The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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12 THE WOLVERINE ❱ APRIL 2023 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS U-M RENAMES SOFTBALL FIELD AFTER CAROL HUTCHINS Michigan Athletics announced on March 23 that it would rename its soft- ball field after legendary head coach Carol Hutchinson, who retired following the 2022 season after coaching 38 seasons on the diamond in Ann Arbor. Alumni Field will be getting a rebrand as Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium and remain incorporated into the Wilpon Baseball and Softball Complex. "I cannot think of a better way to recognize Carol Hutchins' contributions to the University of Michigan community, to the game of softball and to wom- en's athletics than to rename the venue that she put on the map," athletics director Warde Manuel said. "I appreciate the work of our University Naming Committee and the unwavering support from the Board of Regents and can- not wait for Hutch to watch her first game at a stadium named in her honor." Hutchins coached 39 seasons overall and is the winningest coach in NCAA softball history with 1,707 victories and a career winning percentage of .755 (1,707-555-5). She won a national championship in 2005 on the heels of a 65-7 campaign, making U-M the first softball program east of the Mississippi River to achieve those heights. Her Wolverines won 22 Big Ten regular-season titles and 10 Big Ten Tournaments, and they appeared in 29 NCAA Tourna- ments and made 12 trips to the Women's College World Series. Hutchins won 18 Big Ten Coach of the Year awards and was inducted into the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2006. She also founded the Michigan Softball Academy in 2010, which was a one-day, on- field clinic that raised funds for the American Cancer Society. According to U-M Athletics, the event has raised more than $1.5 million since 2007. HARBAUGH NAMED TOP COACH IN BIG TEN, DRAWS PRAISE FROM URBAN MEYER Head coach Jim Harbaugh has led the Michigan football program to a 25-3 record over the last two seasons, including a pair of Big Ten championships and trips to the College Football Playoff. He has completely flipped the for- tunes of the Michigan program during the last two years. As a result, On3.com's Jesse Simonton placed him atop his list of Big Ten coaches. Ohio State's Ryan Day, Wisconsin's Luke Fickell and Penn State's James Franklin round out the top four. Michigan State's Mel Tucker was ranked ninth. "It took some time, but Jim Harbaugh fulfilled his promise of beating Ohio State and delivering his alma mater a Big Ten Championship," Simonton wrote. "While Harbaugh has downplayed some of the major cultural and philosophical changes he made before the 2021 season, he deserves credit for pivoting and overhauling his staff. "In eight years at Michigan, Harbaugh has five seasons with at least 10 wins. Although the yearly NFL rumors remain a distraction, the Wolverines don't look like they're going to slow down at all under Harbaugh, either. They bring back a loaded squad in 2023 — with Harbaugh supplementing the depth chart with several key additions from the transfer portal — and will be the favorites to three-peat in the Big Ten. "While I weigh the present more than the past, Harbaugh's coaching résumé also includes jump-starting Stanford's program (12-1 season in his final year) and four years with the San Francisco 49ers where he never had a losing season, played in the NFC Championship Game three times and lost to his brother John Harbaugh in the Super Bowl." Former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer recently praised Harbaugh's program in an interview with On3, saying they have the goods to make an- other run at a national title. "I've watched them; ironically, I had them four times [on FOX Sports broad- casts], I think, this past year," said Meyer recently to On3. "Their quarterback, J.J. McCarthy, is so talented. You stand next to him, which I have, and watch the ball come out of his hand. His athleticism; he's a tough guy. He made big plays in that rivalry game last year. "They should have been in the [CFP] final game. They had two pick-sixes and just didn't take care of the ball; didn't play well in that game. But they were the better team. I think they're right there, as well. They just need to — I used to tell our teams, now, it's just about to finish, the F word. You need to finish. The Buckeyes didn't finish, and neither did the Wolverines." — Anthony Broom MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK Hutchins coached 39 seasons overall and is the winningest coach in NCAA softball history with 1,707 victories and a career winning percentage of .755. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY After posting 25 victories and winning back-to-back Big Ten titles in the last two seasons, Jim Harbaugh was rated the conference's best coach by On3. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER