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Michigan Football is back — and the Wolverines are ready for their first game under the lights at the Big House.On this episode of The Team, Chase Herbstreit sits down with Michigan linebacker Nathaniel Staehling and defensive end Carter Meadows ahead of Week 1 against Western Michigan.Staehling opens up about his journey from North Dakota State to Michigan, becoming a leader in a new locker room, his relationship with Coach Whittingham, the expectations surrounding the Wolverines defense and why Michigan's matchup with Minnesota will be especially personal for him.Then, Meadows talks about adjusting to college football, growing up in a basketball family, his hidden R&B singing talent and the recruiting decision that came down to Michigan and Ohio State — and why he ultimately knew Ann Arbor was where he belonged.Plus, hear what both defenders expect from Michigan's defense, what Wolverines fans can expect from their playing styles and what it means to finally run onto the field at the Big House under the lights.Who do you want Chase Herbstreit to sit down with next? Let us know in the comments.Subscribe for more Michigan Football, exclusive player interviews and behind-the-scenes access from The Team.

Jake Guarnera joins The Lab for an inside look at Michigan Football heading into the 2026 season.The Michigan offensive lineman breaks down the Wolverines’ progression through fall camp, the battles happening in the trenches, his transition to center and the responsibility of protecting quarterback Bryce Underwood. Guarnera explains why Underwood’s preparation has made that relationship easy, what Michigan’s offensive line expects from itself and why the Wolverines are ready to finally line up against somebody other than their own teammates.Jake also discusses Michigan defensive lineman Dom Nichols, his place on the Rimington Award watch list, Michigan’s championship expectations and the mentality required to navigate another difficult Big Ten schedule. He says his individual goal of becoming the best center possible ultimately feeds Michigan’s larger goals: competing for a Big Ten championship, reaching the College Football Playoff and fighting for a national championship.Then, the conversation shifts to Michigan Basketball and its European foreign tour, including what fans should actually take away from the Wolverines facing experienced international competition.

Rich Eisen joins Haley Polk on Hail to Her for a special conversation about what makes the University of Michigan different — and why his connection to the Wolverines has only grown stronger through the years.From The Michigan Daily and stand-up comedy in Ann Arbor to ESPN, The Rich Eisen Show and the NFL Combine, Eisen reflects on how Michigan helped shape his career and why the Block M remains such a meaningful part of his life.Eisen also opens up about Michigan's national championship, the Ohio State rivalry, Blake Corum, the rise of women's sports, Michigan athletes making their mark in the NFL and what he's excited to see next from the Wolverines.Haley caught up with Eisen from The Rich Eisen Show pop-up studio at the Champions Circle Golf Classic at The Cardinal at Saint John's Resort in Plymouth, Michigan.Subscribe for more exclusive Michigan Athletics conversations, features and behind-the-scenes access.

Two-time Olympian and Michigan swimming star Stephanie Balduccini reveals how she competed at the Olympic trials with appendicitis, qualified for the Paris Games and then went directly to the hospital for surgery.Stephanie joins Haley Polk on Hail to Her to discuss reaching her first Olympics at only 16, experiencing imposter syndrome in Tokyo, moving from Brazil to Michigan, winning a Big Ten championship and navigating NIL restrictions as an international student-athlete.She also opens up about the mental and emotional side of elite swimming, nearly walking away from the sport, rediscovering her joy through a coaching change and setting her sights on an NCAA title and a possible third Olympic appearance at Los Angeles 2028.

Michigan middle-distance star Trent McFarland joins Angel Randalle on A2 to discuss his journey from walk-on to scholarship athlete, finishing second at the NCAA Championships, breaking Michigan records and competing against some of the world’s best runners at the Prefontaine Classic.Trent also reveals the Penn Relays celebration that nearly got Michigan disqualified, how his father’s tough love shaped his competitive mentality, why he chose to stay close to home and what it means to represent the Block M.Plus, Trent discusses NIL, building his personal brand, signing with a major running company, working with an agent, his professional track aspirations and the lessons he learned from the worst race of his career.Watch through the end to hear how Trent defines success—and what he hopes Michigan fans remember about his career.

Michigan gymnast and NCAA national champion Solen Chiodi joins Angel Randalle on A2 to tell the remarkable story behind his journey from Marquette, Michigan, to the University of Michigan.At just 11 years old, Chiodi realized he had outgrown the gymnastics opportunities available in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His solution? Tell his parents he was moving to Minnesota to live with his grandparents and pursue his dream. He packed his things, made his case and began a journey that would eventually take him to Team USA and a national championship at Michigan.Chiodi opens up about growing up on a farm near Lake Superior, the sacrifices his family made for his gymnastics career, the inspiration he gets from his younger sister Ida, and why the mental side of gymnastics can be even harder than the physical side.He also takes us inside Michigan’s national championship run, his relationship with teammates like Fred Richard, overcoming a year-long mental block, building his social media following, navigating NIL opportunities and the hilarious 10-second video that unexpectedly reached around one million views.Plus, Solen puts his Michigan teammates on the spot in rapid fire, pitches his dream partnership to Synergy Kombucha and shares the advice he would give the 11-year-old version of himself who risked everything to chase his dream.

Michigan gymnast Sophia Diaz joins Hail to Her to discuss one of the most exciting moments of her career—representing the Dominican Republic on the international stage while continuing to compete for the Wolverines.Sophia shares what it meant to wear her family's colors, qualifying for the World Championships, balancing elite and NCAA gymnastics, setting goals that have fueled her success at Michigan, and why she'd choose winning a national championship with her teammates over competing in the Olympics.

She also talks about the Instagram post that unexpectedly went viral, NIL opportunities, life in Ann Arbor, and what she's working toward this season.

If you're a Michigan fan, you’ll love hearing the stories behind this elite athlete and her love for the Wolverines.

Sydney Schnichels joins A2 with Angel Randalle to talk about transferring from Minnesota to Michigan, rediscovering her confidence, leading one of college volleyball's most energetic teams, and why her faith remains the foundation of everything she does.Sydney shares what makes Michigan different, how NIL has changed college athletics, her favorite Ann Arbor restaurants, growing up as the oldest of five siblings, and why she hopes her younger sisters someday become even better volleyball players than she is.She also opens up about the emotional victory over Minnesota, finding confidence after transferring, her dream NIL partnership with Dolce Vita, and the mindset that's helped her become one of Michigan Volleyball's biggest leaders.Chapters:00:00 Welcome Sydney Schnichels02:00 Life in Ann Arbor03:37 Best restaurants in Ann Arbor05:11 Faith comes before volleyball06:21 Family & growing up07:00 Becoming Michigan's biggest hype woman08:02 Mentoring younger sisters10:04 Tough love 11:03 Why transferring to Michigan changed everything13:03 What makes Michigan special15:41 NIL opportunities at Michigan17:10 Building a personal brand18:24 Favorite NIL partnerships19:29 Dream partnership21:40 Championship celebrations22:23 Learning to love soccer & excellence23:08 Advice for young athletesLearn more about our partnership with Champions Circle: https://www.collegesportsco.com/news/champions-circle-and-college-sports-co-launch-champ-mediaFOLLOW CHAMP MEDIA HERE:► TWITTER | https://x.com/ChampMediaCo► TIKTOK | https://www.tiktok.com/@champmediaco► INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/champmediaco► YOUTUBE | https://www.youtube.com/@ChampMediaCo► SPOTIFY | ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2tW4bh8jQggJuDCpDnVo9k⁠► APPLE | ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/champ-media/id1840236194► FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dr7P6YEsv/?mibextid=wwXIfr#GoBlue #MichiganVolleyball #SydneySchnichels

Former Michigan tight end Ian Bunting joins A2 for an inside look at Michigan Football, NIL, life after the NFL, and what makes the Wolverines one of the premier brands in college athletics.
Ian shares stories from playing under Jim Harbaugh, transitioning to the NFL, helping build Michigan's NIL program through Champion Circle, and why athletes today face a completely different world than previous generations.
The conversation also dives into Blake Corum, JJ McCarthy, Bryce Underwood, Adrien Nunez, Michigan's NFL pipeline, leadership, branding, entrepreneurship, and why student-athletes should never lose sight of simply enjoying the game.
Along the way, Ian and Angel visit one of Ann Arbor's favorite local restaurants while discussing football, food, business, and the future of college athletics.
Chapters:
00:00 Meet Ian Bunting
02:00 Why Frita Bar Is a Michigan Staple
05:52 What It's Like Playing at Michigan
07:24 Ian's Favorite Ann Arbor Restaurants
09:22 Michigan to the NFL
11:14 Bryce Underwood & How College Football Has Changed
14:54 Building Michigan's NIL Program
16:08 The Biggest Pros and Cons of NIL
19:00 Blake Corum & JJ McCarthy Did NIL Right
20:48 Why NIL Isn't Just for Star Players
22:27 Would Ian Have Dominated NIL?
24:42 His Favorite Michigan Brand Partnership
26:11 Advice Every College Athlete Needs to Hear
28:14 Final Thoughts
Learn more about our partnership with Champions Circle: https://www.collegesportsco.com/news/champions-circle-and-college-sports-co-launch-champ-media
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Tags - Michigan Football, Michigan Wolverines, Ian Bunting, Michigan NIL, Champion Circle, Blake Corum, JJ McCarthy, Bryce Underwood, Adrian Nunez, Jim Harbaugh, Michigan recruiting, Big Ten Football, College Football, Wolverines Podcast, Michigan Athletics, NIL explained, Name Image Likeness, Ann Arbor, Michigan interview, college athlete, football podcast, Go Blue, Michigan players, college sports, NCAA Football

Michigan National Champion gymnast Gabby Wilson joins Hail to Her for one of the most meaningful conversations you'll hear about life after sports.Gabby opens up about winning a national championship, navigating identity after retirement, building confidence beyond competition, leadership, faith, purpose, and why athletes often struggle when the games finally end.She also shares how her new leadership program, Discover Your Inner Champion, is helping young athletes build confidence rooted in values—not results.Chapters:00:00 Meet Michigan Champion Gabby Wilson01:10 From National Champion to Leadership02:40 Why She Chose Student Development03:25 Finding Purpose After Sports05:00 Why Your Identity Can't Be Your Sport06:40 The Transition Every Athlete Faces07:28 Escaping the Achievement Mindset08:35 Why Athletes Miss Competition So Much12:00 Learning to Slow Down13:55 Living for Something Bigger17:00 Discover Your Inner Champion25:20 Confidence Starts From Within30:00 Winning a National Championship34:40 Advice for Athletes Losing Their Identity35:00 Faith Changed Everything37:30 Final ThoughtsLearn more about our partnership with Champions Circle: https://www.collegesportsco.com/news/champions-circle-and-college-sports-co-launch-champ-mediaFOLLOW CHAMP MEDIA HERE:► TWITTER | https://x.com/ChampMediaCo► TIKTOK | https://www.tiktok.com/@champmediaco► INSTAGRAM | https://www.instagram.com/champmediaco► YOUTUBE | https://www.youtube.com/@ChampMediaCo► SPOTIFY | ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/2tW4bh8jQggJuDCpDnVo9k⁠► APPLE | ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/champ-media/id1840236194► FACEBOOK | https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dr7P6YEsv/?mibextid=wwXIfr#GoBlue #MichiganGymnastics #CollegeAthletics