Hull Has Done It All in Four Years as an Ashland Student-Athlete
October 28, 2004

By Paul Carmany, AU Sports Information

Only the most diehard of Ashland University football fans would be able to rattle off the names of the top five reception leaders in program history at a moment’s notice. However, nearly every Eagle supporter would be able to produce the name of his or her family doctor instantly.

If Ashland senior wide receiver Michael Hull (Cincinnati, OH/Sycamore) had been included in the NCAA’s recent television advertisement series promoting student-athletes, these would likely have been his questions. Hull, named the 2004 Ashland University Male Student-Athlete of the Year, knows very well that his future contributions in the medical field will trump any records he has set as a member of the AU football team.

However, those who have watched Hull weave his purple number 9 jersey through opposing secondaries week after week realize that his dedication to schoolwork is matched by his commitment to the Eagle football team. Hull knows at least one of the answers to the initial challenge posed above, as he is the program’s all-time leading reception leader by a margin of 51 catches. He also holds two other school receiving records, and with 264 receiving yards in his final two games would become AU’s all-time leader in receiving yards as well.

All of this success has come despite the fact that Hull lacks the size (Hull stands 5-11) and breakaway speed of the prototypical receiver. How does he do it? Hull and those who know him best have a few theories.

“One thing that helped me a lot was learning from receivers like Erik Coblentz and Kevin McMahon when I was a freshman,” Hull recalled. “I learned that being a good receiver is not all about size and speed. I learned the importance of running a good route.”

“Michael has had success because of two reasons,” Greg Gillum, Ashland’s wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator, summarized. “First, he is technique-sound. Second, he is an intelligent football player. He studies film and studies the opponent.”

Joe Maggelet, the director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) campus ministry which Hull serves as a huddle leader, added more.

“Mike is just a hard worker. He is intentional about the things he does. He has set clear goals and is accomplishing them.”

Hull also attributes quite a bit to his good health while at Ashland. Hull did undergo shoulder surgery prior to the 2003 season, but did not have to miss a game.

“I have been blessed with good health,” stated Hull. “I have been fortunate to be able to suit up every Saturday.”

Not only has Hull suited up every Saturday, but he has made a weekly contribution to the Eagles’ passing attack. In fact, Hull enters today’s game having caught at least one pass in 34 straight contests, dating back to the 2001 season.

One of four captains on this year’s team, Hull has provided a good role model for his teammates, especially his fellow wide receivers.

“The younger receivers learn from seeing his competitiveness and realize that the success he has had is due to hard work,” noted Gillum.

Hull has also connected with younger students through his work with FCA.

“Mike has been very important in terms of what we’re trying to do on campus,” Maggelet asserted. “As a student, he ministers well to other students.”

A biology major, Hull is a member of the Honors Program and has been named to the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) All-Academic Team after each of the last two seasons. These academic accomplishments have come despite an enormous time commitment to the football team, and, at the start of his Ashland tenure, to the baseball team as well.

“Being a college athlete is like having a full-time job,” Hull explained. “It is easy to lose sight of the academic aspect. I really have to work on balancing my time properly.”

The AU football media guide and Hull’s transcript are testaments of his effectiveness in balancing his time.

The very same qualities that have made Hull a successful wide receiver have translated directly into the classroom and laboratory. In fact, change the phrase “in the lab,” to “on the football field,” and the following quote mirrors Gillum’s.

“Michael is obviously very intelligent. He pays good attention to detail, which is important in the lab. Also important is his willingness to work.”

This quote actually came from Dr. Douglas A. Dawson, professor of biology and toxicology at Ashland University, when asked what makes Hull a standout in the science department.

Hull was so willing to work, in fact, that the Cincinnati, OH, native spent this past summer in Ashland doing research alongside Dawson. He split time between helping Dawson with his research projects and working on his own honors thesis. Hull’s project consisted of a study of valproic acid, a drug used to treat epilepsy but also linked to birth defects, through experimentation with frogs. So far, the results have been “promising” according to Hull and have laid the groundwork for future investigations.

Future plans for Hull include medical school, where he will study to become either a family doctor or an orthopedic surgeon, where his contributions will be appreciated long after his football records are overtaken.

Years from now, Hull would like to be associated with the more intangible contributions he has made during his four years at AU.

“Most importantly, I want to be remembered for the type of person I was and for the way I played the game,” Hull emphasized.