ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Erin Neustrom and Sidney Vranesh have been friends since the second grade and now they are beginning another chapter in their friendship as freshmen together on the University of Michigan water polo team.
The two Moraga, California, natives grew up together and were in the same second and fifth-grade classes before heading off to the same middle school and high school. They lived a half-mile from each other, played as teammates on a variety of different sports teams and even went on family vacations together.
“We have been best friends since second grade,” said Neustrom. “We have been almost inseparable since then.”
The played on a travel soccer team together for four years before Neustrom decided to focus more on water polo once she got to seventh grade. During their freshman year of high school, she convinced Vranesh to join her.
Vranesh didn’t like it at first but stuck with it and the two would play together for four years at Campolindo High School. After her sophomore year, Neustrom came to a summer camp at the University of Michigan and fell in love with the school.
“I saw the camp advertised online and thought I might as well go see what it was like,” said Neustrom. “I stepped foot on campus and had that ‘aha moment’ where I knew this is where I wanted to go.”
Vranesh and Neustrom have been friends since the second grade
Neustrom committed to the Wolverines in August before her senior year. She wanted to major in sport management and attend a school with a big-time sports program. Vranesh wasn’t sure she would continue water polo after high school but also had interest in the University of Michigan for the same reasons.
“I initially was going to apply to Michigan solely for academics,” said Vranesh. “The business program is top notch and I had an interest in finance.”
The Ross School of Business is ranked No. 7 in the U.S. News & World Report Best Business Schools ranking and has more than 575,000 alumni worldwide. That was an attractive option for Vranesh.
Vranesh came to campus at the same time Neustrom took her official visit and set up a separate meeting with Marcelo. He offered her the opportunity to walk on to the team if she was accepted into school. She found out in December of her senior year that she was accepted to U-M and last February she was accepted into the Ross School of Business.
“All the pieces fell into place and I ended up here,” said Vranesh. “Getting into the business school and getting an opportunity to play water polo was the best of both worlds for me.”
Once Vranesh was accepted, it meant that her and Neustrom would have at least four more years of school together. That was something both had thought about for a long time but weren’t sure it would be possible with their different interests.
“We were both trying not to get our hopes up,” said Neustrom. “I knew in August (2017) but I didn’t want to put that pressure on Sidney because I wanted her to go where she wanted. As we got closer and both knew it was a high possibility it got really exciting.”
The reality really set in once the two of them arrived on campus together back in August.
“You never think it is going to happen until it does,” said Vranesh. “I didn’t really realize how cool it was going to be until it happened and we set foot on campus together. It was like, ‘Wow! We don’t have to say goodbye to each other.’ We are still together for the next four years.”
Neustrom and Vranesh on a family vacation together
Neustrom and Vranesh have grown up together and their families have become close friends. They did recreational swimming together, played CYO (Catholic Youth Organization) basketball together, tried tennis, had sleepovers in the back yard and even were part of a book club with their moms.
The families have taken several trips to Hawai’i together and made weekend trips to Lake Tahoe. Last year, they drove to Los Angeles to watch the Wolverines play in the NCAA Tournament. Sitting in the crowd with the families of their future teammates made them feel right at home.
“They were so welcoming and so nice,” said Neustrom. “The conversation was very easy and they all treated us like family before we even came to Michigan.”
Now the families will have a lot more opportunities to spend time together with both Neustrom and Vranesh together at the University of Michigan. They have the opportunity to enjoy the next four years together.
Release courtesy University of Michigan Athletics Communications (by Ben Blevins)
