The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1412876
OCTOBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 15 INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MICHIGAN'S RECENT NON-CONFERENCE SWEEPS In beating Western Michigan, Washington and Northern Illinois, Michigan has swept its non-con- ference slate for the 14th time since 1990. U-M has now gone through the non-league schedule unscathed four times — in 2016, 2017, 2019 and this year — under seventh- year head coach Jim Harbaugh, and has posted a 17-2 record in such outings during the head man's ten- ure, including the trio of victories to kick off the 2021 campaign. For reference, former head coach Lloyd Carr (1995-2007) won all of his non-league outings six times in 13 years (46.2 percent). Former head man Gary Moeller (1990-94) never came out on top in all of his annual non-Big Ten clashes (his 1992 squad did not lose to a non- conference foe but tied with Notre Dame). Harbaugh has upped his number to four in six seasons — there were only Big Ten games in 2020 — for a success percentage of 66.7. The only non-conference regu- lar-season losses under Harbaugh have been to Utah in his first game back at his alma mater to begin the 2015 season and at Notre Dame to open the 2018 campaign. Here's a look at the seasons in which Michigan has swept the non-conference season and how the Wolverines fared overall over the last 25 years: Season Final Record 2021 TBD 2019 9-4 2017 8-5 2016 10-3 2013 7-6 2011 11-2 2010 7-6 2009 5-7 2006 11-2 2003 10-3 1999 10-2 1997 12-0 1996 8-4 1995 9-4 — Clayton Sayfie Getting To Know Softball Senior Catcher Hannah Carson Hannah Carson has been a main- stay in the U-M lineup for the past two seasons, starting 67 games over that stretch, after making an impact as a freshman in 2019. Starting all 45 games this past spring, Carson posted a .296 bat- ting average, 42 hits and 19 RBI. Priding herself on building strong relationships with her pitchers, Carson caught three no-hitters on the year. She's slated to be a major piece to the puzzle for head coach Carol Hutchins, both at the plate and in the field this spring. Here are some things about Carson that you might not have known: Best Part About Being From Weidman, Mich.: "I'm the first female softball player that has played a college sport at a Power Five school. It's pretty cool to represent my town." Nickname: "My sisters and my closest friends call me 'Hanny.' Some of my teammates will call me 'Hans.' My coaches will call me 'Hannah Banana.' It keeps it lighthearted." Favorite Restaurant In Ann Arbor: "The Detroit Filling Company. It's a vegan restaurant. I actually went vegetarian last year, so that's been my favorite." Best Meal She Can Cook By Herself: "Buffalo cauliflower wings and a good Greek salad." Favorite Professional Athlete: "Tim Tebow, just because he has good morals and values, and shows that on social media and acts by that. Having good morals and sticking by them as an athlete is something that I admire about him." Sports She Plays Besides Softball: "When I was in middle school, I played bas- ketball. I committed really early, at the beginning of my freshman year, so I wanted to focus on softball and didn't want to risk any injuries in other sports." Why She Chose Michigan: "Growing up, I always came to Michigan softball games. I went to every single camp they had. I went on a visit, and then the day I got back from that visit, my travel team was playing at the Michigan softball sta- dium. I was in seventh grade, and I hit a home run. I knew it was the place I wanted to go. It just felt like home. Playing on the field, I could see myself doing it in the future, even though I was only in seventh grade." What She Hopes To Do After Michigan: "I'm hoping to pursue a master's in sports psychology. I'm undecided where that will be. I would love to go into sports psychology and maybe play a fifth year somewhere, but that's still up in the air. I would love to work with high school athletes, college athletes and then eventually professional athletes in sports psychology." Favorite Memory At Michigan: "Beating Florida my sophomore year. I actually had the first RBIs of the game, so that was super exciting because my freshman year, we played Florida, and it wasn't one of my greatest games and we lost. So having that comeback, being the underdog and beating a high-ranked team. And then the bus ride after that, the team going crazy. I have so many videos from that." Overall Experience At Michigan: "The people here have definitely made it great and memorable. Just pushing myself to be the best version of myself in every aspect of life — in the classroom, on the field, off the field. Just becoming my best self." — Clayton Sayfie Hannah Carson posted 14 multi-hit and four multi- RBI games during the 2021 season. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY