The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2020 THE WOLVERINE 31 the last 10 years, she's arguably the top performer throughout the pro- gram's history, which dates back to 1977. She became the Wolverines' first women's golfer to earn WGCA All- America honors (2017) and was also the first to claim the Big Ten indi- vidual title at the conference cham- pionships with her 6-under 210 tally in 2017. Her individual accomplishments led to team success, with U-M mak- ing back-to-back NCAA Champion- ships (2016, '17) — just the second and third finals appearances in pro- gram history, and first since 2002. At the 2017 NCAA Championships, she posted the highest U-M individual finish ever, when she tied for fourth overall. The product of Brussels, Belgium, set the U-M single-season scoring re- cord (73.09) in 2017, while her 75.13 career scoring average ranks sec- ond all time. The 18 career sub-par rounds she posted are also a U-M record. — Clayton Sayfie MEN'S GYMNASTICS SAM MIKULAK (2011-14) Mikulak led the Wolverines to na- tional championships in both 2013 and 2014, and four top-six team fin- ishes. He made an immediate impact in Ann Arbor, winning the individ- ual all-around NCAA title in 2011 en route to his first of three Big Ten Gymnast of the Year honors. He finished second nationally in the all-around in 2012, then won two more all-around crowns, once post- ing the highest-ever all-around score in NCAA history (93.70). He also claimed NCAA championships in the parallel bars (2013-14) and high bar (2012-2013), and totaled 17 All-Amer- ica honors with six Big Ten titles. While still in college, Mikulak became Michigan's first-ever male gymnast to qualify for the Olympics in 2012 (London). His success has continued beyond his Michigan days. He is now a six-time U.S. national all-around champion, won a world bronze medal in 2018 on the high bar, was named the USA Gymnastics Athlete of the Year for International competition in 2015 and made his second Olympic team in 2016. — Chris Balas MEN'S LACROSSE KYLE JACKSON (2013-16) The attackman put together a phe- nomenal first three years at Michigan by compiling 59 goals and 18 assists, while starting 41 of the 43 outings he appeared in from 2013-15. Jackson then turned in his best cam- paign as a senior, accumulating seven assists and a career-best 29 goals (fourth most in a year in school his- tory). He earned both the team's over- all MVP and offensive MVP awards WOMEN'S GYMNASTICS KYLEE BOTTERMAN (2008-11) Current rising junior Natalie Wojcik (2019-20) also has a great résumé, but Botterman won the 2011 national title in the all-around — one of just two in program history to win that crown — and was also the national runner-up on floor that year. Only five different individuals (including Wojcik on bal- ance beam) have won NCAA gold in program history. The New Lenox, Ill., native was a nine-time NCAA All-American, includ- ing seven first-team honors, a four-time All-Big Ten honoree and won five re- gional championships. The Wolverines were one of 12 teams to make it to the NCAA Champion- ships in 2011 and finished sixth nation- ally thanks in large part to Botterman's efforts. She was a finalist for the Honda Sports Award in 2011, an annual honor given to the best collegiate female ath- lete in each of 12 sports, and won the AAI Award, which is considered col- lege gymnastics' version of the Heis- man Trophy. — Chris Balas