Griffin, Woodson Named 1997-98 Michigan Athletes of the Year
6/18/1998 12:00:00 AM | Football, General, Softball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Two of the nation's top collegiate athletes in their respective sports -- softball player Sara Griffin (Simi Valley, Calif./Simi Valley HS) and football player Charles Woodson (Fremont, Ohio/Fremont HS) -- have been selected as the 1997-98 University of Michigan Female and Male Athletes of the Year.
Griffin, a softball finalist for the prestigious national Honda Award, won a Michigan record third All-America First-Team citation from the National Fastpitch Coaches Association and led the Wolverines to the Big Ten Conference season and tournament titles and a fourth consecutive NCAA Women's College World Series appearance. A member of Michigan's 1997 undefeated Big Ten and Associated Press national champion football team, Woodson was selected as the season's Heisman Trophy award winner, becoming the first primarily defensive player to win collegiate football's top honor.
"Both Sara (Griffin) and Charles (Woodson) brought recognition to the University of Michigan, its athletic program and their respective teams through their extraordinary individual accomplishments which led to Big Ten and national successes," said Tom Goss, U-M director of athletics. "They each raised the bar on expectations within the softball and football programs, as well as Michigan athletics as a whole."
Charles Woodson (Football)
Charles Woodson put an exclamation point on Michigan's 1997 Associated Press national football and Big Ten championship season with his selection as the Heisman Trophy award winner, becoming the first primarily defensive player to receive the nation's top collegiate football award.
Woodson's performance on the field helped propel the Wolverines to their first national football championship since 1948 and gave the program its 38th Big Ten and eighth Rose Bowl championships. Michigan spent the last weeks of the regular season ranked No. 1 in the national polls, five at the top spot in Associated Press and three at No. 1 in USA Today/ESPN.
Playing on both sides of the line as a cornerback, wide receiver and punt returner, Woodson was involved in 844 plays. Defensively, he totaled 44 tackles (27 solo, 17 assists) and nine pass break-ups and came up with a career season-high eight interceptions.
Woodson's award-winning season began with him setting up the Wolverines' first 10 points of the season and ended with him sealing a victory with a timely interception. In the season opener vs. Colorado, a Woodson interception led to a touchdown and a 29-yard pass reception set up a field goal. Woodson's late-game end zone interception of Washington State's Ryan Leaf sealed Michigan's Rose Bowl victory and preserved an undefeated 12-0 year for the Wolverines. In between those games, Woodson played impressively for Michigan all over the field. A spectacular one-handed sideline interception at Michigan State not only made every highlight tape for the day's action and earned Woodson ESPN Player of the Game honors, but propelled him to the top of the Heisman Award watch list.
Offensively Woodson had 12 receptions for 238 yards and two touchdowns, and he carried the ball five times for 21 yards and a touchdown. His 36 punt returns (301 yards) included a 78-yard return for a key score against Ohio State, a romp that claimed the AT&T Long Distance Award. Woodson showcased his talents in the Rose Bowl, securing first downs on two of his three offensive plays; intercepting Leaf for the U-M season interception mark; and collecting a career game-high four pass breakups for the Michigan career record in that statistical category. Woodson, who finished his career with starts in the last 36 consecutive games, was chosen Michigan's Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player.
Shortly after the conclusion of the 1997 football season, Woodson was the recipient of a nearly every major national award. In addition to the Heisman, he was named national player of the year by the Walter Camp Foundation, Chevrolet and Harley-Griffin and was winner of the Jim Thorpe Award.
National defensive player of the year accolades came from groups representing the Chuck Bednarik award, Bronco Nagurski award, Football News and Big Ten Conference. The Jim Thorpe and Harley-Griffin College Football Defensive Back of the Year awards both went to Woodson. Five groups selected Woodson to their All-America First-Teams, including Walter Camp, Associated Press, American Football Coaches Association, Football News and The Sporting News.
After helping Michigan to the Big Ten season title, Woodson was named to the all-conference first team by votes of both the coaches and media. His conference defensive player of the year award was followed by selection as the Chicago Tribune/Big Ten Silver Football (MVP) award winner.
Woodson, a junior majoring in sports management and communications in the Division of Kinesiology, forfeited his final season of collegiate eligibility to enter the April 1998 NFL draft. He was selected by the Oakland Raiders with the fourth pick overall.
Sara Griffin (Softball)
The only softball three-time All-America first-team selection in school history, Sara Griffin led the Michigan softball team to its best-ever season in 1998 and added to her impressive Wolverine, Big Ten Conference and national resume.
Michigan won the 1998 Big Ten season (22-1) and tournament titles, advancing to the NCAA National Softball Championship for the fourth consecutive year and earning the No. 3 seeding in the tournament. A powerful display at the NCAA Regional 3 Championship earned Michigan that title and a fourth trip to the NCAA Women's College World Series, where the Wolverines finished tied for fifth place and completed the year with an impressive 56-7 record.
Griffin, who both pitched and played in the designated player slot during 1998, capped her season and career with selection as a finalist for the prestigious national Honda Award in the sport of softball. In a 4-3 relief win over Eastern Michigan (May 6), Griffin became just the 15th player in NCAA Division I history to record 100 or more career victories. She finished her Michigan career with a school and Big Ten record 106-19 (.848) win-loss mark.
The record-setting Wolverine season was paced by Griffin, who entered the postseason tournaments with a perfect 29-0 record in the pitching circle and carrying a streak of 28 scoreless innings pitched. Griffin, who suffered a season-ending broken non-pitching arm in early April 1997, came back in her final collegiate season to post a 35-3 record behind a career season-best 0.97 earned run average. She will rank among this season's NCAA best in Division I season wins and ERA. At the plate, Griffin played in 62 games and finished with a .346 batting average (64-for-185) and 52 runs batted in. In mid-April Griffin set the Big Ten record for career wins (overall games)
Over the postseason, Griffin's pitching was key in setting the tone for the Wolverines. She made four appearances in the Big Ten Tournament, working 22 innings and allowing two earned runs for a 0.64 ERA. She picked up a save in the 5-1 tournament championship win over Iowa. Griffin was undefeated (3-0) in NCAA Regional 3 play, throwing 17 innings, allowing just one run (0.41 ERA) and striking out 13 batters. Griffin, who also hit .375 in the regional, was selected MVP of the regional tournament. Among her three NCAA Women's College World Series appearances, Griffin picked up her first-ever Series win with a 7-2 victory over Texas.
Griffin was named the Big Ten Pitcher of the Year and earned All-Big Ten first-team honors after winning the league's pitching "triple crown" -- wins (17-0), ERA (1.09) and strikeouts (88). During the season, Griffin was twice winner of the conference Pitcher of the Week award and was selected as the National Player of the Week by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association. Named Michigan's Most Valuable Player, Griffin also collected NFCA All-Great Lakes Region first-team accolades.
The Michigan softball record books were completely re-written by Griffin over her four-year career. During the 1998 season Griffin became the Wolverines' career wins, win percentage, shutouts, innings pitched and strikeout leader on the defensive side and the U-M career hits record holder on the offensive side. In addition, she leaves with the Michigan career RBI and doubles records.
A communications major in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, Griffin received her bachelor's degree April 30 (completing requirements in four years) and was an Academic All-Big Ten selection. Griffin also earned the Michigan Female Athlete of the Year award in 1995-96.
