Scholar Stories: Schulz Sets, Exceeds Lofty Early Goal to Succeed at Michigan
5/24/2023 10:00:00 AM | Women's Golf, Features
Continuing the series that began in 2016-17, each Wednesday MGoBlue.com will highlight a Michigan student-athlete and their academic pursuits. These are our Scholar-Athlete Stories, presented by Absopure.
By Ben Metcalf
From a young age, Mikaela Schulz had bold aspirations for her golf career.
"I remember my mom telling me a story of when I was in fifth grade and apparently I told my teacher that I was going to play golf at the University of Michigan," she said. "I'd always had my hopes and dreams of playing golf at a high level."
Schulz's ambition stemmed from a long lineage of successful female golfers in her family. Her mother, Rachel (Krickstein), played golf at U-M in 1982 and 1983. Schulz's cousins, Morgan and Madison Pressel, played professionally in the LPGA and the Symetra Tour, respectively.Â
Eventually, after a successful career at West Bloomfield (Mich.) High School, Schulz's goal was realized.
"It was a really cool opportunity when I accepted a spot on the University of Michigan golf team," she said. "I still remember where I was in the car when I got a call from my coach saying that they'd offered me a spot. I was just so elated."
After four years at her dream school, Schulz graduated from the School of Literature, Science, and the Arts this spring, majoring in biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience, while earning minors in both environment and entrepreneurship.
The biopsychology, cognition, and neuroscience program integrates several natural science components into the overall study of behavioral psychology. Schulz chose the major because of her initial interest in science and mathematics.
"From high school, I was really interested in math and science, basically anything STEM-related," she said. "So I was just trying to find something that fit with those interests."
After initially considering studying neuroscience, Schulz decided to study BCN to better suit her athletic career. However, this decision opened up opportunities for additional academic pursuits.
Meanwhile, Schulz's environment minor came as a matter of convenience, as she realized that her elective choices had nearly earned the minor. Schulz was able to fulfill all of the requirements by taking just one class outside of her existing plan of study.
Schulz was inspired to earn an entrepreneurship minor by one of her teammates, and she appreciated learning about what it takes to start a business.
"I just really enjoyed the mindset of what it's like to be an entrepreneur," she said. "I personally want to have more of an entrepreneurial lifestyle, so I think that it was really beneficial allowing myself to learn about entrepreneurship."
In addition to her studies, Schulz worked as a research assistant on the Backpack study at Michigan Medicine's Back and Pain Center, where she helped analyze which treatment methods worked best for patients with chronic lower-back pain.
She learned about the research opportunity through Dr. Afton Hassett, an associate professor in the department of anesthesiology and the principal investigator of the Backpack study. Schulz took Hassett's positive psychology class her freshman year, and after reconnecting with Hassett as a senior, she took the opportunity to assist with data management in the study.
Throughout her career, Schulz received high praise for her efforts in the classroom. She earned a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar award in 2021, as well as Academic All-Big Ten honors in both 2021 and 2022. Schulz also was named a Women's Golf Coaches Association All-America Scholar in 2020 and 2021, becoming just the fourth Wolverine in program history to earn the award multiple times.
Schulz's academic achievements have accompanied an outstanding career on the course. Schulz led the Wolverines to their first Big Ten Championship in 2022, a year in which she was named All-Big Ten second team. Additionally, Schulz finished as an individual medalist twice in her career -- in her first career event at the Shirley Spork Invitational (2019) and at the Wolverine Invitational (2021). She earned Big Ten Golfer of the Week honors after both medals.
Next year, Schulz will return to Michigan to compete in her fifth season with the U-M women's golf program, gaining the extra year of eligibility due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
She will also work towards earning a master's degree in social work.
"I really value giving back and being of service," Schulz said. "I took my first social work class this semester and I really loved it. I think it's going to be a really cool realm for me to explore."
After Michigan, Schulz will look forward to qualifying school to begin her professional golf career. The LPGA qualifying school is a multi-stage series of tournaments that grants a select group of top finishers tournament division membership to the LPGA tour.
Schulz also has interest in earning certification as a yoga instructor.
"I'm really interested in yoga and mindfulness," she said. "It'd be cool to be a yoga teacher or do something in that realm as well."
Schulz set high expectations for herself at an early stage in her life. With an extensive education, substantial research experience and a distinguished golf career, Schulz has surpassed expectations on and off the course.
Players Mentioned
