ST. PETER, Minn. – Men’s field specialist Michael Hensch (So., North Branch, Minn.) and women’s tennis player Michaela Schulz (Sr., Elk River, Minn.) have been selected as the Gustavus Adolphus College May Male and Female Student-Athletes-of-the-Month, presented by Thrivent Financial and voted on by the Gustavus Sports Information Department.
Michael Hensch
Men’s Track & Field
Hometown: North Branch, Minn.
High School: North Branch
Major: Exercise Physiology
Parents: Dennis and Barb Hensch
Hensch earns his second consecutive Student-Athlete of the Month honor after excelling in the month of May, helping guide the Gusties to a third place finish at the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
At the MIAC Outdoor Championships May 12-13 in St. Paul, Minn., Hensch earned the Outstanding Field Athlete honor after recording a pair of great performances in the hammer and javelin throws. He won the hammer throw with a personal-best and national top-20 heave of 182-8 on Friday prior to setting a Gustavus school record and career-best javelin throw of 206-8, finishing over 20 feet ahead of the runner-up and 25 feet further then his previous personal best throw.
Ranking as the Central Region’s No. 1 javelin thrower, Hensch went on to compete at the NCAA Championships in Geneva, Ohio on May 25. He finished 17th with a heave of 182-10.
Hensch finished his sophomore campaign with a long list of accolades, claiming MIAC titles in both the hammer throw and javelin to earn the league’s Outstanding Field Athlete honor. His javelin toss of 206-8 at the MIAC Championships broke the school record by exactly six feet, which was held by Paul Pehrson since 1990. Hensch also received two USTFCCCA All-Region honors for his performances in the hammer and javelin.
Michaela Schulz
Women’s Tennis
Hometown: Elk River, Minn.
High School: Elk River
Major: Management and Communication Studies
Parents: Rich and Dawn Schulz
Schulz capped her impressive career by contributing to the Gustavus women’s tennis teams’ seventh MIAC Playoff Championship and helped carry the Gusties to their 25th NCAA Tournament appearance. In the month of May, Schulz and the Gusties posted a 4-1 record as they reached the NCAA Tournament Regional Final match for the first time since 2010, ending their season with a 21-8 overall record with the 5-1 loss to the No. 9-ranked University of Chicago.
Competing in the No. 1 singles and doubles position, Schulz went 1-1 in singles play and 4-1 in doubles. Her singles competition was highlighted by posting the clinching point in the 5-2 MIAC Playoff Championship victory over Carleton College, winning 6-4, 6-4 over the No. 16-ranked central regional player in Danielle Vasiliev at the No. 1 spot. Schulz and her doubles partner Ally Baker claimed four victories at the No. 1 position before losing just their sixth match of the season in the regional final against Chicago.
Holding down the No. 1 singles and doubles position all of her four years in Black and Gold, Schulz finished her impressive career 72-44 in singles and 93-27 in doubles for a total of 165 career wins.