The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS MICHIGAN'S TOP SPORTS PERFORMERS Basketball junior Zak Irvin: The wing from Fishers, Ind., won his second straight Bill Buntin MVP award when the basketball team held its banquet in mid-April. He garnered two of the other 11 awards handed out at the event — the Thad Garner Leadership Award and the Iron Man Award. The All-Big Ten honorable mention selection returned from a summer back procedure to average 11.8 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game this season. Swimming and diving senior Anders Lie Nielsen: The 2016 team captain who earned 10 All-America honors and eight Big Ten championships during his time in Ann Arbor was the top Danish finisher by placing second (to a German) at the Danish Open in the 100-meter freestyle (49.90) and 200-meter freestyle (1:48.29). He also finished third in the 50-meter freestyle (22.93) and is expected to be named to his home country's Olympic team for the second time in his career (he competed as part of a relay in 2012). Softball senior Sierra Romero: The All-American infielder ranks among the nation's top 10 in four offensive categories and is close to adding the all-time runs scored crown to her NCAA career record for grand slams (11). She ended the regular season with 292 career runs, just one shy of tying the mark held by Arizona's Jenny Dalton (1993-96). She also ranked in the NCAA's all-time top 10 for RBI, walks and home runs. Field hockey senior Shannon Scavelli: The All-Big Ten pick became the first in program history to win the Big Ten Medal of Honor, joining coach Marcia Pankratz (Iowa, 1986) as winners of the honor that has been awarded since 1915 to one male and one female (since 1982) stu- dent-athlete from the graduating class of each university who had "attained the greatest proficiency in athletics and scholastic work." Scavelli was a four-year starter and served as a team captain in her final campaign while tying for the team lead with nine goals. Rowing alumna Ellen Tomek: The 2006 graduate earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Team with partner Meghan O'Leary after winning the women's double sculls final at the Olympic Trials April 24. The Rio games will mark the second Olympic appearance for Tomek, a second-team All-American and Michigan's Rowing Athlete of the Year in 2006. She finished fifth at the 2008 games in Beijing with a different partner. The rowing portion of the Olympics is set for Aug. 6-13 at Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas in Copacabana.