The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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ROOKIES OF THE YEAR MALE SPORT ROOKIE OF THE YEAR MAX DAHLIN, TENNIS The Karlstad, Sweden, native redshirted in 2024-25 before breaking out as one of the best players na- tionally in 2025-26. Dahlin was a singles and doubles All-American in both the fall and spring, and earned Big Ten Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year recognition. Dahlin, who was ranked as high as No. 6 in the ITA singles rankings, was tabbed as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association Midwest Regional Rookie of the Year, posting a 29-3 overall record including a 20-1 mark at No. 1 singles and 11-0 tally in Big Ten play. He went 13-2 against ranked opponents. Dahlin reached the NCAA singles quarterfinals. In doubles, Dahlin ended 17-7, including 10-6 at No. 1 doubles and 6-4 versus ranked opponents. He and partner Bjorn Swenson, a senior, rose to No. 7 in the national doubles rankings. FEMALE SPORT ROOKIE OF THE YEAR ELIZABETH JOHNSON, LACROSSE The Concord, N.H., native was a USA Lacrosse Magazine honorable mention All- American in her first year of college lacrosse. Johnson started 20 games as Michigan's goalkeeper, posting a 12-7 record (one of her decisions went to teammate Madeline Jensen) with a 48 percent save percentage. Johnson allowed only 9.05 goals per game, leading the Big Ten. She started the season by recording 15 saves in a win over Notre Dame, 2 saves shy of the single-game program record. That was one of six double-digit save efforts on the year. Johnson was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. AUGUST 2026 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 41 Michigan women's lacrosse goalkeeper Elizabeth Johnson was named a USA Lacrosse Magazine honorable mention All- American and was selected to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY Michigan's Max Dahlin made Big Ten tennis history by becoming the first player to earn both Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year honors. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY FEMALE SPORT MOST IMPROVED TEAM OF THE YEAR SWIMMING AND DIVING Michigan went 5-1 overall, 2-1 in the Big Ten, finished third at the conference meet and ninth at the NCAA Cham- pionships in 2024-25, before a big breakthrough in 2025-26. Last year, the Maize and Blue won the Big Ten champion- ship for the first time since 2017-18 and easily achieved their best season under third-year head coach Matt Bowe. Michigan was an undefeated 5-0 in the conference regular season, going unblemished for the first time since 2020-21. The Maize and Blue won their first six dual meets and showed that top-end gear in the Big Ten Championships, scoring 1,243 points and outscoring the runner-up by more than 100 points. Eleven student-athletes punched their tickets to the NCAA Championships, where Michigan made its second three-place improvement in as many seasons. Michigan's women's swimming and diving team was domi- nant on its way to a Big Ten championship, scoring 1,243 points and outscoring the runner-up by more than 100 points. The win marked U-M's first conference crown since 2018 and was the 18th in program history. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY 2025-26 YEAR IN REVIEW