In an otherwise deserted Weidenbach Hall, the field hockey team
sat awaiting its fate. To pass the time, the Wolverines filled out
brackets indicating their predictions for the NCAA Tournament.

But senior captain Kristi Gannon did not complete hers. Instead,
she etched one simple sentence at the bottom of her page.

“All I wrote was, ‘I just want to play,’
” Gannon said.

The defender, who last week was named Big Ten Player of the Year
for the second consecutive season, will get exactly what she asked
for. She and her team will head up to East Lansing on Saturday
morning to take on No. 4 North Carolina in the first round of the
NCAA Tournament.

After getting knocked out of the Big Ten Tournament surprisingly
early by Penn State, Gannon felt a bit anxious prior to the
announcement that Michigan would have the chance to play.

“I was more nervous about (if) we’d get in because
there’s always a chance that you don’t get in if you
don’t win the (conference) tournament,” Gannon
said.

Now that she has that preoccupation out of the way, Gannon can
concentrate on what she does best; she wants to help her team
shine.

This year marked her fourth assignment to the First Team All-Big
Ten roster. She is only the third athlete in the history of Big Ten
field hockey to accomplish this feat. Although Gannon is a
defender, she is third on her team in points, with 20. Last season,
she received the Player’s Player Award, which is voted on by
the team and awarded to the player who best exemplifies what it
means to be a Michigan field hockey player. The list of
accomplishments goes on and on.

Despite her standout status, impressive stats and litany of
accolades, Gannon maintains a selfless attitude.

“We’re all about teamwork, all about working
together and being team players, and I think that’s our main
goal as Michigan field hockey players,” Gannon said.
“It’s not the big superstars on the team that make the
difference; it’s playing together as a unit.”

Her current black eye is a testament to her toughness and
altruistic attitude, a vivid illustration of her character in the
world of field hockey and beyond.

“I think what’s been really neat was to watch is how
she’s grown as a young woman off the field into a really nice
leader and a confident young woman,” coach Marcia Pankratz
said.

The Wolverines will likely need Gannon’s leadership to get
them through this first, trying weekend of the NCAA Tournament. If
her track record is an indicator of future success, and Pankratz
believes it is, the captain will be ready to get the show on the
road on Saturday. Her coach has the utmost confidence in
Gannon.

“She can do it all, and that’s why she’s our
captain, and our leader,” Pankratz said. “She’s
an exceptional player.”

Then, with a grin, Pankratz added: “I’m just glad we
have her for two more weeks.”