Michigan to face stiff competition outside of Big Ten
By Alex Prosperi, written on Jul. 1, 2009
The Michigan men’s basketball program announced its non-conference schedule today.
Included is a trip to the Old Spice Classic from Nov. 26-29 at the Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports Complex. Joining Michigan over Thanksgiving weekend will be Florida State, Marquette and Xavier — three NCAA Tournament teams from last year.
Two weeks later the Wolverines travel across the country to play Utah on Dec. 9. The Utes finished 24-10 and finished second in the Mountain West Conference in 2009.
The toughest test will come Dec. 19, when Michigan visits famous Allen Fieldhouse and Kansas, which should start the season ranked No. 1 nationally. And on Jan. 17, the Wolverines welcome Connecticut to Ann Arbor. Although the Huskies lost three starters to the NBA Draft and Michigan played them close last year, they’ll still be tough to beat.
Check out the rest of the schedule here.
Offseason injuries continue for Michigan basketball
By ryan kartje, written on Jul. 1, 2009
After news of incoming freshman Jordan Morgan going down with a knee injury broke last week, another bit of offseason injury news was discovered today.
In Tom Brady vs. Paparazzi-type fashion, Daily Sports Writer Felix Carreon reports that he saw senior center Zach Gibson wearing an injury-related boot today. Gibson told Carreon that he’ll most likely be out for a few weeks.
Although the injury probably isn’t serious, the number of injuries coming out of Michigan camp this summer may be concerning. Incoming freshman Darius Morris went down with an injury last week (which looks to be minor), after impressing many Michigan analysts, UMHoops included.
If Gibson’s injury turns out to be more than a minor ankle tweak, check in to The Game this week for more injury updates.
Rumor Mill: Michigan to play Georgia in 2010 home opener?
By ryan kartje, written on Jul. 1, 2009
**UPDATE: I’d like to clarify that the sources I refer to are not from the Michigan Athletic Department, and this still remains a rumor**
Michigan may have found its suitor for the 2010 opening game. And it sure would beat the pants out of another matchup with a Delaware State-caliber team.
Some sources tell me that the Athletic Department is looking into a home game against the University of Georgia in 2010, one that would also bring the Wolverines to Athens in 2011.
Adam Rittenberg from ESPN, along with Brian Cook from MGoBlog both thought the Wolverines should look into a series with Boise State, but a matchup with a marquee SEC opponent could be exactly what it takes to sell out the newfound 2010 luxury boxes faster than a Denard Robinson 100-m time.
Of course, this news is just a rumor for now, and is far from being seriously considered. So approach with caution. But if the Wolverines do welcome Mark Richt’s Bulldogs, we’ll have something to talk about.
Georgia graduated the NFL’s No. 1 pick in Matthew Stafford, along with speedy running back Knowshon Moreno after finishing with a 10-3 record last season.
Former Wolverines compete at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
By chantel jennings, written on Jun. 28, 2009
Three former Wolverines traveled from Ann Arbor to Eugene, Ore. to compete at the 2009 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The runners competed at Hayward Field, which has been the site for four Olympic Trials and was home to world renowned distance runner Steve Prefontaine.
At stake were spots on Team USA and the opportunity to wear red, white and blue at the IAAF World Championships, which will be held in Berlin from August 15-23.
Geena Gall — 800-meter run
The two-time NCAA outdoor 800-meter champion notched the IAAF ‘B’ standard while finishing second in the 800. Gall started out strong on Thursday by winning her heat in a relaxed 2:04.92. She continued to dominate as she crossed the finish line first during the semi-finals in 2:01.99, almost two seconds ahead of the closest competitor. Following the race she told USA Track and Field, “I definitely want to make the world team. I’ve never made a world team – always finishing fifth or sixth place. I know I can do it. The conditions have to be right, the mind has to be right. My training and everything else is going great. I am excited for the final.” And in Sunday’s final she ran a 2:01.01 and saw her first loss of the meet as she finished .22 seconds behind champion Hazel Clark, the four-time US Outdoor 800-meter champion and three-time Olympian.
Tiffany Ofili — 100-meter hurdles
Even though Ofili ran .3 seconds faster in the finals on Sunday than she did during the NCAA National Championships, she finished fourth in 12.66. Ofili ran her fastest race on Saturday during the first round, where she won her heat and finished in a blistering 12.57. Subsequent to her victory she told USA Track and Field, “I just wanted to focus on getting through, on getting to the next round. I wasn’t really focused on times or anything like that.” Sunday held both the semi-finals and the finals for Ofili. In the semi-final race Ofili finished second behind eventual champion Dawn Harper in 12.79, but in the finals Ofili was unable to qualify for the US team when she finished fourth. Her time of 12.66 was still faster than her previous personal best, and current Michigan school record, of 12.73. But Ofili was in spectacular company. Harper was the 2008 Olympic gold medalist in the 100-meter hurdles, second place finisher Virginia Howell was the two-time USA Outdoor champion in the 100-meter hurdles and third place finisher Damu Cherry finished fourth in Beijing at the 2008 Olympics in the 100-meter hurdles.
Bettie Wade — heptathlon
Wade finished third and snuck by the IAAF ‘B’ standard in the heptathlon. Wade bested her performance of 5876 at the NCAA Outdoor Championships by scoring 5908 this past weekend. She was also able to avenge her close loss to Big Ten rival Liz Roehrig by beating the Minnesotan soundly in Eugene. Despite only bettering her scores in two of the seven events (100-meter hurdles and high jump), Wade was able to stay close to the world class athletes and only fell short of champion Diana Pickler and Sharon Day. Picker qualified for the 2008 Olympics and competed until a hamstring injury prematurely ended her medal quest in Beijing. And Day, a high jumping specialist, ran her first heptathlon of her career this year and has quickly made a name for herself in US Track and Field circles.
Michigan men’s golfer Thompson finishes 2nd at Michigan Amateur
By ryan kartje, written on Jun. 28, 2009
By Mark Burns
Who says Cinderella’s can’t happen twice in one year.
After the Michigan men’s golf team lost to Texas A&M in semi-final match play (3-1-1-) four weeks ago, sophomore Matt Thompson looked to carry some of that Cinderella magic into the 98th Michigan Amateur this past weekend at the Spring Meadows Country Club in Linden, Mich.
He squared off against Tom Werkmeister in the final round of match play on Saturday. After seven holes, Thompson was up three but quickly the tide swayed back in Werkmeister’s favor. The 41-year old quickly went up 2 with only seven holes to play.
And the rest was history. Werkmeister eventually clinched the championship with a 3 and 2 victory on the 16th role.
His wife, Leslie, caddied for him all weekend despite doctor’s orders. Leslie is still recovering from bunion surgery in March but her devotion to Tom was not going to stop her from supporting him this weekend.
Thompson also finished 2nd at the Michigan Open to Ryan Brehm in early June.
Three soon-to-be Wolverines selected in NHL Entry Draft
By ryan kartje, written on Jun. 28, 2009
By Mark Burns
Before this weekend, the Michigan men’s hockey team would have had 10 players drafted by NHL teams on their squad next year.
After Saturday, that number jumped to 12 as forwards Chris Brown and Kevin Lynch were drafted in the NHL Entry Draft, both in the second round.
The Phoenix Coyotes decided to select Brown with the 36th overall pick. He played last year with the U.S. NTDP Under-18 team, finishing the season with 20 goals and 18 assists in 62 games.
Lynch was then drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets with the 56th overall pick. It was the first time a Wolverine was taken by the Blue Jackets in the history of the draft. Lynch played with Brown the last two seasons and tallied 24 goals and 24 points in 63 games.
Additionally, Mac Bennett, a 2010 Wolverine recruit, was selected by the Montreal Canadiens with the 79th pick. Bennett will play next season with the Cedar Rapids Roughriders of the United States Hockey League before coming to Ann Arbor.
Ellerbe named assistant at George Washington
By Ruth Lincoln, written on Jun. 23, 2009
Former Michigan men’s basketball coach Brian Ellerbe was named an assistant men’s basketball coach at George Washington, the George Washington Hatchet is reporting. Ellerbe will replace George Washington assistant Darrell Brooks in July.
Ellerbe coached four seasons in Ann Arbor (1997-2001) and amassed a 62-60 record. However, his first two seasons at the helm of the Wolverines were vacated as a result of the Ed Martin scandal. Ellerbe, though, was cleared of any misconduct.
Sanderson hired as basketball strength and conditioning coach
By ryan kartje, written on Jun. 21, 2009
After former strength coach Steve Curtis left the University earlier this summer, the basketball program wasted no time in hiring his replacement.
Jon Sanderson, a former Clemson University assistant strength coach, was hired Friday to fill the empty position.
Sanderson spent the last three years at Clemson after spending three years as the head of the Marshall University strength and conditioning program. His college career was spent as a member of the Ohio State basketball team, contributing to its 1999 Final Four run.
“We were able to establish, for our players, a great foundation of our strength and conditioning over the last two years,” Men’s basketball coach John Beilein said. “We love Jon’s innovated thinking regarding basketball-specific strength training. We are confident he will step right in and have an immediate positive impact on our players’ development.”
Sanderson joins a rising men’s program that will look to better its NCAA second round finish last season.
Who’s going to fill Michigan’s 2010 opener spot?
By ryan kartje, written on Jun. 19, 2009
Over on MGoBlog, Brian Cook did a quick look at possible opponents to fill Michigan’s open spot for the 2010 football season opener. The game will also be the unveiling of the new construction-less Michigan Stadium.
Of the possible football programs with openings that weekend, Brian thinks Boise State is the most likely and best possible opponent for the Wolverines.
I have to agree with Brian on this one because as he notes, many of the higher profile programs will require a home-and-away series, and that doesn’t seem to be what AD Bill Martin is looking for.
Plus, who in God’s name wants to play an away game on that blindingly bright blue field.
Regardless, the Broncos are one of the best mid-major programs in the country, and they would probably provide some needed hype-building to sell out the new luxury boxes. At least a little bit more than the powerhouse known as the UMass Minutemen. Fans will have to wait a few weeks for that showdown.
Of the other teams Brian lists, I wouldn’t mind seeing Duke with new, respected coach David Cutcliffe running the show. A commenter on MGoBlog notes that a budding basketball showdown as well as a history of playing the Blue Devils could be a good reason for scheduling.
Next, I’d have to say Pitt or Maryland would be a good call. And at that, why not try to schedule a team that could have recruiting pipeline possibilities? RichRod has a certain affinity to Florida, so maybe a matchup with USF? I guess we’ll just have to wait and see.
Just hope for no Delaware State rematch.
Interview with Michigan and Cape Cod League pitcher Tyler Burgoon
By ryan kartje, written on Jun. 19, 2009
With Daily writers scattered around the States this summer, Daily Sports Writer Nicole Auerbach took some time during her internship at the Cape Cod League to interview Michigan pitcher Tyler Burgoon who’s spending his summer with Yarmouth-Dennis.
It’s a great interview, so check it out.