The Wolverine

June July 2018

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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14 THE WOLVERINE JUNE/JULY 2018   INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS FIVE YEARS AGO, 2013: Sara Dri- esenga (31-8) kept Michigan's hopes alive in the Women's College World Series, hurling a seven-inning shutout over Arizona State June 1. She outdu- eled Sun Devils' 30-game-winner Dal- las Escobedo to allow the Wolverines to advance with a 2-0 victory. U-M's Sierra Romero delivered all the runs Driesenga required, blasting a two-run homer in the third inning against Escobedo. Driesenga made those runs hold up, scattering seven hits and striking out five in the elimi- nation-game showdown. "They're very dangerous," Michigan head coach Carol Hutchins said of the Sun Devils. "Sara pitched a great game. They're a very tough team, as we all know, and it took our best effort to beat them." It also took the bat of Romero, who delivered in the clutch to put Michigan over the top. "That's Sierra's game," Hutchins ob- served. "I've been trying to convince all of them to get their barrels through the zone. We swung tight. We didn't have very good pitch selection the whole game. "But Romero is Romero. She wins a lot of games for us, and she played outstanding." 10 YEARS AGO, 2008: The Michi- gan women's track & field squad saw a pair of national champions crowned at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Des Moines, Iowa. Senior co-captains Tiffany Ofili and Geena Gall rose above all, helping the Wolverines finish sev- enth in the nation as a team June 14. Ofili nailed down her third straight national championship in the 100-me- ter hurdles, posting a time of 12.84. Gall garnered her second consecutive national crown in the 800-meter run, clocking a time of 2:00.80. Gall burst to the front early and stayed in command. Her victory allowed her to capture a 10th All-America honor in her career. Ofili added to her national championship haul, totaling five, in- cluding a pair of 60-meter hurdle titles. Those efforts allowed the Wolverines to place seventh overall, just 1.5 points behind LSU. "She's probably my best athlete ever in terms of where she started and where she ended up," Michigan head coach James Henry said of Ofili. "We have been so honored by her accom- plishments that we have named a team award in her honor, called the Tiffany Ofili Award. "It is an honor that will go to any ath- lete that wins an individual [national] title, since that happens very rarely at the University of Michigan. "The only person currently to win that award is her roommate, Geena Gall. That is how much we respect what she has accomplished and how much she has improved." 25 YEARS AGO, 1993: Chris Web- ber became the top pick in the NBA Draft, chosen by Orlando, June 30 in Auburn Hills, Mich. Webber, who left Michigan after two years in maize and blue, led a top five that included Shawn Bradley of BYU, Penny Hard- away of Memphis State, Jamal Mash- burn of Kentucky and Isaiah Rider of UNLV. Webber belonged to the Magic for all of 15 minutes, before the franchise traded him to Golden State for Hard- away and several future draft picks. Some Orlando fans bemoaned the trade, after dreaming of a twin-towers situation involving Webber and Sha- quille O'Neal. They joined Michigan fans disap- pointed in the departure of the two- year Wolverine. Webber, though, made it clear weeks earlier that he was bound for the pros. "This decision, I felt, was necessary," Webber said. "'I'm just ready to go on to the next level. There's no concrete reason why I should stay. I just think it's the right decision. "I think I'm ready. I feel I'm mature enough for the next level right now." — John Borton THIS MONTH IN MICHIGAN ATHLETICS HISTORY Senior Tiffany Ofili won national titles in the 60-meter hurdles (indoors) and 100-meter hurdles (outdoors) at the 2008 NCAA Championships. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY

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