Michigan Wolverines news: Recruiting updates, a top-25 women’s game and more

Michigan football continues to build recruiting momentum and we have the latest recruiting news as well as more on our Michigan Wolverines roundup. 

Monday started off pretty well for fans of the Michigan Wolverines as the Michigan football program landed its 21st commitment on Monday in linebacker Hayden Moore.

Moore was a former commitment of Nebraska. The 6-foot-3, 210-pounder linebacker out of Colorado was highly productive and offers some unique versatility. He’s ranked outside the top 1,000 right now but I’m betting on the Wolverines to help him reach his upside.

The commitment of Moore pushes the Michigan football recruiting class in the 2023 cycle to 19th overall according to the 247 sports team rankings.

There are still a few recruits in the 2023 class that could be joining. Nyckoles Harbor is one of them. Jamel Howard is a big defensive tackle that is still undecided and Jyaire Hill, a four-star cornerback is in the same boat.

Michigan Wolverines left out of Jyaire Hill’s top 5

Hill’s recruitment has been really back and forth. Michigan football was starting to trend in the right direction and even received some crystal ball projections on Monday for Hill.

Then, the four-star cornerback out of Illinois dropped his top five and didn’t include the Wolverines on the list.

EJ Holland of The Wolverine said there is still confidence around Ann Arbor and that Hill “likes to play games” but we’ll see. He would be a massive addition late as a top-200 prospect in the 247 sports composite rankings.

Jim Harbaugh is runner-up for AP Coach of the Year

Harbaugh won Big Ten Coach of the Year after Mel Tucker somehow won the award in 2021, but wasn’t able to repeat as AP National Coach of the Year.

Sonny Dykes got the honor and after taking a 5-7 team to the College Football Playoff, it was well deserved. Dykes and Harbaugh will square off in the Fiesta Bowl with a berth in the national championship game on the line.

A big women’s basketball game for Michigan Wolverines

The Jumpman Invitational starts tonight in Charlotte. Michigan basketball will take on North Carolina in men’s and women’s basketball on consecutive nights.

The women’s game will take place tonight and it will feature the top-25 matchup as the sixth-ranked Tar Heels will square off against the 19th-ranked Wolverines.

North Carolina has four players that average in double figures. They force a lot of turnovers (19 per game) rebound well and shoot 34 percent from beyond the arc. Eva Hodgson is making 51 percent of her shots from deep and will be a shooter to watch tonight for the Wolverines.

Deja Kelly (15.4 ppg), Kenney Todd-Williams (14.3 ppg), and Alyssa Ustby, who averages 14.3 points and 9.1 rebounds, will lead the 10-1 Tar Heels. Michigan has its own stars Emily Kiser, Leigha Brown, and Laila Phelia. Maddie Nolan is another name to watch although she has struggled with her 3-point this season (29 percent).

Tip-off in the battle of 10-1 teams is set for 7 PM EST time on ESPN2.