2022 NCAA WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIP

March 18, 2022

Sean Bormet

Michigan

Media Conference

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Michigan head coach, Sean Bormet.

Q. Sean, tell us how proud you are of the team and what they've accomplished this year, a lot of them coming back for an extra year. They didn't need to come back. They wanted to come back for you and the program. Tell me what that means to you.

SEAN BORMET: These guys are special. I think it's a testament to how much they care about Michigan wrestling and their teammates and the program and the mission we've been on this season. They've been here battling every round, every session, every minute. Obviously when they come back and they make that commitment, you want them to get everything out of it that they want get out of it. We lost a couple of tough ones this session, but I couldn't be prouder of how these guys are competing.

Q. Sean, regarding tomorrow night, Myles will be shooting for one. And yesterday you told me Amine means Michigan wrestling. Obviously he's wrestling. What will help him to get to the top?

SEAN BORMET: I think for Myles just to be consistent, to be true to himself, to be consistent, stay relaxed, and put on a show. That's what he does best.

Q. Sean, what does it mean to have the national tournament here in Michigan this year?

SEAN BORMET: It's been special. I mean, especially myself being an alum wrestler at Michigan, being involved in the program for decades at this point. Watching the city of Detroit transform, having this special arena here, this environment, the NCAA Championships. It's just been outstanding, something we have been focused on really for the last couple years, knowing that all this stuff was kind of lining up at the right time.

We had the opportunity to get these guys back and the tag line of those who stayed beginning of the season, once those guys started committing. So it's been a lot of fun, and each one of these rounds has been exciting, a lot of ups and downs and the intensity of it all, it's been an outstanding tournament.

Q. Has it been extra hard this year with recruiting, keeping the kids another year, hosting a national tournament? That's a lot on anybody's plate. Has it been hard for you as a coach?

SEAN BORMET: I wouldn't say it's really been hard. It's been being organized, keeping yourself balanced. The coaching staff we have is outstanding, world class. Those guys, they get so much done. Really, I feel like I have four head coaches in this program between myself and the other three coaches, so these guys are so capable, and so fortunate to have them working alongside me and coaching alongside me. I don't think we've let anything slip through the cracks. The tournament is actually going really well.

Q. You talk about worldwide type thing. The fact that you did have world-level guys at the Olympics, that type of thing. Have you been able to put this past year in perspective, what you have gone through and what your guys have gone through?

SEAN BORMET: There hasn't been a lot of time to sit and reflect and soak it in. You try to take small moments. Obviously, you know, the last two years has been a sprint, from the time things got shutdown to the Olympic Games getting moved, and the decisions after Tokyo to -- that those guys were committed to coming back and having some transfers committing to Michigan, hiring Kevin Jackson. It's been a sprint, but it's been great.

Q. You getting a lot of questions from people the last couple weeks asking you things about the tournament and how it feels. Does it get overwhelming getting all those questions?

SEAN BORMET: No. It's been great for Michigan wrestling and obviously coming here and continuing -- I was going through it, we had four tremendous sessions at the Big Ten Championships. Then we came here. I felt we had two great rounds yesterday, great session this morning and a lot of momentum, and that's what we want. We want to keep building.

THE MODERATOR: Thanks for coming, Coach. Appreciate it.