Rankin Received Good Advice Prior to Coming to Michigan
10/2/2019 5:59:00 PM | Water Polo, Features
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The small water polo community helped freshman Anne Rankin familiarize herself with the University of Michigan before stepping foot on campus at the end of August.
Rankin knew her teammate and freshman roommate Sophie Tovani from an Olympic Development Program (ODP) camp in seventh grade. She played on the same summer team as two future teammates from her hometown (Newport Beach, California), Ella Abbott and Carter Britt, and was coached her senior year at Newport Harbor high school by former Wolverine Christina O'Beck '18.Â
Rankin met head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi her seventh grade year at the very same ODP camp in Colorado where she met Tovani. When it came time to look at colleges, Rankin had a tough choice between Michigan, UCLA and UC Santa Barbara -- the school where her brother, John, is a member of the water polo team and her parents, Mike (water polo) and Shelly (cross country), were student-athletes.
"I just based my decision off of my official visits and the feelings I got from those," said Rankin. "When I was here, I loved the team and I could really picture myself here."
When O'Beck found out that Rankin was going to be a Wolverine, she was thrilled for her.
"I was extremely excited to see another Newport girl heading to the Midwest," said O'Beck. "Especially someone like Anne; she has drive, a good work ethic and a passion not just for the sport but for contributing and being a part of a team. I know she will do really well there in all aspects."
Over the summer, the two bonded and talked a lot about Michigan. They would do swim sets and then go to lunch. O'Beck became a valuable resource for Rankin as she prepared to move outside of Newport Beach for the first time in her life.
"I would talk to her about everything," said Rankin. "We swam together over the summer to get me in shape a little bit, and she gave me very useful advice that I always keep in the back of my mind. It was really nice to have her as a resource because she was super helpful."
O'Beck was among the freshmen at Michigan when Leonardi took over as head coach. She made progress each year as a student-athlete and became a valuable player off the bench as a senior. The one piece of advice she emphasized the most was building relationships, and that stuck with Rankin.
"She told me to build relationships, not just with the coaching staff but with everyone who is trying to help you be the best student-athlete possible," said Rankin. "That is probably the most significant thing that she told me."
Michigan student-athletes are provided with academic tutors and support services, dietitians, state-of-the-art strength and conditioning facilities, preventive and recovery athletic training, mental health counseling and so much more. Those resources are designed to help optimize performance in the classroom and in sport.
"I emphasized the countless resources Michigan has to offer and that she should put a premium on utilizing them from the get-go," said O'Beck. "I encouraged her to not take one minute for granted because the amazing and special experience of not just attending this school, but having the privilege of representing it in athletics as well, goes by in the blink of an eye."
Rankin listened intently to every word and already has tried to soak in everything during her first month of college.
"I'm still trying to take it minute by minute, day by day, and just trying to grasp that I'm here," said Rankin. "Christina told me it was the best time of her life and that it went by so fast. Hopefully, it doesn't go by too fast."
Rankin is enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts and is unsure of what she wants to major in at this time. For now, she is just trying to build relationships and enjoy her college experience.
