In 2017, Michigan completed one of the great turnarounds in recent Big Ten men’s soccer history, rebounding from an eighth-place finish the year before winning the conference’s regular-season title.
Three freshmen — Marc Ybarra, Umar Farouk Osman and Mohamed Zakyi — played integral roles. Ybarra was the holding midfielder who could string a pass if need be. Osman was a dynamic winger, the Gatorade Player of the Year coming out of high school. Zakyi, a gifted striker who tied for third on the team in scoring.
Joel Harrison and Austin Swiech were freshmen in 2017 too. Harrison missed the year due to injury, while Swiech played in just three games.