The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1273784
SOFTBALL SIERRA ROMERO (2013-16) Romero might literally have won every major college softball award available in her four years at Michigan, from Big Ten Freshman of the Year (and Player of the Year as a freshman) to USA Softball Collegiate Player of the Year in her senior season. The infielder became the first four-time All-American in Michigan pro- gram history, earning three first-team honors (2014-16) and a second-team selection (2013), was the three-time Big Ten Player of the Year (2013-14, '16), and became the first player in NCAA history to record 300 runs, 300 hits and 300 RBI. Romero is still the NCAA record holder in career runs (302) and grand slams (11). She also ranks fourth all time in career RBI (305) and slugging percentage (.882), and eighth in home runs (82) and walks (225). She was Michigan's Female Athlete of the Year in both 2015 and 2016. — Chris Balas tied for third in assists (21) and dead- locked for eighth in minutes played (6,269). The forward from Redditch, Eng- land, garnered second-team All- America honors from the United Soc- cer Coaches in 2018 after logging eight goals and eight assists, becoming just the fourth Wolverine ever to earn that recognition. He was also a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy (given to college soccer 's best player) and claimed the Big Ten's Offensive Player of the Year Award in 2018. Hallahan tallied at least five goals and a minimum of six assists each of his final three years at Michigan, help- ing him become the first player in pro- gram history to earn first-team All- Big Ten recognition in three straight seasons. Following his graduation, Halla- han was selected in the second round (50th overall) by Los Angeles FC in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. — Austin Fox WOMEN'S SOCCER NKEM EZURIKE (2010-13) She departed Ann Arbor following the 2013 campaign as the Wolverines' career leaders in both points (118) and goals (49). After a freshman season that saw Ezurike notch nine goals and one as- sist, she improved to 11 goals and six assists as a sophomore, and then 14 markers and 10 helpers in both 2012 and 2013. Her impressive final year at Michi- gan helped her earn National Soc- cer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) first-team All-America hon- ors, the only female soccer player ever to do so at Michigan. The forward was also a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy as a senior, and was a four-time member of the All-Big Ten squad (a first-teamer in 2012-13 and a second-teamer in 2010-11). The Lower Sackville, Nova Scotia, native was recognized as three-time NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region hon- oree (first team in 2013, second team in 2012 and third team in 2010), and earned the starting nod in all 82 of the games she appeared in as a Wol- verine. Ezurike was chosen eighth overall by the Boston Breakers in the 2014 National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) College Draft, and as of July 2020, plays with the Canadian Wom- en's National Soccer Team and the Israeli club ASA Tel Aviv. — Austin Fox MEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING CONNOR JAEGER (2011-14) The New Jersey native and distance swimmer was Michigan swimming's only Olympian in 2012, finishing sixth in the 1,500-meter free- style in London while rep- resenting the United States. He won at least one Big Ten champi- onship in each of his four years and nine total, claimed three NCAA gold medals and was a two-time Big Ten Swimmer of the Year (2013, '14). He was also named U-M's Male Athlete of the Year in both his junior and se- nior seasons. An elite freestyler, Jaeger continued his progress after graduating from Michigan and shined on the interna- tional stage. He currently holds the U.S. Open record in the 800-meter freestyle and the American record in the 1,500-meter freestyle. He placed first in the 400-meter freestyle at the 2016 U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials and then won a silver medal for his country in the 1,500-meter freestyle AUGUST 2020 THE WOLVERINE 33 PHOTO BY DARYL MARSHKE/MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY