The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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60 THE WOLVERINE ❱ FEBRUARY 2026 with each of you. Today's recognition is for all of us. "First and foremost, thank you Mom, thank you Dad, for literally everything. I chose the No. 21 in sixth grade and wore it my entire career because my dad wore [it] when he played. I'm thrilled he's here today, along with my mom, to see it go up into the rafters. Whatever I do is always with the hope of making my parents proud. "To my family, friends, coaches, teammates, and colleagues who are here with me today and have been there every step of the way through thick and thin, thank you for every memory we made along the way. There's noth- ing in life that compares to being on a team. Being on a team prepares you for everything. I so very humbly received this recognition alongside every single teammate on every single team with whom I laughed, cried, persevered, and persisted, including my very first team- mates, my six siblings who shared the court my parents installed in our back- yard so many years ago. "Thank you to Kim Barnes Arico, Warde Manuel, President [Domenico] Grasso, and the Board of Regents. None of this happens without you. I love this university and every opportunity it pro- vides to thousands of student-athletes just like me. Thank you for everything you do. It is a privilege and honor to represent the maize and blue. "To the women's basketball fans, every one of you, you are the reason that this court, in this arena, in this town, will always be home. And there is no place like home. Thank you all for the love and support. God bless and Go Blue!" Since graduating from Michigan, Di- etz received a Juris Doctor degree from Cooley Law School in Lansing, work- ing for law firms locally before pivot- ing to the cable television industry. She worked as the vice president of corpo- rate and legal affairs for Continental Cablevision's Midwest region before joining Comcast Corporation in 1996. There, she served as vice president of corporate affairs for the Midwest divi- sion. In 2005, she relocated to Phila- delphia after being promoted to senior director of public affairs and vice presi- dent of The Comcast Foundation. In 2008, Dietz was named chief mar- keting officer for the Cranbrook Educa- tional Community, a collection of pri- vate schools in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Since 2010, Dietz has worked for the Big Ten Conference as a deputy commis- sioner, with additional titles including chief communications officer (2010-14) and senior strategic advisor to the com- missioner (2021-22). For current players within the Michi- gan program, it was not only a moment to honor the past, but hopefully some- thing that gets the ball rolling for fur- ther representation in the future. "It is just a feeling of celebration, but also just a determination to keep push- ing for women's representation, espe- cially all throughout history," sopho- more guard/forward Te'Yala Delfosse said after the game, an 86-60 win over Wisconsin. "I think it's definitely a lit- tle bit disappointing that it's taken this long, and we still have Naz and Kate- lyn Flaherty, and even girls on our team now that could possibly be acclaimed for something like that. "I think it's a celebration, but also just a continuing push to move forward and stand with the women's rights in here." Flaherty will have her No. 3 honored on Jan. 25 prior to the contest against USC, while Hillmon will have her famed No. 00 spotlighted on Feb. 15 against ri- val Michigan State. The men's program will honor one of its former players on Jan. 23 against Ohio State when for- mer star guard Trey Burke, the National Player of the Year in 2013, has his No. 3 commemorated in Crisler. ❏ ❱ The Diane Dietz File Michigan Accomplishments: Fourth all- time in U-M scoring (2,076) … Second all- time in 30-point games (11) and field goals made (940) … Three-time All-America selec- tion … Big Ten Medal Of Honor in 1982 … Michigan Athletics Hall of Honor (1996) … Michigan Sports Hall of Fame (2019). Professional Highlights: Current deputy commissioner in the Big Ten Conference … Former cable television industry executive (1993-2008) … Former chief marketing of- ficer in Cranbrook Educational Community (2008-09). They Said It: "For over 30 years, the stan- dard of excellence at Michigan was defined by one name: Diane Dietz. By retiring the first jersey in program history, we aren't just honoring a record-breaking scorer; we are cementing the legacy of a pioneer who proved that a Wolverine's impact is time- less." — Athletics director Warde Manuel, via MLive.com Dietz is the deputy commissioner for the Big Ten Conference. She is in her 16th year at the conference, where she is charged with development and implementation of strategic initiatives that impact the conference and intercollegiate athletics, in addition to provid- ing support for business and operational com- munications. PHOTO COURTESY BIG TEN CONFERENCE Dietz scored 2,076 points during her four-year run with the U-M women's basketball team from 1978-82, a mark that now stands in fourth place in school history. She is one of two Wolverines in the Academic All-America Hall of Fame. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY