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Thursday, June 14, 2018
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS

When you think of an All-
American 
track 
and 
field 
athlete, what comes to mind?
Is it someone who has spent 
their entire life committed to 
perfecting their craft? Early 
mornings and late nights spent 
on the track, crafting the 
perfect training routine? What 
if it was someone who hadn’t 
competed on a track throughout 
their entire high school career?
Well, that is the legend of 
Claire Borchers.
The senior opted to play 
soccer in high school rather 
than compete in track and field, 
only running in the fall for her 
cross country squad. While her 
peers were becoming nationally 
recognized 
track 
stars, 
Borchers was trading in spikes 
for cleats and running around 
chasing a soccer ball.
But at the NCAA Outdoor 
Championships, none of that 
mattered. As she rounded the 
last lap of the 3000-meter 
steeplechase, Borchers reached 
deep and tapped every last drop 
of fuel she had left in the tank.
For most of the race, Borchers 
was solidly positioned at the 
back of the pack, not wanting to 
exert any unnecessary energy 
too early in the contest. She 
played to her strengths and 
waited for her moment to strike. 
As she entered the final lap, the 
senior was sitting in seventh 
place, narrowly in contention 

for All-American honors as the 
top-eight finishers earn the 
title.
Knowing the glory that comes 
with a late-race surge, Borchers 
saw her collegiate career flash 
before her eyes before turning 
on the burners. She advanced 
an additional two spots before 
entering into the final stretch 
of the tight race, good for fifth 
in the field.
Then in a desperate battle 
for recognition, glory, fame 
or whatever coveted feeling 
that 
comes 
with 
athletic 
achievement, Borchers surged 
to 
a 
fourth-place 
finish, 
narrowly 
beating 
out 
Val 
Constien of Colorado at the 
finish line.
“I was really zoned in, just 
kinda one straight at a time” 
Borchers told MGoBlue.com. 
“But still I was just realizing 
that I still had something in the 
tank, and that’s one of the best 
feelings that you can have in a 
race. I was definitely stressed, 
physically a bit, but when you 
have that gear it’s fun to just 
channel it.”
After it was all said and done, 
Borchers had run the fastest 
final lap of any athlete in the 
race, topping the field with a 
time of 72.09 seconds and truly 
embodying the ferocious spirit 
that Michigan distance runners 
have come to represent.
It’s no doubt that Borchers 
drew inspiration from 2017’s 
NCAA Outdoor Champion in 
the 1,500-meter — and the 

Wolverines’ 
first 
— 
Jaimie 
Phelan. Through her relentless 
running style and late-race 
power, Phelan reigned supreme 
over her peers and created a 
culture of success at Michigan. 
Phelan has also inspired the 
likes of this year’s NCAA 
Champion 
for 
Michigan 
— 
senior Ben Flanagan.
“I just thought about Jamie 
Phelan for the first part of my 
race,” Borchers said. “I mean, 
I watched that race when she 
sat in the back and had that 
amazing kick, and not that I 
was expecting to have that kind 
of amazing kick, but I knew a lot 
is possible if you can just keep 
your head on your shoulders.”
Also 
competing 
for 
the 
Wolverines in Eugene, Ore. 
were seniors Aaron Howell 
and Haley Meier and fifth-year 
senior Sarah Zieve.
Despite 
displaying 
an 
admirableperformance in the 
heptathlon, 
Howell 
finished 
18th and just 100 points shy of 
All-American honors. While 
her place may not have been 
where she wanted it, Howell 
did add an Honorable Mention 
award and personal bests in the 
javelin throw and 800-meter 
run to her resumé.
As Michigan heads back to 
Ann Arbor to begin preparation 
for next season, it can hold its 
head high. The Wolverines who 
competed left everything on the 
track and can be proud when 
reflecting back on the 2018 
outdoor season.

Borchers earns All-American honors

The 
Michigan 
men’s 
lacrosse team has pegged 
Justin Turri to be its new 
assistant 
coach 
for 
the 
up-and-coming program.
For a team in the process 
of 
laying 
the 
foundation 
to become a powerhouse 
club, 
it 
all 
begins 
with 
personnel. Just a year ago, 
the Wolverines added head 
coach Kevin Conry to their 
roster, stealing him from 
Maryland where he served 
as the Terrapins’ defensive 
coordinator. 
Maryland, 
a 
consistent 
national 
title 
contender, has the pedigree 
of a program that means 
business.
At this point in the process, 
gaining the mindset of a 
title-contending 
program 
is the name of the game 
for Michigan. Once a solid 
coaching and recruiting core 
is established, top talent will 
follow. And with the hiring 
of Turri, the Wolverines 
are a step closer to reaching 
their goals.
“We 
are 
thrilled 
to 
welcome 
Justin 
to 
Michigan,” said Conry of 
Turri’s appointment. “Justin 
has an outstanding track 
record of success and is a 
true up and coming star in 
the coaching world.”
Last season, Turri worked 
as the offensive coordinator 
for Harvard, coaching elite 
collegiate 
talent 
such 
as 
All-American 
and 
All-Ivy 
League star Morgan Cheek. 
With such proximity to high-
productivity players, Turri’s 
experience will greatly aid a 
young Michigan team.
Under 
Turri, 
the 
Crimson’s offense boasted 
the 
28th-ranked 
scoring 
offense 
in 
the 
nation, 
scoring 
10.85 
goals 
per 
game. Harvard’s rank marks 
a 10 spot increase over the 
Wolverines’ offensive unit 
who comes in at 38 with 
10.14 goals per game.
In addition, Turri looks 
to help a Michigan lacrosse 
team that went 8-6, 1-4 in 
Big Ten play and narrowly 
missed 
making 
the 
Big 
Ten 
Tournament. 
The 

Wolverines scored 142 goals 
on 485 shots on goal, good 
for a .293 shot percentage — 
second to last in the Big Ten. 
For a team that drastically 
needs 
to 
improve 
its 
offensive efficiency, Turri 
could prove to be a valued 
offseason acquisition.
Prior 
to 
joining 
the 
Crimson, Turri has worked 
to 
perfect 
the 
craft 
of 
coaching at Army West Point 
and Providence. With the 
Black Knights, Turri helped 
sharpen the team’s faceoff, 
offense and extra-man units 
and worked in a similar 
capacity with the Friars.
Turri’s collegiate lacrosse 
experience truly began as a 
player and four-year starter 
for Duke. Quickly emerging 
as a key member of the team, 
Turri led the Blue Devils to 
a national championship in 
2010 and two ACC titles in 
2009 and 2012.
Furthermore, Turri was 
named a two-time USILA 
All-American and finished a 
dream lacrosse career with 
70 goals and 52 assists. Turri 
has a wealth of knowledge 
when it comes to offensive 
productivity as he can draw 
sage guidance from his days 
as a top-level player or coach.
After 
leaving 
Duke, 
Turri ascended to the pros 
where 
he 
continues 
to 
play at a high level with 
the Boston Cannons. After 
getting 
drafted 
by 
the 
Charlotte Hounds in 2012 
and bouncing around a few 
teams 
in 
Major 
League 
Lacrosse, the midfielder has 
seemingly found a home in 
Boston since he was named 
the team’s MVP for the 2017 
season, notching nine goals 
in eleven games.
While 
balancing 
a 
professional schedule and a 
prominent coaching position 
may seem like a daunting 
task, Turri has proved he 
is up to the challenge after 
carrying 
a 
similar 
load 
the past few seasons with 
Harvard and Army.
For a team with a young 
core and and an exciting new 
coach, Turri could prove 
to be the missing piece to 
finally get Michigan over the 
hump.

JACOB KOPNICK
Summer Managing Sports Editor

JACOB KOPNICK
Summer Managing Sports Editor

MEN’S LACROSSE

ALEC COHEN / DAILY
Senior Claire Borchers owned her last lap in the 300-meter steeplechase and earned All-American honors by placing fourth

Turill hired as asst. coach