BY MICHAEL SPATH
G
reg Ryan's women's soccer
team kicks off the official
start to the 2015‑16 sports
year by hosting Eastern
Michigan Aug. 21. Before the U‑M
football team even plays its first
game Sept. 3 at Utah, women's soc‑
cer (four games), volleyball (three
matches), field hockey (two games)
and men's soccer (one game) will
have already opened their seasons,
while the cross country and golf pro‑
grams will be training for their cam‑
paigns to start in early September.
Here is a look at each of the eight
Olympic Sports teams set to com‑
pete during the next few months,
including their Big Ten and NCAA
prospects.
WOMEN'S SOCCER
First Game: Aug. 21, versus Eastern
Michigan.
Big Ten Predicted Finish: Top four.
NCAA Best-Case Scenario: Sweet 16.
Coach's Expectations: "This team has
more talent around the field than that
team [in 2013 that made it to the NCAA
READY TO GO
Michigan's Eight Fall Olympic
Sports Teams Are Dreaming
Of Big Ten Championships
And NCAA Appearances
Women's soccer head coach Greg Ryan
thinks that his current roster, led by Ani
Sarkisian (above), is more talented than
the 2013 squad that made it to the NCAA
Tournament quarterfinals.
PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS
