The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/262939
INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MICHIGAN'S TOP OLYMPIC SPORTS PERFORMERS Men's swimming and diving senior Kyle Whitaker: On Senior Day, Whitaker delivered two event wins in the second- ranked Wolverines' 172-103 triumph over Michigan State Feb. 8. Whitaker touched the wall in first place in the 100-yard breaststroke (55.19 seconds) and the 100-yard butterfly (48.39 seconds). The eight-time NCAA All-American has re- corded seven individual victories this year. Women's gymnastics freshman Nicole Artz: The Holland, Mich., native picked up her third Big Ten Freshman of the Week honor Feb. 10 after helping the Wolverines to a vic- tory over Illinois Feb. 7. Artz took first place in the uneven bars (9.825 score), was second on floor exercise (9.875) and fourth on the balance beam (9.775). Artz has captured four individual event wins this season. Wrestling redshirt freshman Conor Youtsey: The Parma, Mich., native helped lead Michigan to a 6-2 record in Big Ten play — U-M's best mark since going 8-0 in 2006 — going 5-3 in his eight conference matches. The 125-pounder, ranked 15th by Intermat.com in his weight class, scored a pair of wins over ranked wrestlers recently, beating Ohio State's No. 15 Nick Roberts 2-1 Jan. 31 and Nebraska's ninth-ranked Tim Lambert 2-0 Feb. 7. Softball sophomore Sierra Romero: The 2013 Big Ten Player and Freshman of the Year after belting a Michigan single-season-record 23 home runs, Romero is off to a torrid start this season. The Murrieta, Calif., native hit .462 and drove in nine runs in the Wolverines' four-game opening weekend of the 2014 campaign. With a single jack this year, Romero ranks 10th all time in school annals with 24 home runs. Women's tennis junior Sarah Lee: Performing at both No. 2 (3-1) and No. 3 singles (1-1), Lee is off to a 4-2 start in dual meets and a 16-6 record overall through Feb. 13. The Los Angeles native helped No. 11 Michigan upset ninth-ranked Miami 4-1 Feb. 9 with her 6-1, 6-2 victory. In three seasons, Lee is now 75-29, and is in a race with classmate Emina Betkas (78 career wins) to become the fourth Wolverine in school history with 100 career singles victories.