The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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12 THE WOLVERINE ❱ SEPTEMBER 2024 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS U-M ATHLETES NAB NINE MEDALS IN PARIS OLYMPICS Athletes with ties to the University of Michigan walked out of the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, with a total of nine medals — one gold, three silver and five bronze. The efforts were headlined by a gold medal in the mixed 4x100-meter med- ley relay for alumnus Charlie Swanson, who swam in the in the preliminary round representing Team USA. He is the first Wolverine men's swimmer to earn a medal at the Olympics since Connor Jaeger grabbed a silver in the 1,500-meter freestyle in Rio in 2016. Swanson and the U.S. also grabbed a silver medal in the 4x100-meter relay. In water polo, Abby Andrews — who scored 13 goals in the Olympic tour- nament — and her Australian teammates earned a silver medal after falling 11-9 to Spain in the championship match. Led by U-M gymnasts Paul Juda and Fred Richard, Team USA grabbed a bronze medal in the men's gymnastics team finals, its first team medal since winning bronze in 2008. Former U-M swimmer Siobhan Haughey won bronze medals in the 200-meter and 100-meter freestyle events, making her the first Hong Kong athlete to win four Olympic medals in their career. Alumna Alena Olsen became the first rugby player in U-M history to earn an Olympic medal, grabbing a bronze with Team USA after its 14-12 win over Australia. In addition, U-M volleyball head coach Erin Virtue, serving as an assistant for Team USA, helped the team to a silver medal, dropping a straight-set decision to Italy in the finals. NEWSOME NAMED CHAIRMAN OF AFCA ASSISTANT COACHES COMMITTEE U-M football offensive line coach Grant Newsome has been appointed to the AFCA Board of Trustees and will serve as the chairman of the AFCA Assistant Coaches Committee. At 27, Newsome becomes the youngest member to join the AFCA Board, marking a significant milestone in his burgeoning coaching career. Newsome, who has spent the past two seasons as Michi- gan's tight ends coach, has quickly established himself as a rising star within the coaching community. His new roles with the AFCA reflect both his impressive coaching acumen and his leadership capabilities. As a trustee, Newsome will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the American Football Coaches Association, an organization dedicated to the ad- vancement and support of football coaches nationwide. It's no surprise given his background, and former head coach Jim Harbaugh once called him a rising star. "Once he has maybe a year or two under his belt as of- fensive line coach, just like Sherrone Moore, he'll be the coordinator," Harbaugh said in 2023. "And then, at that point, when we can't give him any more money or any more titles, somebody will snatch him up to be a head coach. "Mark my words, and mark them well. That will happen." Newsome is in his third season as a full-time assistant at Michigan, spending the 2022-23 seasons as the tight ends coach. He got his start in coaching in 2018 as a student assis- tant with the tight ends before taking on a graduate assistant role with the offensive line in 2020. He was a two-year letter- man at U-M from 2015-16 before his playing career ended due to a medical retirement. HOOPS TRANSFER DISHES ON EARLY COACHING TAKEAWAYS North Texas transfer Rubin Jones could be a foundational piece in Year 1 of the U-M men's basketball revamp under head coach Dusty May. Jones said that his new head coach carried a lot of cachet with him during the recruiting process. North Texas and Florida Atlantic were foes in Confer- ence USA and the AAC, and Jones had a few first-hand looks at what his new head coach brings to the table. "[The interest meant] a lot just because early on I knew that he was a really good coach on Day 1," Jones said. "The first time we played him, I knew it was a different feel playing against him. His sets are kind of different. We were just so confused and just playing against him. Getting that blessing from him, knowing that he believed in me and my game so much, it meant a lot to me. "The first time we played him, I vividly remember running into a screen from Vlad [Goldin] and feeling like my shoulder popping out of place. I re- member just chasing people all around the court. It's just a whole different feeling against Coach May." Jones was among the first players targeted by May as he shaped Michigan in his image after he spent four years with the Mean Green. He's coming off a career season, averaging 12.1 points per game with 3.7 assists and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 39.6 percent from the floor and 41.6 percent in 2023-24. — Anthony Broome MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK Michigan swimming alumnus Charlie Swanson (2017-20) earned a gold medal in the mixed 4x100-meter medley relay for his preliminary round swim for Team USA. He's the first U-M men's swimmer to medal since Connor Jaeger in 2016. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETICS