Which Wolverine will be the face of the university next season?
Every year, several Michigan Wolverines separate themselves from the pack as stars in their respective sports. Whether that be Trey Burke carrying Michigan basketball to the precipice of a national title (the block was clean), hockey’s Kyle Connor melting the ice with his prolific scoring, or Charles Woodson winning a Heisman Trophy and restoring Michigan to the college football mountaintop.
Each of these athletes were at the top of their game and sport, but were they at the top of Michigan during their time in Ann Arbor?
At Michigan’s spring game a few weeks ago, Woodson was seen walking around with a WWE-styled championship belt, and this got me thinking — who holds the Michigan championship belt? For those of you with lives, wives, and/or responsibilities, the actual WWE Championship is bestowed upon the headline performer who is the face of the company; the money-maker, the first name on the marquee. Keeping with that reasoning, the Michigan championship belt should be bestowed upon the athlete who is the face of the university.
Sure, for some, it would always be a football player, but — apologies to the non-rev sports out there — let’s look at this as objectively as possible across the unofficial big three sports at Michigan: football, basketball and hockey.
In recent history, the belt’s lineage would look something like this.
2023 – Football RB Blake Corum – A record-breaking team captain and the heart and soul of the undefeated national champions.
2022 – Hockey F Adam Fantilli – The Hobey Baker Award winner (hockey’s Heisman) and the nation’s leading scorer for a Michigan team that reached the Frozen Four .
2021 – Football edge Aidan Hutchinson – A Heisman Trophy finalist, team captain and catalyst for the Michigan football resurgence.
2020 – Basketball C Hunter Dickinson – A second-team All-American and the leading scorer for a team that reached the Elite Eight.
Keeping history and some semblance of objectivity in place, who are the top three contenders from each sport to hoist the Michigan championship belt this season? Will the title stay with the football team or will someone else rise up and claim it?
Here are the leading contenders, and a few dark horses, for 2024-25.
Football
Favorite: RB Donovan Edwards
Fresh off a 100-yard, two-touchdown performance in the National Championship and gracing the cover of the deluxe version of EA Sports’ NCAA Football ‘25, Donovan Edwards has to be the favorite to win the belt this season. Michigan’s offense will embrace a physical, run-first, second, and third mentality this season, and Edwards — if he can remain healthy (KNOCKS ON ALL THE WOOD) — will have the opportunity to put up some gaudy statistics and state his case for Heisman Trophy candidacy.
Furthermore, as the focal point of the offense at a premier position and a presumptive team captain, Edwards will have the chance to lead the Wolverines to their fourth straight victory over Ohio State , fourth straight Big Ten Championship, and second straight national championship. However, Edwards will not be the only player from Team 145 making his case for the strap.
Dark horse contenders: CB Will Johnson, DT Mason Graham
The Michigan defense will be the best unit in college football and will be anchored by two of the best players at their respective positions. Will Johnson — who even carried the WEE Championship belt following last season’s National Championship — is a lockdown corner who will largely be avoided by all means necessary. Conversely, defensive tackle Mason Graham will be the constant focus of endless double teams on the inside.
Both are stars and should be drafted to in the top-10 next April. However, without the ball in their hands and given their defensive positions, will they be able to outshine Edwards?
Hockey
Favorite: F Rutger McGroarty
Last season, Rutger McGroarty finished seventh in the country with 1.44 points per game as was actually leading the country before an injury set him back in November. McGroarty’s return for his junior season was unexpected and immediately made him one of the favorites for the Hobey Baker Award. With a stacked roster joining him next season, Michigan will be a threat to win its first national championship since 1998.
Dark horse contender: G Logan Stein
Transfer goalie Logan Stein will have the opportunity to be the catalyst to put the Wolverines over the Frozen Four hump. Last season, while playing for the second-worst team in the country (Ferris State), Stein still posted an impressive .910 save percentage. If Stein can play at a .920 level next season with vastly superior players in front of him, he could usurp McGroarty and lead the Wolverines to the promised land.
Basketball
Favorite: C Vlad Goldin
With a chance to literally be the biggest man on campus next season, FAU transfer center Vlad Goldin could seize the title as the best player on a fun, upstart Michigan basketball team. Goldin was the leading scorer, rebounder and shot-blocker last season for Dusty May at FAU and will likely lead in all three categories again in Ann Arbor.
My colleague Kellen Voss did an excellent breakdown of Goldin’s game here and lays out the case for why it is likely he will be the focal point of Michigan’s attack next season. The bar is lower for the basketball team compared to the other two sports, but if Goldin returns Michigan to prominence and perhaps the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament, that could be enough for the belt if the other teams don’t reach the top.
Dark horse contender: G Roddy Gayle
If Goldin’s game isn’t your preferred style, Ohio State transfer Roddy Gayle might be your guy. Gayle is a 6-foot-4 guard who rained threes at a 43 percent clip two seasons ago before regressing under the weight of a struggling program last season. Gayle’s style of play is exciting and he finds a way to affect games even when his shot isn’t falling by cutting to the basket and effectively finishing around the rim.
If Gayle’s shot can return to its freshman form, he could lead the Wolverines in scoring and become the headliner for the feel-good story on campus.