The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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10 THE WOLVERINE DECEMBER 2016 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MICHIGAN'S TOP SPORTS PERFORMERS Cross country redshirt freshman Keenan Re- bera: The Mason, Mich., native ran a 15:20.8 to finish second at the Eastern Michigan University Fall Classic 5K Oct. 21. Rebera was the top Wolverine runner in the race and has overcome multiple injuries that have left his availability a question mark at times for Michigan. Rebera earned Big Ten Cross Country Co-Athlete of the Week for his performance in the Fall Classic. Swimming and diving sophomore Siobhán Haughey: Haughey was awarded Big Ten Swimmer of the Week honors for her four first-place finishes Nov. 4-5 in a meet against Penn State and Virginia. Haughey won the 100- and 200-yard freestyle events, the 200- yard breaststroke and the 200-yard individual medley, as well as contributed to three top-two finishes for Michigan relay teams. Field hockey sophomore Emma Way: The first multi- goal game of Way 's career earned the forward from Mechanic- sburg, Pa., Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week honors Nov. 1. Her two goals helped Michigan top No. 7 Louisville in the regular season's final game, and the win helped propel the Wolverines to a NCAA Tournament appearance. Way had a career-best six goals to go with four as- sist in the regular season. Swimming and diving freshman Jacob Mon- tague: Montague finished first in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke races against Penn State, with both clock- ings qualifying as NCAA 'B' times. His wins, along with his contributions in a 400-yard medley relay first-place finish and a second-place showing in the 200-yard medley relay, secured him Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors for the week of Nov. 9. Montague has won Freshman of the Week hon- ors twice so far this season, with the other time coming after he made his collegiate debut against Louisville. Tennis sophomore Kate Fahey: The second-year player from Fair Haven, N.J., won both the doubles and singles champion- ships at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships Oct. 24-25. Paired with junior Alex Najarian, Fahey won the doubles title match over Notre Dame 8-1 before turning around and beating her doubles partner for the singles cham- pionship the next day in straight sets, 6-2, 6-2. It is the fourth straight year a Wolverine has come home from the event with the singles title. MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK TWO MICHIGAN PLAYERS IN PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS' TOP 32 Pro Football Focus, the football analytics website that grades every player in every game, released an updated NFL Draft board Nov. 10, and two Michigan football players made the cut. The draft board is a rank of the top 32 draft-eligible col- lege football players and was published by Pro Football Focus writer Steve Palazzolo. The top Wolverine on the board is senior cornerback Jourdan Lewis at No. 13, and he is the fourth cornerback on the list. According to Pro Football Focus, Lewis will "always have to answer for his sub-6-foot frame, and he can struggle with big, physical receivers, but few corners can stick in man coverage as well as Lewis." The web site also notes Lewis' impressive numbers; as of Nov. 15 he had surrendered just four catches on 23 targets and had five passes defended. He and classmate Channing Stribling combine for the top cornerback duo in the country by allowing a passer rating of just 8.2 on throws against them, according to PFF. Joining Lewis on the ranking was redshirt sophomore Jabrill Peppers at No. 19. The article lists Peppers as a linebacker/ safety and writes that: "Peppers works best when left as the extra, unblocked defender where he is a playmaker in the run game. That skill set projects to nickel linebacker or strong safety at the next level." They also write that Peppers' overall versatility and ability on special teams makes him even more desirable. Finally, senior tight end Jake Butt is listed as a player to watch that could make the top 32 before the end of the season. FIELD HOCKEY REACHES NCAA TOURNAMENT The Michigan field hockey team reached the NCAA Tourna- ment for the second time in as many years. Michigan joined Penn State and Maryland in representing the Big Ten, and traveled to State College, Pa., to take on Virginia Nov. 12. The Wolverines won four of their last five games to make the tournament; three of those victories came against ranked op- ponents. Unfortunately for Michigan, the team's postseason consisted of just one game. The No. 7-ranked Cavaliers topped No. 10 Michigan 2-1 on a goal late in the second half to bring the Wolverines' season to a close. SWIMMING SENDS NINE TO COLLEGE CHALLENGE The Michigan men's and women's swimming and diving teams were well represented at the USA College Challenge Nov. 12-13 held in the IUPUI Natatorium in Indianapolis. The event pits select members of Team USA against athletes from all 13 Big Ten swimming and diving programs. The Wolverine men were represented by five swimmers, three of which posted top-three times. Junior Paul Powers took sec- ond in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 19.79, while class- mates PJ Ransford and Evan White took third in the 1,000-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley, respectively. On the women's side, four current swimmers were in action, led by sophomore Siobhàn Haughey, who took first and third in the 200-yard freestyle and 200-yard individual medley, improving upon her own Big Ten and Michigan records in the freestyle with a time of 1:42.93. Program alum Ali DeLoof took first in the 100-yard backstroke for Team USA. — Leland Mitchinson