Well, as we start a new year academically,

athletically, I thought it would be very appropriate for us to have the Donald R.

Shepard Director of Athletics to kick things off.

As we kick things off here on Conquering Heroes for this athletic season,

enjoy every moment with our athletic director.

Welcome to your one-stop podcast for all things Michigan Athletics.

Updates on every team on campus and interviews with players and coaches are all on the way.

This is Conquering Heroes.

Here's your host, John Chanson.

Well, we're ready to kick off another academic year, which also brings along another athletic year.

And to kick that off, we're joined now by the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics, Ward Manuel.

Ward, thanks for joining us.

How was your summer?

John, thanks for having me. My summer was in general very good.

Our student athletes finished the year very strong. We had a strong showing in the Olympics

and a great representative of the Block M throughout the Olympics.

And so my summer finished strong in that regard.

And then, you know, we had some issues to deal with starting July 1, you know,

with our student athletes and name image and likeness and the Olston decision by the Supreme Court.

And so there's some things that we're working through currently,

but in general, very happy to start the new year to see our soccer program

starting up already with competition and football, with practice.

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