The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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54 THE WOLVERINE AUGUST 2019 Best Female Individual Perfor- mance — Track and field thrower Bai- ley Baker at the Len Paddock Open: The fifth-year senior enjoyed a phe- nomenal Senior Day May 3 in Ann Ar- bor, twice breaking the school record in the hammer throw. She fouled on her first attempt, but then compiled three straight throws that exceeded her pre- meet personal record of 59.32 meters (194 feet, seven inches), including a 61.60 meters (202 feet, one inch) toss in the third round. The heave broke the school's 16-year-old mark of 60.74 me- ters (199 feet, three inches) that April Phillips had set at the same event in 2003. On her final throw of the day, Baker established a new record when she tossed 61.90 meters (203 feet, one inch) to etch herself into Michigan hammer throwing lore. The fifth-year senior also registered a new career best in the discus that afternoon, when she accumulated a winning mark of 51.09 meters (167 feet, seven inches), marking an improve- ment of more than four feet from her previous high in the category. TOP ROOKIES OF THE YEAR Male Rookie Of The Year — Bas- ketball forward IGNAS BRAZDEI- KIS: He was named Big Ten Fresh- man of the Year March 11 after putting together a sensational rookie campaign that saw him average 29.7 minutes, 14.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game for the 30-7 Wolverines. He became the first Michi- gan rookie to lead the squad in scoring since 2011-12, when point guard Trey Burke ironi- cally averaged an identical 14.8 points per contest. Brazdeikis came to Ann Ar- bor as a five-star small forward from Orangeville Prep in Oakville, Ontario (though he was born in Lithuania), and started all 37 contests for the Wolverines in 2018-19. The freshman was also named a second-team All-Big Ten performer by both the coaches and media, and took home an All-American honor- able mention accolade from the As- sociated Press. Brazdeikis posted three double- doubles throughout the year, scored at least 10 points in 31 of the 37 con- tests, and poured in 20 or more points on 10 different occasions, including a career-best 24 in U-M's 84-67 drub- bing of No. 11 North Carolina Nov. 28. The 6-7 forward was also second on the team in rebounding and three- point percentage (39.2), and third in free throw percentage (77.3). Brazdeikis grabbed the league's Freshman of the Week honor on four different occasions, and be- came Michigan's first to reel in the Big Ten's Freshman of the Year honor since Burke in 2012. The Canadian chose to enter the NBA Draft at year 's end, becoming U-M's first one-and-done since Jamal Crawford in 1999-2000. Brazdeikis wound up being se- lected 47th overall by the Sacramento Kings in the NBA Draft June 20, but was then immediately traded to the New York Knicks. Female Rookie Of The Year — Basketball forward Naz Hillmon: Her list of accolades in 2018-19 were impressive, hauling in the Big Ten Freshman of the Year (by the media) and league's Sixth Player of the Year awards, while earning consensus first-team all-conference honors to become the first rookie in program history to do so. Hillmon led the squad in both points per game (13.1) and rebounds per contest (7.0) in 2018-19, despite only playing 23.2 minutes per outing (which ranked sixth on the team). She appeared in all 34 tilts off the bench for the 22-12 Wolverines, re- cording eight 20-point showings, eight double-doubles and six Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors. Hillmon's 62.8-percent shooting was also 10 points better than any other player on the team, and was actually good for sixth best nation- ally (no other freshman even checked in among the top 50 in the category). The Cleveland native did some of her best work in Michigan's ri- valry showdowns, pull- ing down 11 boards and registering a career-high 27 p o i n t s i n U - M's 74-64 loss at MSU Feb. 24, while tallying the game-winning bas- ket and finishing with 20 points in Michigan's 62-58 triumph over Ohio State Jan. 20. Her 2018-19 heroics earned her team MVP honors at the club's an- nual postseason banquet. ❏ Freshman forward Ignas Brazdeikis led the Wolverines with 14.8 points a game and ranked second on the squad with 5.4 rebounds per con- test. PHOTO BY PER KJELDSEN