The Wolverine

April 2018

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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GOING OUT IN STYLE The night after leading Michigan to its first team trophy at the NCAA Championships since 2005 with a fourth-place showing in his hometown of Cleve- land, head wrestling coach Joe McFarland (center) announced he was retiring after 19 years at the helm. The former four-time All-American grappler and two- time national finalist for the Wolverines was just as impressive of a coach as he was a competitor. Since taking over in 1999, he guided Michigan to three Big Ten dual meet championships (2004-06) and 11 top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships (2001-08, 2016- 18), including a runner-up showing in 2005 and this season's fourth-place finish that capped his legendary career. Only Cliff Keen (274 wins from 1926-42, 1946-70) and McFarland's own mentor, Dale Bahr (221 from 1979- 99), posted more dual meet victories than McFarland's 214. "My wife and I had been thinking about the right time for me to step away, and what better place to end my career than in the city where I grew up," McFarland ex- plained. "It has been such a wonderful opportunity for me to be a student-athlete at Michigan and then return to coach at my alma mater. It's been a great journey, and I look forward to the next chapter as a Wolverine fan and supporter. "I'm proud of the achievements we've had over the years, but I'm even prouder of all the young men who earned their Michigan degrees and went on to great success in their adult lives. I have been privileged to work with some outstanding student-athletes, fellow coaches and athletic directors throughout my career, and I can't thank them enough for making my experi- ence so rewarding." PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN ATHLETIC MEDIA RELATIONS

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