The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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72 THE WOLVERINE SEPTEMBER 2017 "Connor is from the Chicago area and he won the Illinois junior champi- onship last year, which really caught our eye," head coach Chris Whitten said. "He's a super mature guy who's played competitive golf for a long time. He manages his game well, and is the furthest thing from a reckless, spur-of-the-moment player. He really thinks his way around the course. "He's got a ton of upside to keep improving, and he's a tall kid who is going to get a lot stronger during his time at Michigan." 9. HENRY SPRING WHAKATANE, NEW ZEALAND • GOLF Henry Spring is ranked No. 18 on New Zealand's Men's Order of Merit, with a No. 3 ranking on the U-18 list. He is also listed at No. 21 on the Aus- tralian Boys Rankings, and No. 730 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. Last year, Spring was the medal- ist runner-up at the Riversdale Cup, while finishing fourth at the Austra- lian Boys Amateur Championship. "Henry is from New Zealand, and he's played on their national develop- mental team for several years," Whit- ten said. "He's been one of the best players in Asia for a long time, and is a pretty highly rated men's amateur player on a worldwide level coming in. "Some of his results have been re- ally, really impressive. I see him com- peting to start and contribute to the team right away." 10. HARRISON BROWN HILTON HEAD, S.C. • TENNIS Ranked 38th overall nationally by Tennis Recruiting Network, Brown holds a current ITF (Interna- tional Tennis Federation) ranking of No. 287. A native of Australia, Brown cur- rently plays at the prestigious Smith Stearns Tennis Academy in Hilton Head, S.C. "He's a pretty experienced guy, plus he's a big kid," head coach Adam Steinberg said. "I think in- doors he's going to be really tough. "He's an aggressive player and we expect him to make an impact right away in both singles and doubles." ❏ Several of Michigan's Olympic sports programs are bring- ing in elite recruiting classes this year. Here's a look at the top five incoming hauls in men's sports: 1. Gymnastics — Michigan's gymnastics class claims the top spot for good reason. According to StickItMedia, the Wolverines are bringing in the best class in the country. The group is headlined by Cameron Bock of Tustin, Calif., whom head coach Kurt Golder considers the top recruit in the U.S., and Jacob Moore of West Bloomfield, Mich. Both are members of the U.S. Junior National Team. The Wolverines may have also landed the top gymnasts in Canada in Anthony Tawfik, of Mississauga, Ontario, who is a member of the Canadian Junior National Team. Nicholas Guy of Indianapolis rounds out the class. 2. Wrestling — Michigan signed an eight-man class, which is ranked No. 9 nationally by FloWrestling. Jelani Embree of Eastpointe, Mich., a two-time Michigan state champ, is ranked as the No. 28 recruit in the senior class and No. 4 nationally at 182 pounds. Ben Freeman of Walled Lake, Mich., posted a career record of 163-1, captured four Division I state titles and took first in the 138-pound division at the Junior Freestyle National Championships in Fargo, N.D., this summer. FloWrestling ranks him as the No. 34 senior in the country. Layne Van Anrooy of Roseburg, Ore., is a four-time stare champ and listed as the No. 38 senior in the country. Andrew Davison of Chesterton, Ind., a state champ at 195 pounds as a senior, is rated No. 6 at 195 pounds and No. 57 overall nationally. Drew Mattin of Delta, Ohio, won his third Division III state title, compiled a career record of 180-10 and captured the 126-pound crown at the Junior Freestyle National Champi- onships this summer. "The Big Ten is the premier conference in the country, so you have to have the horsepower, because it's such a physical conference," head coach Joe McFarland explained. "Our guys have that ability as young freshmen to be able to compete in the Big Ten right away. "Whether they will or not, we're not sure — some may red- shirt — but the fact that these guys are physical and mature enough to handle that kind of stress is a great thing." 3. Soccer —Michigan's incoming 11-man class is heavy on talent, receiving a No. 8 national ranking from TopDrawerSoc- cer.com. The class features players from all over the world, including Joel Harrison of Langley, British Columbia, and Umar Farouk Osman and Mohammed Zakyi of Tamale, Ghana. "We have added 11 tremendous young men with great character that will flourish in the community and excel as student-athletes at U-M," head coach Chaka Daley said. "We look forward to the impact that these young men will have on our soccer program for years to come." 4. Golf — Michigan is bringing in just a three-man class, and although it's low on quantity, it's very high on quality. Connor Prassas comes to Ann Arbor from Winnetka, Ill., and is ranked as the No. 2 player in the state and 93rd overall nation- ally by Golfweek. Henry Spring of Whakatane, New Zealand, is ranked No. 18 among men and No. 3 on the U-18 list in his home country. Charlie Pilon, who hails from Australia, owns a No. 838 listing in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. 5. Track — Middle-distance athlete Jack Aho of Grayslake, Ill., sprinter Jandon Briscoe of New Orleans and hurdler Noah Caudy of Lake Odessa, Mich., are joining the track program this fall. Aho is two-time Illinois 2A state champ in cross country and finished 18th at the Footlocker Cross Country Champi- onships in San Diego last December. Briscoe, a Louisiana state champ in the 400 meters as a junior and the 200 meters as a senior, has the 15th best-time among high school seniors — 46.88 — in the 400-meter dash. Caudy is a three-time Division II state champion in the 110-meter hurdles and placed fourth in the 300-meter hurdles as a junior and senior. "When these young men were in on their visits, it was a great opportunity for us to meet them and their families," head coach Jerry Clayton said. "They really seemed to fit into what we're about, especially on the academic side, and they bring a lot to the table athletically. "Our goal is to continue to become a balanced program, and these are areas we feel they can be ready to come in and help the team right away." — Austin Fox Michigan's Top Five Incoming Men's Olympic Sports Classes