Ohio Columnist: U-M, Harbaugh Beating OSU In Critical Area

The University of Michigan is leading from the front in more than one area when it comes to college athletics, and one columnist from the state of Ohio has taken notice.

It's been a pretty good year for University of Michigan athletics, to say the least. Here's just a taste of what's been happening in Ann Arbor:

• Football, 2021 Big Ten Champions
• 2021 College Football Coach of the Year
• Men's Basketball made their fifth straight Sweet Sixteen appearance
• Women's Basketball, back-to-back Sweet Sixteen appearances and first ever trip to the Elite Eight in program history.
• Carol Hutchins became the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Softball history. 
• Women's Basketball coach Kim Barnes Arico named Big Ten Coach of the Year. 
• Women's Gymnastics, 2021 National Champions, 2022 Big Ten Champions 
• Men's Gymnastics, 2021 and 2022 Big Ten Champions
• Men's Hockey, 2022 Big Ten Champions and Frozen Four appearance
• Men's Wrestling, 2022 NCAA Champion - Nick Suriano (125 pounds)
• Men's Wrestling, 2022 Big Ten Champions

...and I'm quite certain there are a few I missed in the list above. 

With so much success to boast about on the field of competition, one columnist from the state of Ohio is actually praising the University of Michigan for leading in another critical area of college athletics: Diversity. 

In a column published to Land-Grant Holy Land by SB Nation, Meredith Hein credited U-M and, in particular, Jim Harbaugh for leading on matters of diversity, equity and inclusion. 

"Though Harbaugh has had no shortage of attention-seeking moments (a sleepover at a recruit's house, climbing a tree, and doing pushups with a walrus are three examples that come readily to mind), his partnership with Kaepernick could hardly be counted in this category," Hein wrote. "Harbaugh has always been a progressive coach, and his commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has played a prominent role in his coaching philosophy through the years."

According to Hein, you don't have to look very hard to find evidence of this practice throughout Harbaugh's tenure at the University of Michigan - even beyond the presence of Colin Kaepernick last weekend.

"Case in point: Just last month, Harbaugh hired Milan (Mimi) Bolden-Morris as a graduate assistant," wrote Hein. "With the hire, the former Boston College/Georgetown basketball player became the first woman to coach in a Power Five conference."

Beyond Harbaugh's actions, Hein says the University of Michigan is clearly making an effort to lead from the front on such a crucial issue.

"The University of Michigan and its athletic department haven’t been without their fair share of controversies as of late, most notably the firing of former president Mark Schlissel over an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate," wrote Hein. "There was also, as alluded to earlier, that time when Howard hit a Wisconsin assistant coach, leading to Howard’s suspension at the end of the regular season this spring.

"However, what the athletic department has done is made waves in areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion that have not been matched by other schools in the Big Ten — including Ohio State."

You can read Hein's full article here.