The Wolverine

June-July 2017

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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JUNE/JULY 2017 THE WOLVERINE 9 BY JOHN BORTON I conic Michigan broadcaster Bob Ufer would have said it with enthusiasm well known to Jim Harbaugh — God bless their cotton-pickin', maize and blue hearts. The Bob Ufer Quarterback Club conducted its annual golf outing and banquet at the University of Michigan Golf Course May 1, honoring several Michigan student- athletes. New U-M hockey coach Mel Pearson spoke, along with several other Michigan coaches, including basketball boss John Beilein. Former defensive backs coach Jack Harbaugh — an hour past a return flight from Rome — drew huge ap- plause as recipient of the club's Oosterbaan Award. Writer and U-M professor John Bacon handled the em- cee duties, describing Harbaugh as someone who never has a bad day. "Jack was always resilient, even on the day when Bo [Schembechler] chewed out Jack on the practice field because one of his stars, Dave Brown, a defensive back, hit one of his receivers," Bacon began. "Bo said, 'This is a non-hitting practice!' He went on over to Jack and, of course, got the bill [of his cap] right in Jack's face. Jack took it. "That night, at the team meeting, his defensive backs stood up and gave Jack Harbaugh a standing ovation, in front of Bo. That's some serious courage right there. That's how much they loved Jack Harbaugh." Bacon reminded the crowd of nearly 300 that it was the father of present U-M head coach Jim Harbaugh who coined the saying: "Attack the day with enthusiasm un- known to mankind." The elder Harbaugh received the award, given to an "M Person who has demonstrated extraordinary achievement at Michigan as well as after graduation. The honoree can be a former athlete, coach or graduate of Michigan." Harbaugh himself turned the attention back on the younger Wolverines, hailing the football team's repre- sentation of Michigan abroad. He also gave a nod to the extremely accomplished student-athletes on hand. The honored athletes on hand for Senior Awards were: • Steven Bastien, track and field — Bastien asserted himself as a breakthrough athlete at the University of Michigan, becoming the Wolverines' first-ever All-Amer- ican in the heptathlon (2015) and decathlon (2016). He's a three-time USTFCCCA first-team All-American, in the 2015 and 2016 indoor heptathlon and the 2016 decathlon. The Saline, Mich., native earned the 2016 Big Ten cham- pionship in the heptathlon, and along the way set the U-M indoor program record in the heptathlon (5,843 points) and decathlon (7,917 points). He's also an Academic All- Big Ten performer from 2016 and earned the U-M Athletic Academic Achievement Award the same year. • Nicole Artz, gymnastics — Artz earned six NCAA All-America designations while leading the Wolverines to four consecutive Big Ten championships in her sterling Michigan career. She became a finalist for the prestigious AAI Award (given to the top senior female gymnast in the country) as a senior, as well as earning the 2017 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year distinction. The Holland, Mich., product became a three-time NCAA regional champion and earned no fewer than 11 Big Ten Gymnast of the Week honors. The elementary education major also garnered CoSIDA Academic All- America plaudits while being awarded the U-M Athletic Inside Michigan ATHLETICS Ufer Club Banquet Honors A Host Of Wolverines Michigan's honored athletes at the annual Bob Ufer Quarterback Club Banquet included: (front row, left to right) Nicole Artz (gymnastics), Abby Cole (volleyball), Eliza Stein (field hockey) and (back row, left to right) Ned Willig (cross country), Allie Murphy (diving) and Steven Bastien (track and field). PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN

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