The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Sports
Wednesday, January 18, 2017 — 7A
Zach Nagelvoort organizes book drive to benefit local students
Forty-two days from now, it
will officially be March — or
as grade school students know
it, National Reading Month. All
across the country, schools are
dedicating the entire month to
providing quality reading time
to students, regardless of the
school they go to. It’s an annual
educational tradition.
But for Martin Luther King
Jr. Education Center Academy
in Detroit, things will be a little
different this year.
A
public
charter
school
located
37
miles
from
the
University of Michigan, MLK
Education Center Academy is an
institution that caters to around
400 students in kindergarten
and up. It’s a school that
also
offers
early
childhood
programs, and a school looking
for
additional
resources
to
compliment all 400 students’
educations — a school that could
greatly benefit from donated
books for this year’s National
Reading Month.
Enter Michigan hockey senior
goaltender Zach Nagelvoort.
Nagelvoort, with the help of
his friend Katie Stepnitz, has
streamlined the organization of
a book drive put forward by the
Michigan hockey community
for
MLK
Education
Center
Academy. Last year, Stepnitz —
a first-year teaching assistant
at the time — asked Nagelvoort
to read at a school where
she
was
assistant
teaching.
Nagelvoort brought along a few
teammates — senior forwards
Justin Selman and Cristoval
‘Boo’ Nieves and current junior
forward Tony Calderone — and
casually stepped in to read to
the children.
Afterwards, Nagelvoort and
Stepnitz looked to transform
the one-time experience into a
regular reading program. But
it wasn’t as easy as it initially
seemed.
“We had this idea, ‘Why don’t
we make this a regular thing?’,”
Nagelvoort said. “She’s now
teaching at Logan Elementary
in Ann Arbor, and we thought —
we didn’t know at the time — we
thought, ‘Whatever school she
goes to, we’ll set up a reading
program, we’ll come in and
read.’ We tried
to start doing
that and then
we
realized
it
was
going
to be way too
much work to
do in one year,
so what could
we do to help
impact a school
around
us?
Let’s do a book
drive.”
So the search began for a
school that could genuinely
benefit
from
their
support.
Stepnitz reached out to some
fellow
student-teaching
assistants, and the duo was
ultimately set up with a visit
to the MLK Education Center
Academy. And after touring
the school, meeting with the
principle and spending time
with a classroom of students,
there was no doubt that it was
the perfect school for the book
drive.
While
the
administrators
of
the
school
were
proud,
the
students’
enthusiasm really
sealed the deal for
Nagelvoort
and
Stepnitz.
They
began
planning
the book drive,
but
Nagelvoort
brought
it
to
another level. He pitched the
idea to the Michigan hockey
coaches,
and
the
ensuing
support from the staff of the
entire program has now resulted
in a full-scale book drive.
The book drive will start as
early as Wednesday, with boxes
located at Yost Ice Arena and
the Stephen M. Ross Academic
Center. Anyone is encouraged
to drop off books, and while
new books are appreciated,
they aren’t required. Nagelvoort
plans to donate books
from his childhood,
and
hopes
many
others will do the
same.
The
ultimate
goal
is
to
collect
500 donated books
by February 4th so
that
they
can
all
be delivered by the
start
of
National
Reading Month. But
Nagelvoort believes
the Michigan community can do
even better.
“If we get 500 books, I’m
going to be thrilled — I think we
can do more than that, I think
Michigan can do a lot more
than that …. The platform that
we have here at Michigan as
student athletes, and as students
in
general,
but
particularly
as student athletes, I don’t
think is used nearly enough,”
Nagelvoort said. “And that’s
part of my motivation at the end
of last year,
when Katie
reached out
to me about
reading,
I
was
like,
‘That’s
awesome.’
“I
have
tried to get
as
involved
as
I
can
in
things,
going out to
(C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital)
on
Thursdays
and
working
with Athletes for Community
Transformation. But I didn’t
feel like I was doing enough
with the platform I had, and
like I said, here at Michigan,
athletes are great about doing it,
but we can never do it enough.
There’s never a limit. That’s
kind of what motivated me to
get out and make this happen.”
The
amount
of
work
Nagelvoort and Stepnitz have
put into organizing the book
drive goes beyond what typical
college athletes tend to do. In
addition to schoolwork and
a Big Ten hockey schedule,
Nagelvoort has now added a
new slew of responsibilities to
his to-do list.
But he doesn’t see it that
way. Instead of watching NHL
highlights while relaxing in
the evenings, he’s organizing
social
media
content
and
scheduling with Stepnitz. He
even sent out an email to other
student athletes asking for their
participation, and is looking to
start a group that will attend
readings with students once a
month.
He’s also hoping that this
experience will make such an
impression on fellow student
athletes that they will keep
the tradition going after he
graduates.
For fellow goaltender and
freshman
Jack
LaFontaine,
none of Nagelvoort’s actions in
the book drive surprised him.
“Honestly, the type of guy
(Nagelvoort)
is,
it
doesn’t
surprise me,” LaFontaine said.
“He’s just a very sympathetic
young man, and I think he holds
a lot of integrity. Just doing
something
like
this
doesn’t
surprise me at all.
“I don’t know how he does
it. Between hockey, school and
now this book drive, it’s pretty
crazy. But he puts 110 percent
into everything he does, he’s a
very passionate guy and I know
he’s going to do this book drive
to the fullest of his abilities.
It’s probably going to be very
successful, so fingers crossed.”
The book drive will extend
until
February
4th,
when
Michigan plays in a two-game
series against Ohio State at Yost
Ice Arena.
ZOEY HOLMSTROM/Daily
Senior goaltender Zach Nagelvoort has partnered with MLK Education Center Academy to provide books for children during National Reading Month in March.
Wolverines off to strong conference start
Five games into Big Ten
play, the Michigan women’s
basketball team has lost only
once — against Ohio State on
Jan 7.
The Wolverines are ranked
third in the conference, with the
Buckeyes and No. 3 Maryland
— according to both the AP Poll
and the USA Today Coaches
Poll — notching second and
first,
respectively.
Michigan,
Northwestern
and
Michigan
State have received votes in the
USA Today Coaches Poll, too.
Though Michigan (4-1 Big
Ten, 15-4 overall) isn’t having
an
unprecedented
start
to
conference play, it is shaping up
to be one of the most competitive
rosters the Wolverines have
recently seen. Hopes were high
after last year’s performance,
but Michigan did not receive a
bid to the NCAA Tournament
and instead headed to the WNIT
for the third season in a row.
This year, the Wolverines
are determined to fight their
way to a — rightful — position
in the NCAA Tournament, and
the next stop on the road to
redemption is an away game at
Maryland on Thursday.
“(Maryland’s)
a
great
program,” said Michigan coach
Kim Barnes Arico after Sunday’s
win against Minnesota. “One
of the top programs in the
country. We’re going to go in
with nothing to lose. We’ve
played them in some real tough
games in the last couple of years.
I think we have a certain level of
confidence.”
But
even
without
an
upset against Maryland, the
Wolverines are on their way
to
a
substantial
season
if
powerhouses sophomore center
Hallie Thome and junior guard
Katelynn Flaherty continue to
dominate the court.
Thome and Flaherty have
been consistent starters, along
with
junior
guard
Jillian
Dunston and senior guard Siera
Thompson. Pushing her way
into the lineup this season has
been freshman guard Kysre
Gondrezick — who’s been named
Big Ten Freshman of the Week
three times — who typically
trails just Thome and Flaherty
in points per game.
The Big Ten season isn’t even
halfway over, but the conference
is turning into a battle with few
wildcards. The Daily breaks down
the most threatening upcoming
competition for Michigan.
No. 3 Maryland (5-0, 17-1)
Terrapin coach Brenda Frese
recently earned her 50th Big
Ten victory against Iowa on Jan
14. It was just her 57th career
conference game, earning her
the title of third-fastest coach
to win that many games in
conference history.
Adding to the impressive
team is senior center Brionna
Jones, who was just named the
espnW and USBWA National
Player of the Week —as well as
being named the Big Ten Player
of the Week for the third time
this season. Jones averaged
33.5 points and 12.5 rebounds
per game with a .727 field-goal
percentage and two double-
doubles over the past two games.
Though
Maryland
seems
slightly invincible, they aren’t
undefeated
—
though
the
loss was to No.1 University of
Connecticut. What the game
does
show,
though,
is
the
Terrapins’ vulnerability once
their
shooting
percentage
dips. If Michigan can promote
its presence on defense, the
Wolverines could pull this one
out.
Northwestern (3-2, 14-4)
The Wildcats are grappling
with the death of one of their
teammates, Jordan Hankins,
who passed away a week ago. In
Northwestern’s first game back
after the shock, they fought hard
against Indiana and walked
away with an emotional 80-67
win.
Guard Nia Coffey has notched
10 double doubles this year
— second in the Big Ten and
12th in the nation. Supporting
Northwestern is guard Ashley
Dreary who broke the Big Ten
all-time steals record on Jan. 3
against Ohio. In total, Dreary
holds 383 — something the
Wolverines will need to be
wary of in their contest with
the Wildcats at the end of the
month.
Michigan State (3-2, 13-5)
Adding
to
the
turbulent
turn of events for certain Big
Ten teams, Spartan’s coach
Suzy Merchant announced on
Tuesday that she will be taking
a medical leave of absence after
Saturday’s game at Rutgers. Her
symptoms were similar to the
ones she had on Jan. 1, when she
collapsed during a home game
against Illinois.
The coach’s record is 116-13
when reaching at least 70 points
in a game.
Michigan will have to defend
against the Spartans reaching
this marker. Michigan State
will lead the charge with guard
Tori Jankoska, who is just 127
points away from becoming the
first Spartan player to reach the
2,000-point mark in program
history.
EMMA RICHTER/Daily
Senior guard Siera Thompson and the Wolverines are playing their way into the NCAA Tournament conversation.
LANEY BYLER
Daily Sports Editor
I think
Michigan can
do a lot more
than that
It’s probably
going to be very
successful, so
fingers crossed
SYLVANNA GROSS
Daily Sports Editor
Massa dominates again
Maryland’s Josh Ulgade found
himself on the ground, clutching
his left knee and desperately
attempting to catch his breath
in a match against Michigan
redshirt freshman Logan Massa.
But against the mercilessness
of the country’s second-ranked
wrestler in the 165-pound weight
class, those recovery attempts
proved to be futile as Massa
completed seven takedowns to
win by a technical fall, 20-5.
It was the 17th consecutive win
for the Wolverine, continuing his
undefeated streak for the season
thus far.
“He just stalks his opponents,”
said Michigan head coach Joe
McFarland. “He goes out there
with the thought that he’s going
to dominate these guys. You can
just see how hard he competes
when he’s out there — I mean
he wrestles every second. He’s
constantly
thinking
about
scoring that next point.”
And
true
to
his
coach’s
words, Massa completed three
takedowns in the third period via
ankle picks, singles and doubles
to earn five team points for
Michigan.
“He didn’t want to tie up with
me. He wanted to wrestle me
from space,” Massa said. “I knew
he couldn’t hand fight, and he
wanted to keep away and get in
shots from space. So if I could get
in ties with him, I knew I could
score from there.”
After the Wolverines forfeited
the 125-pound class due to
injuries,
Massa
watched
as
his team trailed the Terrapins
heading into the locker room,
before they took a four-point
lead heading into his 165-pound
match — the last of the night.
With a possible six-points on the
line, the overall result of the dual
was still undecided before Massa
hit the mat.
But
the
wrestler
was
unaffected by the pressure of
the meet’s results resting on
his shoulders. He entered his
normal routine prior to his
match, bouncing up and down on
Michigan’s sideline with a stern
demeanor and Drake streaming
through his headphones.
“I just go out there and wrestle
every match — I don’t think about
that,” he said. “Obviously, if you
need to get the pin, you need to
get the pin. But that’s what you
go for every match, so you just go
out there and wrestle and score
as many points as possible.”
Coming off a decisive loss to
Iowa to open 2017, Massa and the
Wolverines earned a confidence
boost with its 25-16 victory over
Maryland before heading to
Lincoln for a dual against No. 6
Nebraska.
WRESTLING
MARK CALCAGNO
Daily Sports Writer
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com