Bush, Fahey Named U-M Athletes of the Year
6/20/2019 12:30:00 PM | Football, General, Women's Tennis
• Watch: Devin Bush | Kate Fahey
• MGoBlue.com Awards | Michigan Athletes of the Year
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan Athletics Department announced Thursday (June 20) that Devin Bush (football) and Kate Fahey (women's tennis) have been named the 2018-19 U-M Athletes of the Year.
Bush is the 12th football player to be named Athlete of the Year, the first since Jabrill Peppers in 2017. Fahey is the third women's tennis player to win the award, with Brienne Minor most recently winning in 2017.
Both student-athletes are eligible to be named Big Ten Conference Athletes of the Year, the winners of which are determined by a media vote. The University of Michigan Athlete of the Year Award was first presented in 1982.
The following are biographical sketches on Bush and Fahey:
U-M Male Athlete of the Year
Devin Bush (Football)
Bush was the signal-caller and leading tackler for the Wolverines' top-three total defense nationally the past two seasons; second in 2018 and third in 2017. As a junior in 2018, Bush was selected as an NCAA consensus All-American after being named the Nagurski-Woodson Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and the Butkus-Fitzgerald Big Ten Linebacker of the Year. He led the team with 80 tackles, including 9.5 for loss, five sacks and six pass breakups after being voted a team captain by his teammates prior to the season. Bush was a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy as the nation's top defensive player and the Butkus Award as the nation's top linebacker.
He was the 10th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was the 19th player in school history to be chosen in the top 10 of the draft and the first top-10 pick for the Wolverines since offensive tackle Jake Long was selected No. 1 by the Miami Dolphins in 2008. Bush was also the fourth Michigan defender chosen in the top 10, and the first Wolverine since Charles Woodson was drafted with the fourth overall pick by the Oakland Raiders in 1998.
Bush was a three-year letterman and two-year starter at middle linebacker, leading the team in tackles in consecutive seasons. A two-time finalist for the Butkus Award, he started 25 games in the middle and played in 39 career contests. Bush accumulated 194 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, one interception and 17 pass breakups during his career. He was a two-time All-Big Ten first team selection (2017-18) on the field and twice earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in the classroom.
U-M Female Athlete of the Year
Kate Fahey (Women's Tennis)
Fahey put together a stellar senior season as she concluded her career as Michigan's all-time leader in singles wins (132) and winning percentage (.815), while ranking second with three All-America honors. She finished her senior season ranked No. 3, the best ranking in school history and the only time a Wolverine has finished in the top five.
Fahey earned All-America honors in both singles and doubles in 2018-19, becoming just the third Wolverine in program history to earn both in the same season. She went 38-6 on the singles court, going 21-1 at the No. 1 spot in dual-match action. After dropping her first dual match of the season in the opener, Fahey won 21 straight at the top of the lineup for Michigan to end the dual-match season. She swept the singles and doubles titles at the ITA Midwest Regional Championships and finished as the singles runner-up at the ITA Fall National Championships during the tournament portion of the season.
Fahey compiled a 30-8 record on the doubles court behind an 18-3 record at No. 1. Fahey and Minor teamed up to make a run to the championship match of the NCAA Doubles Championship, finishing runner-up to UCLA. The duo entered the tournament ranked No. 37 and finished the season as the No. 7-ranked pair, tying the best season-ending ranking for a duo in school history.
Fahey repeated as Big Ten Athlete of the Year this past season, picked up her fourth All-Big Ten distinction and was a finalist for the Honda Sport Award. She graduated with a degree in International Studies after earning three Academic All-Big Ten honors.
