The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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ceed that," Russell said. "Our first big tournament was in Las Vegas, it was a stacked weight class, and I hadn't wrestled the year before and was the underdog, and that was a great first test. I wrestled a bunch of top guys and won it and just immediately had my confidence back. "I knew that if I could beat those guys right now when I was just re- turning to the mat, I could defi- nitely beat them at nationals in a few months." Russell wasn't just back, he domi- ping a 6-5 decision to Ohio State's Hunter Stieber in the quarterfinals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational. Russell would have his revenge when he bested Stieber 7-2 in the NCAA semifinals en route to his second con- longs in the conversation with Wood- son, Dolan, Rice, Abbott and Morri- son as one of the best student-athletes that has called himself a Michigan Man during the past three decades. With all of his accolades, Russell be- Wrestling coach Joe McFarland on Russell "That first day he walked in to our wrestling room, he didn't take a backseat to anybody." nated, going undefeated in 2011 in be- coming the second wrestler in school history (Luke in 2009) to post a perfect record in a season that culminated in a national title. His challenge coming into his se- secutive 141-pound national title. "Growing up, you watch that meet nior season was to repeat as the NCAA champ with every competitor in the country determined to unseat the reigning king. Only one wrestler would fell him all season, though, with Russell drop- 15. Chris Cameron Gymnastics Track/X-country Baseball Football Football Football and you see those guys get their hands raised and you just dream about it, and work towards that," he said. "It's hard to describe how it feels, but it's a satisfaction that all you've done in your career paid off in the long run. "Nothing can bring you down when you're on top of the world. And no matter what happens the rest of my life, no one can take away that in 2011 and 2012 I was the best wrestler in the country at that weight." 2010 Became the first Wolverine since 1963 to capture the national title in the all-around competition while picking up All-America honors in three events. 16. Nate Brannen 2003 Earned the first of two individual national titles during his career in the 800-meter run while earning three All-America honors. 17. Barry Larkin 1985 Consensus first-team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year after belting 16 home runs, recording 66 RBI and scoring 72 runs. 18. Braylon Edwards 2005 Earned the Biletnikoff Award and first-team All-America honors after setting U-M single-season records with 97 receptions and 1,330 yards. 19. Chris Perry 2004 Became the first Doak Walker Award winner (nation's top running back) in school history and a first-team All-American after rushing for 1,674 yards and 18 touchdowns. 20. Jim Harbaugh 1987 Quarterbacked U-M to a Big Ten title and an 11-2 record, earning first-team All-America honors after throwing for 2,729 yards and 10 touchdowns. 21. Brent Lang Swimming Swimming Football 1990 Became the fourth swimmer in school history to repeat as the national champion in the 50-yard freestyle, and the third in the 100-yard freestyle. 22. Peter Vanderkaay 2006 Placed first in the 500-yard freestyle at the NCAA Championships to cap his career with four individual national titles and one relay national title. 23. Mike Hammerstein 1986 Picked up first-team All-America honors at defensive tackle after recording a then-school-record 23 tackles for loss and nine sacks. 24. Mike Barrowman best his head coach believes he's ever coached, and one of U-M's all-time greats. "To win four Big Ten titles and two In wrestling circles, he ranks as the national championships, and go the last two seasons with just one loss in a weight class the past two years that was one of the toughest in the country … I think it puts him in there with a very elite class along with Mark Churella (1976-79) and Snip Nalan (1952-54), top five, top three, top two maybe," McFarland declared. ❑ Swimming Gymnastics Football Track 1991 Wrapped his career with his third consecutive win in the 200-yard breaststroke at the NCAA Championships. 25. Justin Toman 1999 Won the first of two national titles in his signature event, the parallel bars, while also repeating in that event at the Big Ten Championships. 26. Anthony Thomas 2001 Set the then-all-time rushing record at Michigan with 4,472 yards and the current rushing TD record of 55 after posting 1,733 yards and 18 scores. 27. Andrew Ellerton 2007 Secured the program's 42nd individual national title with a win- ning time in the 800-meter run while also capturing three All- America honors. 28. Butch Woolfolk Football Gymnastics Football Golf 1982 Earned first-team All-America honors after rushing for 1,459 yards and six touchdowns on 253 carries in leading Michigan to a 9-3 record. 29. Scott Vetere 2000 Was the Big Ten all-around champion while also earning confer- ence wins on the pommel horse, still rings and vault. 30. Stefan Humphries 1984 Picked up first-team All-America honors at right guard for a Michi- gan football team that went 9-3 and rushed for 263.3 yards per game. 31. Michael Harris 2000 Named first-team All-Big Ten after finishing fifth at the league meet with a five-over-par 293 while also setting the then-season scoring record (72.23). 32. Dan Ketchum Swimming 2002 Named the co-Big Ten Swimmer of the Year after winning the 200- and 500-yard freestyle events at the conference meet. — Michael Spath AUGUST 2012 THE WOLVERINE 25