Following the Michigan baseball team’s Big Ten Championship win Sunday, the Michigan Daily Photostaff recaps the 2021-2022 school year by highlighting 11 of the 27 varsity teams at the University. These 11 teams propelled Michigan athletics to achieve a record-breaking 13 conference championships this school year.
November 7, 2021: Women’s Soccer
The Michigan women’s soccer team won the first of the many Michigan athletics conference championships with a 1-0 victory over No. 1 Rutgers. This was the program’s first Big Ten Championship since 1999.
December 4, 2021: Football
The Michigan football team won its first conference championship since 2004, defeating Iowa 42-3. This win sent the Wolverines to the College Football Playoffs — a feat they had never before accomplished. In addition to their playoff appearance and 42-27 victory over Ohio State, Michigan had a strong overall record of 12-2.
February 4, 2022: Women’s Gymnastics Regular Season
The Michigan women’s gymnastics team had an impressive 9-0 record in their conference during the regular season, winning them the Big Ten regular season title. They secured this title at the Big Five Meet in Toledo, Ohio. This is the Wolverines’ seventh regular season title in the ten years that it has been awarded.
March 4, 2022: Hockey
The Michigan hockey team defeated No. 1 Minnesota in a close 4-3 match-up to win the Big Ten Championship at Minnesota’s 3M Arena at Mariucci. This was coach Mel Pearson’s first conference championship, while the team also appeared in the Wolverines’ second Frozen Four under Pearson’s tenure.
March 6, 2022: Wrestling
This season marked the 100th year of the Michigan wrestling program, and in the monumental year, the Wolverines won their first conference championship since 1973, edging out Penn State — their lone loss in the regular season — 143-141.5. The win propelled Michigan to the NCAA Championships at Little Caesars Arena March 17-19 where it placed second.
March 18, 2022: Men’s Gymnastics Regular Season
Following suit of the women’s team, the defending regular season title winners, the Michigan men’s gymnastics team, secured back-to-back regular season conference titles with a win over Penn State. In this 408.400-401.800 home win, they also won 4 out of the 6 events.
March 19, 2022: Women’s Gymnastics Meet
The women’s gymnastics team continued its strong run by capturing its 26th Big Ten Championship in Columbus, Ohio. Senior captain Abby Heiskell led the team, winning the Big Ten all-around title with a 39.700 score. The Wolverines scored their first ever 198.00, beating out Michigan State, the runner up, by an impressive margin of 198.200-197.050.
April 1, 2022: Men’s Gymnastics Meet
Both the Michigan men’s and women’s gymnastics teams swept the Big Ten, as both programs won Big Ten regular season and conference titles. The men’s gymnastics team completed the sweep with a win at the Big Ten Championships in State College. The team outscored second-place Nebraska 413.350 – 404.350, winning the program’s 19th Big Ten Title. Junior 2022 Big Ten Gymnast of the Year Paul Juda won the Big Ten all-around title with a score of 85.350.
April 24, 2022: Women’s Golf
The Michigan women’s golf team won its first Big Ten Championship in the program’s 41 year history. The Wolverines beat out the defending champion and nine-time Big Ten Title winner Michigan State to come out on top. The Wolverines’ win, with a team score of 857, secured them an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.
April 24, 2022: Water Polo
Just hours after the women’s golf team’s Big Ten Championship, the water polo team added another conference championship to the day. With wins of 14-7 and 10-4 against Brown and Harvard, respectively, Michigan secured the Collegiate Water Polo Association Championship. The Wolverines have not lost a conference championship since 2015.
May 1, 2022: Women’s Tennis
The Michigan women’s tennis team beat Ohio State, clinching its fourth Big Ten Tournament win since 2014. Sophomore Jaeden Brown’s 6-3, 7-6 win over the Buckeyes’ No. 37 ranked Isabelle Boulais. Brown and sophomore Kari Miller earned All-Big Ten Tournament team titles.
May 1, 2022: Men’s Tennis
In the Big Ten Tournament held in Madison, Wisconsin, the No. 2 Michigan men’s tennis team upset No. 1 Ohio State 4-2 to win the title. In the Wolverines’ first Big Ten Championship win, junior Ondrej Styler was named as the tournament’s most valuable player and awarded a spot on the All- Big Ten Tournament team along with senior Patrick Maloney.
May 29, 2022: Baseball
The Michigan baseball team brought home the 13th, and final, conference championship of the year with a 10-4 victory over Rutgers to secure the title. A strong offensive performance which featured a three-run home run by junior Jimmy Obertop, leading the program to its first Big Ten Title since 2015, as well as an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Managing Photo Editors Tess Crowley and Grace Beal can be reached at photo@michigandaily.com.