 'Big Ten schedule between these two coaches can only be p of the Spartans described through their decade-long feud - one of the bitterest the game of football has STEVEN BRAID ever known. Each led an unbeatable team, and it was Yost who pushed for Notre Dame to not be included in the Big Ten. Several ame years later, Michigan coach Fitz Crisler con- tinued to boycott the Irish, denying Notre en fighting the Dame coach Frank Leahy any matchup ost took a South between the two powerhouses. After 1943, Yost and the the Wolverines wouldn't see another Irish- en taught Notre man on the field for 35 years. Then there and consequently was Bo. Michigan coach Bo Schembeehler ball's most his- worked with Notre Dame head coach Lou ines currently Holtz back at Ohio State and reestablished 15-1, but the 2011 a relationship between the two schools. But ther tally on the by the end of his career, Bo saw the tension mes the Fight- between the Wolverines and Irish, and of- Stadium for Ann fered a few words of advice - 'To hell with Michigan football Notre Dame:' Fast-forward 100 years from ne, Michigan Yost's days on the gridiron, and the power k to earn his of Fielding Yost's and Knute Rockne's feud at is - and a still stands, this time seeping through each tors." school's fans. I 4 I t only had his- - EMILY BONCHI Blue's season comes to a disappointing end against Penn State A,-Slice o ChICC)qG, Ann ApLcr!! ?., House ^i0 ice 19 By DANIEL WASSERMAN Daily Sports Writer May 21, 2011 - In what has become a theme of the season, Michigan fell just short. The Wolverines broke a scoreless tie in the fourth to take a 2-0 lead over Penn State, but the Nittany Lions broke it open with a six-run fifth and hung on to win, 11-8. Fifth-year senior Matt Gerbe started Senior Day, going 4.1 innings and striking out a career-high five in the loss. Michigan (7-16 Big Ten, 17-37 overall) managed 11 hits and benefited from five Penn State errors, but left 13 run- ners on base - a problem that has plagued the Wolverines all year. Penn State (12-12, 32-20) scored in four of the last five innings, scrapping out 13 hits off six Michigan pitchers. 4 The Wolverines made things interesting in the eighth, scoring five runs to make it a two-run ballgame, but couldn't find the equal- izer with the go-ahead run at the plate. The Nittany Lions learned in the third inning that they had clinched the final spot in the Big Ten Tournament thanks to an Indiana loss. Having already been elimi- nated from postseason play, Michigan's season comes to a disappointing end. CAN YOU WRITE LIKE DENARD RUNS? Come to one of the The Michigan Daily's mass meetings at 7:30 p.m. on Sept. 12,13, 18 or 20 at 420 Maynard St. e Until then, follow @michdailysports I on Twitter!