This is one in a series of stories highlighting a group of female student-athletes from Skyline who grew up together and have known each other since kindergarten. Many are following in a parent’s footsteps and going on to play their sport in college. The athletes include Cami Wiseman (field hockey, U-M); Coco Courtright (field hockey, North Carolina); Ellie Fife (soccer, Vanderbilt); Ailish Kilbride (field hockey, Stone Hill); Kate Maley (volleyball, Loyola); and Sadie Schultz (field hockey, Brown).
Before we get to the top of the tree, it’s important to start at the roots. And for that we have to go back a few generations when it comes to the Fife family.
It all started with Dan Fife, captain of the University of Michigan basketball team his senior year in 1971 when he played for Johnny Orr. Dan would go on to be one of the most successful high school coaches in Michigan history, coaching 36 seasons at Clarkston HS before retiring as the third winningest coach (703-170) in state history and racking up 29 league championships, 30 District titles, 13 Regional titles and two state championships.
Dan’s son, Dugan, played for Coach Steve Fisher at U-M during the Fab Five era where he was a three-year starter and team captain for the 1995-96 season. Jeremy, Dugan’s brother, played basketball and was a captain at Grand Valley University. And Dan Fife’s youngest son, Dane, was Mr. Basketball his senior year at Clarkston in 1998 and went on to play for Bobby Knight at Indiana and playing in the 2002 national championship game under coach Mike Davis at IU. He was an assistant for Tom Izzo at MSU for 10 seasons.
So, yeah, that’s a pretty big tree to climb. But it’s a tree that is still growing with a female branch and a budding star in a totally different sport. Meet Ellie Fife, daughter of Dugan, granddaughter of Dan and niece of Dane. Ellie decided to dribble to a different sport, kicking soccer balls rather than follow in the family’s incredible basketball legacy.
And it’s been a winning, successful and rewarding choice so far.
Ellie, 17, was an elite soccer player during her years of club soccer playing for the Michigan Hawks Soccer Club which earned her an athletic scholarship to Vanderbilt. And she couldn’t wait to get going – so she left.
“I had the opportunity to finish at Community High School in December and enroll early at Vanderbilt,” says Ellie, still only 17. “I felt it was the right decision for me so I could play the Spring season at Vanderbilt and get accustomed to the team, coaching and culture. It’s been really helpful to train at this level, get a head start on classes, and get used to the college game before I return in July to begin training for our SEC season, which happens in the Fall.”
Ellie said she chose Vanderbilt for the academics, but also because “I love the coaches, the city and the opportunity I have to earn a spot and play in the SEC.”
Let’s rewind a little bit before we get back to that tree.
Ellie began playing soccer in pre-school for the Pittsfield Township Monkeys and then played with all of her kindergarten classmates for the Wines Elementary Wolfpack through Ann Arbor Rec and Ed. Her first club team was the Michigan Tigers in Ann Arbor before she eventually moved to the Michigan Hawks in Livonia.
She played club soccer with the Michigan Hawks 06 ECNL team for six years and her list of awards and accolades includes: ECNL All-Conference for the past three years; Best XI at the ECNL San Diego Showcase in 2021; Top Drawer Top 150; ranked No. 34 Nationally with Prep Soccer; ODP Regional Team; ODP National Training Camp; ODP National Team and two-time USA Youth National Team ID Center invitee.
Because Ellie played 10-month club soccer, the state of Michigan doesn’t allow you to play high school soccer. “Otherwise, I would have loved playing at Skyline for Coach Morgan and a lot of the girls I grew up with,” said Ellie, who had a 3.7 GPA in high school and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Ellie, 17, is the daughter of Dugan and Katie Fife – both went to U-M but didn’t meet until after college. Katie also brings plenty of athletic DNA and accolades into the family. She was a three-sport athlete at Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, playing basketball, volleyball and soccer, setting season and career scoring records in soccer.
Her dad, Charlie Burnham, played golf at U-M (1969-73) and captained the 1972-73 season. Her mom, Anne Burnham, played volleyball at WMU in 1971-72.
“My dad played golf at Michigan and Dugan’s dad played basketball and they were in a group called Michigama so they had met a few times while in college so what a small world,” says Katie.
Dugan, who works for an investment company based out of Houston, and Katie have four kids – three girls and a boy. “Dugan is hoping one will play basketball but they all seem to like soccer,” Katie says.
Ellie doesn’t have to look far when looking for reasons for her success. It all started at home.
“My mom and dad have always been my biggest supporters,” she said. “It’s been really helpful having my dad’s perspective on sports as I’ve played at the club level, and now at Vanderbilt. He knows what it takes to get to this level and how to navigate all the ups and downs of being an athlete.”
Ellie says both her mom and dad have always encouraged her and provided her with opportunities to train as much as she wanted in her dream of playing at the highest level.
“Whether at Next Level Training, On The Ball, or Blue Lion Fitness, they supported me,” she says. “Most importantly, they are always honest with me and will tell me when I played great and when there are things I can improve upon. It’s not been easy, as I wasn’t on the top team at the Tigers when I first started with the club, or a starter when I went to the Hawks, but they found ways to motivate me and pushed me to stick with it, and fortunately, I was able to achieve my goal of playing D1 soccer.”
She also was a part of an amazing group of athletes who all grew up together.
“The friends I grew up with are all amazing athletes, and most of us had dads who played a sport in college,” Ellie says. “It was really cool to have so many of us who were good athletes and have been friends as long as we can remember. Growing up, we played field hockey, soccer, basketball, and volleyball.
“My dad and Andrew Kilbride (who played basketball at Wisconsin) used to coach us in Rec and Ed basketball, and they had to move us to the boys’ league because we couldn’t find any girls’ teams who could compete with us. It’s funny, we are all pretty good at basketball, but none of us played in high school.”
They all went their own way in their own sport but always had each other’s back and more importantly their support and friendship. It’s a special bond that will never be broken.
MAIN PHOTO: Photo by Melissa Samluk Photography
