The Wolverine

September 2019

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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SEPTEMBER 2019 THE WOLVERINE 23 win, Juwan Howard wants to win as well. He'll do what he feels is best to put us in that position." The Wolverine: What are your thoughts on Mel Pearson and Michi- gan hockey, following an over-achiev- ing first year followed by one where Michigan struggled a bit? Manuel: "Certainly, Mel and the team weren't happy with the outcome last year. It was one of the more up- and-down years I've seen in quite a while. "We'd win on a Friday, lose on a Sat- urday. It seemed that way for a few months. It was up and down. Mel would use the word disappointing about the outcome of the season. "But he's driving success. He's re- placing [assistant coach] Brian Wise- man, who is leaving to go to the pros. He'll be announcing that soon. "We have some great young talent coming in. They'll be paired with the upperclassmen that are still here. They want success on the ice. I know Mel is building it the right way and will get after it." The Wolverine: Baseball obviously captured everyone's attention from spring into early summer. What are your thoughts on how Erik Bakich's program nearly won it all? Manuel: "It was a remarkable, out- standing, unbelievable run and end to that season. I'm so proud of Erik, the staff, the team, the way they perse- vered and their consistency at the end and for finishing in the final series of the College World Series. "It just was an amazing run. I was very, very proud of them. … We fin- ished second in the Big Ten, and we lost our first conference tournament game. "In listening to Erik, that woke them up. They started to finally have fun playing the game. That made a big dif- ference in the end of the year." The Wolverine: Do you see him be- ing here and continuing to build some- thing long term? Manuel: "That's what I hope he does. But I don't have a crystal ball into the future. We've had some great conversations, and I look forward to Erik being here for a while. "He knows how much I appreci- ate what they've accomplished, and we're continuing to have conversa- tions about things that he feels he needs to be successful, as I do with all my coaches. We'll move forward with what we can, and do the things we can do to make sure his program continues to drive success." The Wolverine: What other high- lights stick in your mind about the past year in Michigan athletics? Manuel: "We had nine teams finish in the top five in the country [base- ball second, women's rowing third, women's swimming and diving third, women's cross country fourth, men's gymnastics fourth, field hockey fifth, women's gymnastics fifth, women's water polo fifth and wrestling fifth. Four more made the top 10 — men's basketball ninth, women's tennis ninth, volleyball ninth, women's lacrosse ninth]. It was a phenomenal year. "I was just so proud of all the teams, even those who didn't finish in the top five in the nation. The success we drove athletically, paired with the suc- cess these young people had in the classroom, has just been remarkable. I think it was an outstanding, outstand- ing year." The Wolverine: What has you ex- cited for the future in your role with Michigan athletics? Manuel: "What has me excited for the future is I look at the great coaches, the great staffs, and especially our student-athletes, in the classroom and on the field of play, and I know we have the right mix of people that will continue to drive the success of our athletic program. "Whenever I can ensure I have the right people in the right positions do- ing the right things, the right coaches recruiting the right young people, in- vesting the time to help them develop as people, as students and as athletes, the future is bright at the University of Michigan. "We finished second in the Learfield IMG Directors' Cup. We were named the No. 1 athletic department by CBS Sports. That's all the result of having great people here in the athletic depart- ment and great support on campus — from the president, from the faculty, from the staff. "It's just a great place to be, and many, many people are pushing and pulling and prodding us to go in the right direction of success and do things the right way." ❏ According to Manuel, the Michigan Stadium scoreboards have to be replaced "after this season or definitely after the next season." PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN Manuel noted Juwan Howard has "really immersed himself in learning the ins and outs of being a college basketball head coach." PHOTO BY BRANDON BROWN

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