The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS SOFTBALL NAMES ITS CAPTAINS Michigan softball stands less than a month away from taking the field and has its new leaders designated. Seniors Olivia Richvalsky and Sierra Romero, along with junior Kelly Christner, have been named captains of Carol Hutchins' 2016 squad. Richvalsky is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection who specializes as a pinch runner for the Wolverines. She scored 11 runs last season. Romero became Michigan's Female Athlete of the Year in 2014-15, along with earning espnW Softball Player of the Year honors. She paced Michigan with a .449 batting average, 22 home runs and 83 RBI. The three-time NFCA All- American tops the Wolverines in six career offensive categories with a season yet to play. Christner also became a first-team All-American in 2015. She hit .393 with 21 home runs and 67 RBI while also earning Academic All-America honors. — John Borton Former Michigan head coach Brady Hoke has taken a job as Oregon's de- fensive coordinator, accord- ing to a press release by his new employer. "We are extremely excited to welcome Coach Hoke to the Oregon family," head coach Mark Helfrich said in the release. "He's passion- ate, knowledgeable and tough, and has an outstand- ing track record of success from a defensive stand- point." Hoke coached at Michi- gan from 2011-14, starting out 11-2 in his first season, with wins over Notre Dame, Ohio State and Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl. The Wolverines didn't maintain that success, and Hoke was let go following a 5-7 season in 2014. Hoke had previously served as head coach at San Diego State and Ball State. He's no stranger to the state of Oregon, having worked as an assistant coach at Or- egon State from 1989-94. He then worked as an as- sistant at Michigan starting in 1995. He guided Michi- gan's defensive line during the Wolverines' national championship season in 1997. Hoke inherited a team giving up 35 points per game when he returned to Michigan as head coach, but the Wol- verines cut that number in half in 2011. He'll be asked to help revive an Or- egon defense that allowed 36.8 points per game in 2015, which ranked No. 114 in the nation. Brady Hoke Signs On As Oregon Defensive Coordinator HOKE