The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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Jaeger was a two-time individual national champion, winning the 500-yard freestyle and the 1,650-yard freestyle, and he helped lead the Wolverines to the NCAA title. photo courtesy michigan athletic media relations won back-to-back titles in the event in 2005 and 2006. "For both the 500 and the 1,650, I thought I had a good shot of winning," Jaeger said. "But when you get to that level, everyone in the pool is so talented. It's always so competitive. You never know who is going to step up and have a great race. I went into it, and I really just wanted to put points up for the team." Michigan coach Mike Bottom is ecstatic to see Jaeger's ascent to the upper echelon of the swimming community. "It's great, because he deserves it," Bottom said. "But it's not going to stick on him. He's going to let it fly off and continue to work as hard as ever. He's a champion, in every sense of the word. He's a champion of the team, of the causes he has taken on, and he's committed to making champions out of others. We crown champions so they can continue to inspire, not just bask in themselves." But for Jaeger, the individual accomplishments and awards weren't what made this season so special. The Wolverines claimed their first team national championship since 1995, and that means much more to