Annabelle de St. MauriceTopping last season’s record 25-2 mark will be a tall order for the Washington University’s men’s basketball team.
Fortunately, help has arrived that just may lead the team to new heights.
Freshman Michael Grunst, a 6’11” native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, joins an already deep and talented squad. Grunst, nearly seven feet tall and weighing in at 230 pounds, played his high school basketball for Marquette University High School. He averaged close to 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 3.5 blocks a game while leading his team to the state sectional finals and a 16-7 record in his senior season.
He played on his freshman basketball team at the start of his high school career, played junior varsity as a sophomore, and competed at the varsity level his final two years.
Great height and a love for basketball are common attributes in the Grunst family. Grunst’s father, who stands at 6’10”, was a basketball letterman at Gustavus Adolphus University. Grunst also has two older brothers who play basketball for Butler University-Ben, a 7’0” 300 pound senior center, and Andy, a 6’8 220 pound sophomore forward. Grunst also has a 6’8” young brother who is a senior in high school, and his mother is 6’0” tall.
Grunst began playing competitive team basketball in the fifth grade. With his father’s experience in collegiate basketball, the sport was always encouraged in the Grunst home. In addition to playing for his high school team, Grunst competed on an A.A.U. traveling basketball team while in high school. He also played varsity volleyball in high school, though he had never played competitively till his freshman year. As a sophomore, Gunst and brother Andy led the Marquette University High School team to the state volleyball championship.
As a member of the varsity team here at WU, Grunst practices two to three hours a day. While he says the adjustment to collegiate basketball has not been too difficult, being able to practice against someone of similar height is a new experience for him.
Each practice Grunst must match up against starting center senior 6’8” Jarriot Rook and 6’8” senior Nick Geurts. Grunst hopes to learn from his veteran teammates.
“Hopefully, this year I will be able to contribute and be a role player and learn from the experience of the seniors and hopefully win a national championship,” Grunst said. “Next year, I hope to be prepared to be a consistent contributor to the team.”
To meet these goals, Grunst continues to hone his game. At the high school level, he primarily played on the perimeter. Now, at the collegiate level, he is working to develop his low post, back to the basket game.
Grunst also hopes to improve his rebounding and defense and become a stronger, more physical player. Already on a weight lifting program, his goal is to add fifteen pounds of muscle to his frame.
While Grunst enjoys painting and drawing in his spare time, basketball will always remain his favorite pastime.
“Basketball has been a big part of my life,” Grunst said. “I love the sport and I love to compete.”