Michigan’s Jared Daigle has announced via Instagram that he will stay at Michigan to use his 5th year of eligibility. Daigle plans to earn his Master of Management (MM) at the Ross School of Business.
“ONE MORE YEAR. I’m so grateful and excited to be able to stay at Michigan for my 5th year. This team has become a family to me and there’s no place I’d be happier. We have unfinished business. Go blue!”
Daigle becomes the third announced fifth year for the Michigan men next year. Olympian Patrick Callan has already announced his return for the Wolverines and Clark Wakeland has announced his transfer from Georgia Tech for his fifth year.
Daigle recently helped the Wolverines to a third-place finish at the 2022 Men’s Big Ten Championships. He won the 400 IM in a 3:41.01, finished third in the 200 IM (1:43.63), and finished seventh in the 200 back (1:42.05). Daigle was the team’s third-highest scorer with 82 points only behind freshman Gal Groumi (87 points) and sophomore Jake Mitchell (84 points). Mitchell announced this week he will be transferring to Florida.
Daigle also competed at NCAAs for the Wolverines. Daigle finished 14th in the 400 IM swimming a time of 3:40.74. He also swam in the prelims sessions of the 200 IM and 200 backstroke. His return is key for the Wolverines as he was one of only two individual scorers for the team.
Daigle has had much success for the Wolverines through his first four seasons in Ann Arbor. He has dropped over two and a half seconds in his 100 backstroke, over six seconds in his 200 backstroke, over eight seconds in his 200 IM, and over 15 seconds in his 400 IM.
Athletes were allowed an extra year of eligibility due to COVID-19 during the 2020-2021 season. Many athletes took this extra year this season, but the number is expected to fall over the next few years. Another B1G star swimmer that has already announced his plan to take the extra year next season is NCAA Champion Max McHugh.
The biggest difference between this season’s fifth years and future season’s is the scholarship cap. Men’s swimming is allowed only 9.9 total scholarships per team. This season, 5th year seniors didn’t count toward that cap unless they transfered. In future seasons, 5th year seniors will count against the cap, until the waiver expires. This means that Daigle’s scholarship next season will count towards the 9.9.
This shift in policy for future seasons means that we will likely see fewer swimmers taking advantage of the opportunity.
Daigle is currently a senior studying Applied Exercise Science at the School of Kinesiology. The Master of Management program is a one-year program.
I’m not leaving!
Michigan has historically been one of the best swimming programs in the NCAA. They will be back some day, programs like that don’t just fall off the face of the earth, alumni and leadership won’t let it. They just need to figure out what needs to change and get back on the horse…
Interestingly enough, he split 25.13 on his last 50 of his 400 IM but spirit 26.32 on free in his 200 IM. So I guess he has at least a second in the 200 IM and that is right around a finagling time.
He went for it in the 200IM at NCs, leading his heat from an outside lane. Yes he died a little but sometimes that’s the way to go.
Also gotta remember the last 50 in a 200 IM is from your hands, 400 the last 50 is from your feet. Probably almost asecond difference with that
Totally forgot
👍👍👍
This dude has been the poster boy of improvement at Michigan. 1:51/3:56 IMs down to 1:43/3:40 and 49/1:47 backstrokes down to 46/1:41. Hell of a student and person and I know Michigan is as glad to have had him as he is to be attending the school and swimming for the program.
yep… there was another backstroker Rob Zofchak from Dexter, MI who graduated recently… another poster boy of improvement.
It’s refreshing to see Michigan get a vote of support.