Family tradition
Senior Wynn Michalak is one of the most accomplished wrestlers in the history of CMU.
During his first three seasons, he won a trio of Mid-American Conference titles, twice was named MAC Wrestler of the Year, and twice earned All-America honors. He will conclude his collegiate career this spring ranking among the school’s all-time leaders in victories and pins.
Since he began wrestling at age 5, Wynn Michalak has been the most talented athlete virtually every time he has taken the mat. And he didn’t have to look beyond his own parents for role models.
Wynn’s mother, Karen (Karner) Michalak, and his father, Al Michalak, were standout athletes at CMU during the 1970s. Karen has gone into the record books as one of the most exceptional athletes in school history; the three-sport standout was the first woman inducted into the CMU Athletic Hall of Fame and is a member of the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame. Al was a key member of CMU’s track and field program as a thrower.
“I was 4 years old when my mom was inducted into the hall of fame,” Wynn says. “I remember going to the banquet, so from an early age I was aware of what she did here. And I knew my dad was a good athlete as well.”
CMU has been a part of Wynn’s life since childhood. With the family residing in Al’s hometown of Caro, Michigan, the Michalaks have been frequent visitors to campus for as long as Wynn can remember.
“When I was growing up we always came here for football games and other events,” he says. “My family has always been really involved with Central, and it’s been a big part of our lives.”
The Michalaks’ history at CMU dates to 1974, when Karen enrolled at CMU following a decorated athletic career at Bay City Handy High School.
“One thing that really sticks out to me is that you always felt like you were an important part of the campus,” Karen says. “It was a homey feeling. One of the reasons why I enjoyed it so much was that you were not just another person.”
In an era when freshmen were not eligible to compete, Karen earned the maximum three varsity letters in each of the three sports in which she competed – field hockey, basketball, and track and field. Arguably her best sport was field hockey, in which she was selected to the United States national team in 1978. She averaged double figures in scoring in basketball and once held school records in the 400-meter hurdles and high jump.
Her exploits earned her induction into the CMU Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988 and the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 1992.
“It was probably one of the biggest highlights of my life,” Karen says of her induction into the CMU Hall of Fame. “I never expected it. Just to be nominated, I thought, was really something. To be the first woman to be inducted was important to me because I think it laid the foundation for other women to follow. I have always treasured that honor.”
While Karen was piecing together one of the finest overall athletics careers in the history of CMU, Al was leaving his mark on the Chippewas’ track and field program.
Al began his collegiate career at Olivet College with plans to play football. He worked a factory job for a semester before deciding to enroll at CMU and compete in track and field. Al, whose career overlapped with that of 1978 NCAA national indoor champion shot putter Bruno Pauletto, was a point scorer at both the MAC Outdoor Championships and MAC Indoor Championships during his career.
“It was just a fun time, and I got to meet a lot of different people,” says Al of his collegiate career. “Just to be able to be a part of the team and travel everywhere with the team was a big deal to me. We competed at events where I had the opportunity to throw against world-class throwers, and those are some special memories for me.”
When it came time for Wynn to select a college, Karen and Al were careful not to let their feelings for their alma mater play a role in his decision.
“It was completely his idea, but we were really excited when he chose CMU,” Al says. “We went on quite a few visits, but he was really impressed with Coach Borrelli. We tried to stay out of his decision completely.”
Wynn received scholarship offers to compete in both football and wrestling at the collegiate level, and he carefully weighed all of his options before ultimately reaching the same conclusion his parents did 30 years before: that CMU was the right school for him.
“They definitely let me make my own decision on a school and decide where I felt I would be the happiest,” Wynn says. “They never tried to sway me toward CMU. It was more about finding a school that fit with what I wanted to do.”
But everyone in the family benefited when Wynn chose CMU. Al and Karen have had the opportunity to closely follow his collegiate career while also supporting their youngest son, 17-year-old Kellen, an aspiring hockey player.
“We’ve tried to follow Wynn all over during his career,” Al says. “We’re fortunate that with our jobs we have been able to follow him as much as we have. It’s something that has been a very important part of our lives.”
Wynn appreciates the support.
“It’s nice to have my parents at all my matches,” he says. “They are always there for me whether it’s something in school, wrestling, or something socially that I need some help with. We’re a pretty close family, and I know they want what is best for my brother and me.”
As he nears graduation, Wynn is about to follow in his parents’ footsteps in another area of life. Both Karen and Al are teachers, and Wynn is pursing a secondary education degree with a double major in mathematics and physical education.
“I know that I like working with kids, and seeing the life that my parents had and how they were able to always be there for my brother and me made me feel that education was the best way to go,” Wynn says. “My goal is to make the life of my future family as good as my parents made it for my brother and me.”
Karen and Al may not have influenced Wynn’s selection of CMU, but their constant support has helped him write another winning chapter in the Michalak family legacy at CMU. •
