The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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and talent, he figures the Wolverines are only going to take leaps forward. In the meantime, he has no com- plaints. The decision to assist in build- ing a program has been a great one, in his mind, when he reflects upon his first full year spent in Ann Arbor. "It was awesome," he said. "I couldn't ask for a better school. It's a perfect fit for me. I'm content with everything going on, and I hope we keep getting better as a team." ❑ Best Of The Rest A host of freshmen made an impact for various Michigan teams over the past year. Here are four more who stood out in a significant way during their first season in Ann Arbor. 1. Adam Coon, wrestling — It took Fowlerville, Mich., frosh Adam Coon no time at all to become a big man on campus. The heavyweight went 32-5 in his rookie season, reaching the round of 12 at the NCAA Championships. He wound up just one match short of All-America honors. Along the way, he captured the heavyweight championship of two prestigious tournaments — the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Midlands Championships — and recorded wins over the two wrestlers who met for the national title in his weight class. 2. J.T. Compher, ice hockey — The freshman forward led the Wolverines in points as a rookie, scoring 11 goals and racking up 20 assists to tally 31 markers on the season. His 20 assists led Red Berenson's team, and Compher also posted a team-best three shorthanded goals and a plus-13 rating. He became Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned second-team all-conference recognition. His team honors were unparalleled, with Compher capturing the Hal Downes Award as Team MVP, the Hazel "Doc" Losh Award for pacing the Wolverines in scoring, and the Deker Club Rookie of the Year Award. 3. Derrick Walton Jr., basketball — Walton didn't have to wait his turn to jump in on the action at a very high level. He played in all 37 Michigan games, right through the Wolverines' run to the Elite Eight. He started 36 of those contests, jumping in among the starters from game one. Walton made the All-Big Ten Freshman Team by averaging 7.9 points, 3.0 steals and 2.9 assists per game. His highlight moment of the season might have involved his 9-of-10 performance at the free throw line in a game at Michigan State's Breslin Center. That effort helped the Wolverines get a leg up in a Big Ten race they eventually won going away. 4. Brett Adcock, baseball — This rookie left-handed pitcher from Kawkawlin, Mich., not only made the Big Ten All-Freshman squad, he earned his way onto the Louisville Slugger Freshman All-America crew. In 26 appearances with the Wolverines, he managed a 7-4 record with a 2.87 ERA. Adcock fanned 61 hitters in 53 1 ⁄3 innings pitched, allowing opponents to hit just .234 against him. His seven victories tied for fourth in the Big Ten, and he also managed a tie for eighth in the league in both appearances and strikeouts. — John Borton