Michigan Wolverines The Michigan Wolverines comprise 27 varsity sports teams at the University of Michigan . These teams compete in the NCAA ' s Division I and in the Big Ten Conference in all sports except men ' s ice hockey which competes in the NCAA D1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association , women ' s water polo , which competes in the NCAA inter - divisional Collegiate Water Polo Association , and men ' s lacrosse which competes in the NCAA D1 Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Lacrosse League . Team colors are maize and blue — which are different shades of " maize " and " blue " than the university at large . The winged helmet is a recognized icon of Michigan Athletics . In 10 of the past 14 years ( through 2008 – 2009 ) , Michigan has finished in the top five of the NACDA Directors ' Cup , a list compiled by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics that charts institutions ' overall success in college sports . UM has finished in the top ten of the Directors ' Cup standings in fifteen of the award ' s seventeen seasons . Championships . The University of Michigan has won national championships in all four major sports , baseball ( 2 ) , basketball ( men ' s – 1 ) , football ( 11 ) , and ice hockey ( men ' s – 9 ) . The Wolverines have also won NCAA Division I national championships in women ' s field hockey ( 1 ) , men ' s golf ( 2 ) , men ' s gymnastics ( 4 ) , women ' s softball ( 1 ) , men ' s swimming and diving ( 11 ) , men ' s tennis ( 1 ) , and men ' s outdoor track and field ( 1 ) . Overall , UM ' s 33 official NCAA Division I titles ranks tenth all - time , behind UCLA , Stanford University , USC , Oklahoma State , Texas , Arkansas , LSU , Penn State , and UNC . In NCAA D1 men ' s sports only , UM ranks sixth all - time in championships behind USC , UCLA , Stanford , Oklahoma State , and Arkansas . UM ' s official NCAA Division I national championships have come from ten different sports – this broad - based success matches the University of Texas for fourth place in the NCAA record book . Only UCLA and Stanford , each with titles in 16 varying sports , and USC in 15 , have more diverse championship histories than the Wolverines . The Wolverines ' 33 official NCAA D1 titles are complemented by seven unofficial NCAA men ' s swimming and diving championships from 1927 through 1936 , when no team championships were awarded ; by men ' s trampoline NCAA titles in 1969 and 1970 ; and , by 11 unofficial NCAA / NCAA Division I football " consensus " championships recognized by the university , for a total of 52 national championships . In four additional seasons national number one rankings by at least one recognized authority were given to the UM football team . University of Michigan teams have also been national runners - up 40 times in 13 different sports : men ' s basketball ( 4 ) , women ' s cross country ( 1 ) , women ' s field hockey ( 1 ) , men ' s golf ( 4 ) , men ' s gymnastics ( 2 ) , women ' s gymnastics ( 2 ) , men ' s ice hockey ( 3 ) , women ' s rowing ( 1 ) , women ' s synchronized swimming ( 2 in AIAW ) , men ' s swimming and diving ( 13 ) , women ' s swimming and diving ( 1 ) , men ' s outdoor track and field ( 1 ) , and wrestling ( 5 ) . Varsity sports . The University of Michigan Athletic Department sponsors the following sports : Men ' s athletic teams Women ' s athletic teams Baseball . The men ' s baseball team won national championships in 1953 and 1962 and has sent 138 players to the major leagues . Michigan has appeared in the College World Series seven times . Notable alumni include , George Sisler , Barry Larkin , Jim Abbott , Arizona Diamondback ' s pitcher J . J . Putz , and Kansas City Royals ' second baseman Chris Getz . Another important figure in the history of Michigan baseball is former Brooklyn Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey who was the head coach for 4 years from 1910 – 13 and recruited Sisler to Ann Arbor . The current coach of the Michigan Wolverines is Rich Maloney . He came to the University of Michigan in 2003 and helped restore Michigan to Big Ten prominence . Michigan has won 35 Conference Championships , made 21 NCAA Tournament appearances and won those 2 national titles ( See above ) . For 13 seasons from 1990 – 2002 Michigan won a lone Big Ten title ( 1997 ) and made just one NCAA appearance in 1999 . In the 7 seasons since Coach Maloney arrived Michigan has made 4 NCAA appearances while winning back - to - back - to - back Conference titles in 2006 , 2007 and 2008 . Men ' s basketball . The men ' s basketball team plays its games at Crisler Arena . The Wolverines have won 12 Big Ten regular - season conference titles , as well as the inaugural Big Ten Tournament in 1998 , which it later forfeited due to NCAA violations . The team has appeared in the NCAA Final Four on six occasions ( 1964 , 1965 , 1976 , 1989 , 1992 * and 1993 * ) and won the National Championship in 1989 under Steve Fisher . The program later forfeited its 1992 and 1993 Final Four appearances due to NCAA violations . Other notable players who played for Michigan include Roy Tarpley , Loy Vaught , Gary Grant , Terry Mills , Glen Rice , Jalen Rose , Rumeal Robinson , Antoine Joubert , Jamal Crawford , Juwan Howard , Chris Webber , Jimmy King , Cazzie Russell , Daniel Horton , Bernard Robinson , and Mark Hughes . During the 1990s , the program became involved in a scandal involving payments from a booster named Ed Martin to four players : Chris Webber , Maurice Taylor , Robert Traylor , and Louis Bullock . The scandal ultimately resulted in four years ' probation and a self - imposed ban from postseason play in the 2002 – 03 season . UM also voluntarily forfeited regular season games and " vacated " NCAA tournament games from selected past seasons . Vacating the results of 114 games won while the four players were eligible , including the 1992 and 1993 Final Fours , the entire 1992 – 93 season , and all seasons from fall 1995 through spring 1999 . Since the scandal Michigan basketball has posted a 144 – 131 record and did not make the tournament until 2009 . In April 2007 , the university announced that its new head coach will be John Beilein . In 2009 , The Wolverines made the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1998 , beating Clemson in the 1st Round but falling to Oklahoma in the 2nd Round of the Tournament . John Beilein directed the 2010 team to their second NCAA tournament appearance in 3 years . The Wolverines handily defeated the Tennessee Volunteers by a score of 75 – 45 before falling to No . 1 Seed Duke in a 2 - point decision ( 71 – 73 ) in the third round . Women ' s basketball . Michigan traveled to St . Thomas for the Paradise Jam Tournament over Thanksgiving weekend in 2011 . They took on Prairie View A & M in their first game on Thanksgiving Day , and won 59 – 53 . In their second game , they faced Washington State and won easily , 69 – 39 . On the final day of the tournament , they played Marquette , and won 71 – 51 , to win the 2011 Paradise Jam ( Reef Division ) Championship . Jenny Ryan had a double - double , with 13 points and ten rebounds , to help Michigan to a 7 – 0 record on the year . The women ' s basketball team is coached by Kim Barnes Arico , who became the head coach in 2012 . Formerly the head coach of the St . John ' s Red Storm , Arico was named the Big East Conference Coach of the Year for 2012 . Cross country . The men ' s and women ' s cross country teams have been nationally renowned since 1974 when Ron Warhurst started coaching the men , and more recently as alum Mike McGuire took on the women ' s team in 1991 . The women ' s team has qualified for the NCAA championships every year but two since 1988 , finishing 2nd in 1994 , and winning five consecutive Big Ten titles from 2002 to 2006 . The men ' s team has qualified for the NCAA 24 times in the last 34 years , with a highest finish of 4th . Michigan men have won seven Big Ten titles in that period . Football . The Wolverines have won a record 895 games and have an all - time winning percentage of . 735 , also the best in college football history . Michigan won the inaugural Rose Bowl in 1902 , the first college bowl game ever played . The Wolverine football program has claimed 11 national titles . Michigan ' s 11 national championships have come under the direction of five coaches . The first six were garnered by the team ' s first coaching superstar , Fielding H . Yost . Yost directed his " Point - a - Minute " teams to four consecutive national titles from 1901 to 1904 , amassing a record of 41 – 0 – 1 . Yost also led Michigan to national titles in 1918 and 1923 . Yost was instrumental in the creation of Michigan Stadium and designed it to permit its expansion to expand to a capacity of over 150 , 000 . Yost ' s legacy also lives on with Yost Ice Arena , where Michigan ' s men ' s ice hockey team plays their home games . Michigan football has won five more national titles since Yost permanently retired in 1926 . The Wolverines won back - to - back titles under Harry Kipke in 1932 and 1933 and two more consecutive championships under Fritz Crisler and Bennie Oosterbaan in 1947 and 1948 . Michigan won its most recent national title under Lloyd Carr in 1997 . Michigan ' s famous football coaches include : Yost , who came to Michigan from Stanford University in 1901 , Fritz Crisler , who guided Michigan to a pair of Big Ten Conference championships and the 1947 national title , has his name carried by the home of Michigan men ' s basketball team , Bo Schembechler won 13 Big Ten titles in his 21 seasons as head coach between 1969 and 1989 , the first in 1969 when he beat his friend and mentor Woody Hayes , beginning of " The Ten Year War " era of the Michigan – Ohio State football rivalry , Lloyd Carr won five Big Ten titles in his 13 seasons at the helm and posted a winning percentage of . 753 . His winning percentage of . 779 in conference play trails only that of Schembechler in Michigan history , Rich Rodriguez succeeded Carr following his retirement in 2007 . Rodriguez coached the Wolverines through the 2010 season , compiling a record of 15 – 22 . Michigan Stadium is the largest football - only stadium in the world , with an official capacity of 109 , 901 and an actual attendance regularly exceeding that figure . The NCAA single - game attendance record of 114 , 804 was set on September 10 , 2011 at Michigan ' s inaugural night game against Notre Dame . After a series of expansions , the stadium ' s capacity has continued to end in " - 01 " to denote an " extra seat " in honor of Fritz Crisler . Michigan Stadium has witnessed over 300 consecutive crowds of greater than 100 , 000 , a streak that dates back to November 8 , 1975 . Rivalries . Michigan has a major rivalry with Ohio State , considered one of the fiercest rivalries in American sports . In a pair of ESPN fan polls , in 2000 and 2003 , the Michigan – Ohio State series was voted the greatest rivalry in sports in America . Michigan ' s meeting with Ohio State is almost always the last game of the two schools ' regular seasons and has provided many memorable contests , such as the " Snow Bowl " of 1950 . The game has frequently decided the Big Ten Champion . Michigan leads the series 58 – 43 – 6 . The contest on November 18 , 2006 marked the first time ever these teams had been ranked No . 1 and No . 2 going into the game , and the first time they were both undefeated since 1973 . The 2007 college football match - up between Ohio State and Michigan was predicted to be the No . 2 college football game to watch in 2007 by SI . com ' s " Top 20 Games To Watch in 2007 " list . Michigan has an intrastate rival in Michigan State ; the schools ' football teams compete for the Paul Bunyan Trophy . Michigan leads the series 67 – 32 – 5 . Michigan also enjoys a spirited rivalry with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish . Michigan leads the series 23 – 15 – 1 . The two schools are among the top college football programs in all - time wins ( Michigan first , Notre Dame third ) and winning percentage ( Michigan first , Notre Dame second ) in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision ( formerly Division I - A ) , so it is perhaps fitting that when college football was in its infancy , students from the University of Michigan traveled to South Bend to teach the game to students there . The Wolverines also have a tradition - rich history with the Minnesota Golden Gophers . The two football teams compete for the Little Brown Jug , a five - gallon jug with the respective schools ' " M " s on either side and the scores of previous games down the middle . The Little Brown Jug was the first trophy played for between college football teams . Through 2012 , Michigan leads the Brown Jug series 68 – 22 – 3 . Field hockey . Women ' s field hockey became a varsity sport at Michigan in 1973 . The Wolverines field hockey team won the 2001 NCAA title , which was the school ' s first national title in a women ' s team sport . Marcia Pankratz served as the head coach of the program from 1996 to 2004 and returned to the position in 2009 . The Wolverines have won a total of eight Big Ten regular season titles and five Big Ten tournaments . Golf . Men ' s golf . Men ' s golf has been a varsity sport at Michigan since 1919 . The team ' s first coach was elocution and oratory professor Thomas Trueblood who served as coach from 1920 – 1935 . Trueblood led the Michigan golf team to consecutive national championships in 1933 – 34 and 1934 – 35 . Two coaches , Bert Katzenmeyer ( 1947 – 1968 ) and Jim Carras ( 1982 – 2002 ) , have had tenures of at least 20 years with the program . Andrew Sapp has been the coach since 2002 . In 2009 , Sapp led the team to its best record in more than 50 years with 6th place finish at the NCAA championship finals . Three Michigan golfers have won the individual NCAA golf championships : John Fischer , Chuck Kocsis , and Dave Barclay . Women ' s golf . Women ' s golf has been a varsity sport at Michigan since 1976 . Cheryl Stacy , a former All - American golfer for Ohio State , took over as the team ' s head coach in 2009 . In the fall of 2009 , Stacy signed a trio of highly - rated high school golfers from Ohio , Florida and Georgia to national letters of intent for the 2010 – 11 academic year . Gymnastics . Men ' s gymnastics . The Michigan men ' s gymnastics team has won five NCAA championships , 15 Big Ten championships and have been invited to 31 NCAA tournaments . Newt Loken was the head coach for 36 years from 1948 – 1983 , during which time he coached the Wolverines to two NCAA team gymnastics championships and 21 NCAA individual event championships . Since 1999 , head coach Kurt Golder has led Michigan to national championships in 1999 and 2010 and the Super Six at the NCAA tournament in 10 of 11 seasons . Women ' s gymnastics . Women ' s gymnastics has been a varsity sport at Michigan since 1976 . Bev Plocki has been the head coach of the women ' s gymnastics team since 1990 . Under Plocki ' s leadership , the Wolverines have won 16 Big Ten championships , advanced to 16 consecutive NCAA tournaments ( 1993 – 2008 ) and had seven seasons in which they finished in the Top 5 at the NCAA tournament . Ice hockey . The Wolverines ice hockey team , which is a member of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association , plays its home contests at Yost Ice Arena . It is coached by Red Berenson , a former UM player . Altogether , the program has won nine NCAA national championships ( 1948 , 1951 , 1952 , 1953 , 1955 , 1956 , 1964 , 1996 , 1998 ) , which is also an NCAA record . In 2011 , the team was invited to the NCAA tournament for a record 21st year in a row . In 2011 , Michigan reached the national semi - finals ( now referred to as the " Frozen Four " ) for an unmatched 24th time . Vic Heyliger led Michigan to a record six NCAA titles , including the first one in college hockey history in 1948 . Heyliger , who played for the Wolverines from 1935 – 37 , also won national titles as Michigan coach in 1951 , 1952 , 1953 , 1955 and 1956 . He was inducted into the U . S . Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974 , in recognition of his lifetime achievement . Heyliger is considered instrumental in getting the NCAA Tournament off the ground . Following the 1946 – 47 season , Heyliger wrote to each of the college coaches around the country to see if they would be interested in creating a national tournament . They obliged and the inaugural four - team NCAA tournament began the following season in 1948 . Heyliger was 228 – 61 – 13 as head coach at Michigan , and his . 776 winning percentage is the best at the school . His only losing season was his first year , 3 – 6 in 1944 – 45 . In 1980 , Heyliger was inducted into the University of Michigan Hall of Honor . The Vic Heyliger Trophy has been given out at the end of each season by the Michigan hockey team to recognize its most outstanding defenseman . Men ' s lacrosse . The Michigan men ' s lacrosse team is one of the oldest collegiate lacrosse programs in the midwest , having been founded in 1940 , the program is also the most successful athletic program at Michigan , with an . 830 all - time win percentage . The program was elevated from varsity - club status to NCAA status by the university in May 2011 and will begin NCAA Division I competition in 2012 . The Wolverines previously competed at the Division I level of the Men ' s Collegiate Lacrosse Association ( MCLA ) , in the Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association ( CCLA ) . In 2008 the team became the first MCLA team to complete a season undefeated , finishing 20 – 0 and winning their first national championship at Texas Stadium . The feat was repeated in 2009 with another 20 – 0 season and earned their second national championship with a 12 – 11 victory over Chapman University at Dick ' s Sporting Goods Park in Denver , Colorado . In 2010 , they won their third MCLA national championship in a row , defeating Arizona State University 12 – 11 in Denver . In 2008 Michigan faceoff specialist Brekan Kohlitz became the first MCLA player ever selected in the Major League Lacrosse draft when he was taken in the 5th round by the Washington Bayhawks . Michigan head coach John Paul is in his 13th year at his alma - mater and has an overall record of 205 – 42 which includes 10 conference titles in 1999 , 2000 , 2001 , 2002 , 2003 , 2005 , 2007 , 2008 , 2009 , and 2010 . Michigan Lacrosse is the MCLA Division I National Champions in 2008 , 2009 , and 2010 . Women ' s rowing . Women ' s rowing has been a varsity at sport at Michigan since 1996 . Mark Rothstein has been the team ' s coach for 18 years – since it was a club sport in 1991 . Rothstein led the rowing program " from an over - achieving club squad to one of the nation ' s top - notch varsity rowing programs . " The team has placed in the Top 10 at the NCAA tournament ten times in the past 12 years . The team ' s best seasons came in 2000 – 01 and 2011 – 12 with Big Ten championships and second - place finishes in the NCAA tournament . Soccer . The men ' s soccer team plays Michigan State annually for the rights to the Big Bear Trophy , a wooden sculpture purchased by Michigan head coach Steve Burns in 2000 . Recently , the men ' s soccer team won the 2010 Big Ten Tournament Championship , their first in program history , and advanced to the College Cup , also their first in program history . Softball . Carol Hutchins has been the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines softball team since 1985 . with a career record of 1274 – 435 – 4 ( . 745 winning percentage ) , Hutchins has more wins than any other coach in the history of the university — in both men ' s and women ' s athletics . Hutchins ' teams have won 14 Big Ten championships and appeared in 19 NCAA tournaments . In June 2005 , the team won the Division 1 NCAA Softball Championship , defeating two - time defending champion and perennial softball power UCLA two games to one . Michigan is the first school east of the Mississippi River to win Women ' s College World Series . The decisive game was won with a Samantha Findlay walk - off home run in the 10th inning producing a 4 – 1 final . Swimming and diving . Men ' s swimming and diving . Men ' s swimming and diving has been a varsity sport at Michigan since 1921 . With 18 national championships , including the 1995 NCAA championship , the Michigan men ' s swimming and diving team has won more national championships than any other varsity sport in the history of the university . In addition to its 18 national championships , the team has finished in the Top 5 nationally 48 times . The team ' s swimmers have also won 145 individual NCAA championships . Three head coaches have led the squad for a combined 77 years : Matt Mann ( 1925 – 54 ) , Gus Stager ( 1954 – 82 ) and Jon Urbanchek ( 1982 – 2004 ) . Michigan swimmers and divers inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame include Mike Barrowman , Dick Degener , Tom Dolan , Taylor Drysdale , Bruce Harlan , Harry Holiday , Dick Kimball , Carl Robie , and Bob Webster . Mike Bottom took over as the team ' s head coach in 2008 . In his first season as the team ' s head coach , Bottom led the Wolverines to a Big Ten championship and a 7th place finish at the NCAA championship . Women ' s swimming and diving . Women ' s swimming and diving has been a varsity sport at Michigan since 1974 . The team has won 19 Big Ten championships , including 12 consecutive championships from 1986 – 1998 . The team has also finished in the Top 10 teams nationally 17 times . The team ' s best finish came in the 1994 – 95 season with a second place finish in the national tournament . The team has produced several national individual champions , including Julie Bachman ( one - meter and three - meter diving , 1978 ) , Emily Brunemann ( 1 , 650 - yard freestyle , 2008 ) , Ann Colloton ( 200 - yard backstroke , 1989 ) , Mary Fischbach ( one - meter and three - meter diving , 1988 ) , Mindy Gehrs ( 400 - yard individual medley , 1993 ) , Lara Hooiveld ( 100 - yard and 200 - yard breaststroke , 1993 ) , Alecia Humphrey ( 100 - yard backstroke , 1994 ; 200 - yard backstroke 1994 and 1995 ) , Sue Cahill ( 400 - yard individual medley , 1982 ) , and Chris Seufert ( one - meter and three - meter diving , 1977 ) . Jim Richardson is in his 25th season as the head coach of the women ' s swimming and diving team . Tennis . Men ' s tennis . Michigan ' s men ' s tennis team was formed in 1893 . Between 1948 and 1999 , the team had two head coaches . William Murphy was the coach from 1948 – 69 and led the Wolverines to 11 Big Ten championships and the NCAA championship in 1956 – 57 . Brian Eisner was the coach from 1969 – 99 and led the team to 16 Big Ten championships and 21 NCAA tournament appearances . Bruce Berque has been the head coach since 2004 and has led the team to four consecutive appearances in the NCAA tournament . Women ' s tennis . Women ' s tennis was established as a varsity sport in 1973 . Bitsy Ritt was the head coach for 22 years from 1984 – 2006 and led the team to eight NCAA tournament berths in eight of her last 11 years as head coach . The current head coach is Ronni Bernstein who has led the team to NCAA tournament berths in her first two years with the program . Track and field . Men ' s track and field . The men ' s track and field team has won 57 Big Ten men ' s team titles and one NCAA team championship . Notable alumni include Ralph Craig , winner of two gold medals at the 1912 Olympics , Brian Diemer , 1984 Summer Olympics bronze medalist in the steeplechase , Bill Donakowski , U . S . marathon champion in 1986 , Archie Hahn , a winner of four Olympic gold medals at the 1904 and 1906 Olympics , DeHart Hubbard , the first African - American to win an individual Olympic gold medal and a former world record holder in the long jump , Greg Meyer , 1983 Boston Marathon winner , Ralph Rose , winner of 3 gold , 2 silver and 1 bronze medals in three Olympic games , Kevin Sullivan , Canadian 1500 meter record holder , Eddie Tolan , winner of two gold medals and a former world record holder in the 100 - yard dash , Alan Webb , U . S . mile record holder , and Nick Willis , Olympic silver medalist in the 1500m at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 . Women ' s track and field . Women ' s track and field was established as a varsity sport in 1978 . The team has won 15 Big Ten titles ( eight outdoor and seven indoor ) . James Henry has been the head coach since 1984 . The Wolverines have had their strongest finishes in the NCAA tournament in recent years — finishing third in the 2007 outdoor tournament and third in the 2008 indoor tournament . Notable alumna include Lisa Larsen Weidenbach Rainsberger , who won the Boston and Chicago Marathons . Women ' s water polo . Women ' s water polo became a varsity sport at the University of Michigan in 2001 . In its first nine years , the program has placed first in the conference nine times , won eight NCAA division titles and four NCAA eastern titles , and appeared four times in the NCAA national tournament . The Wolverines finished in the Top 5 at the national tournament in 2002 and 2009 . Matt Anderson has been the head coach since 2003 . Former Olympic Gold Metalist Betsey Armstrong was hired as the assistant coach in 2012 . Wrestling . Wrestling has been a varsity sport at Michigan since 1921 . Joe McFarland has been the Wolverines wrestling coach since 1999 . The Wolverines have finished in the Top 5 in the NCAA tournament 16 times . In 2005 , the Wolverines finished second at the NCAA tournament . For more than 40 years from 1925 – 69 , Cliff Keen was Michigan ' s wrestling coach . Keen coached 68 All - Americans and was one of the initial inductees into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame . At the time of his death in 1991 , he was recognized for having " the longest tenure of any coach in any sport in NCAA history . " Other varsity sports . Other varsity teams include : women ' s basketball , and women ' s volleyball . Varsity Club Sports . In 2000 , athletic director Bill Martin announced the creation of a special level for sports at Michigan called Varsity Club status . The new system was established to recognize and increase support for club sports teams that have reached a level of budget , organization and competition that is similar to varsity levels . Varsity club squads are not necessarily closer to being elevated to full varsity status , and will remain for the time being primarily self - funded and administered through the Department of Recreational Sports . However , the designation will give these teams a closer relationship to the U - M athletic department . The Varsity Club status has proven to be a launching pad for sports to eventually become varsity sports at Michigan . In May 2011 , Men ' s and Women ' s Lacrosse were officially granted varsity status . Men ' s Lacrosse began their first season of NCAA competition in 2012 while the Women ' s program will begin varsity competition in 2014 . Current Varsity Club Sports : Club sports . The Club Sports Program at the University of Michigan , administered by the Department of Recreational Sports , comprises 35 club sports . Each club sport is a student - led organization composed primarily of students , faculty , and staff . Each club is formed , developed , governed , and administered by the student membership of that particular club , working with the Club Sports Program staff . The club sports programs include : The University of Michigan Rugby Football Club plays in Division 1 in the Big Ten Universities rugby conference against its traditional rivals such as Michigan State and Ohio State . The Michigan rugby club was formed in 1959 , although rugby at Michigan dates back to at least 1890 before fading from campus . Michigan rugby is led by head coach Matt Trenary . NCAA Division I : Director ' s Cup ( renamed Learfield Sports Directors ' Cup ) . Michigan has ranked No . 1 in the Big10 rankings in 11 out of the last 20 years ending in 2011 – 2012 ; the university has ranked in the top 5 nationally a total of 10 years during that 20 - year span . Olympians . Through the 2008 Summer Olympic Games , 204 UM students and coaches had participated in the Olympics , winning medals in every Summer Olympics except 1896 , and winning gold medals in all but four Olympiads . UM students have won a total of 135 Olympic medals : 65 gold , 32 silver , and 38 bronze .