Move over locker room chants. The latest internet craze to sweep the sports world is athletes being surprised that they’re getting scholarships.
First there was University of Michigan basketball’s Andrew Dakich, a senior walk on who was just happy to be a part of the team.
With the help of Head Coach John Beilein, police interrupted a team meeting to call Dakich out for his recent “conduct” on campus. Panic quickly turned into excitement when he realized his coach had masterminded the scene to tell him he’d earned a scholarship to play.
Today’s meeting was full of suspense , surprise & happiness … especially for @daycheck3
See what @JohnBeilein had up his sleeve: pic.twitter.com/bKSJAlzFG3
— Michigan Basketball (@umichbball) January 10, 2017
Eli Wolf, a tight end for University of Tennessee, was surprised this week during team practice. He was about to line up against his older brother when Coach Butch Jones interrupted the drill and held up his newly earned scholarship paperwork.
Wolf had walked on to the team in 2015 and earned his spot (and tuition) this week.
.@EliWolf16 scored a BIG WIN in today’s Circle of Life … pic.twitter.com/k9sZWtvN26
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) August 15, 2017
In the most heartwarming announcement yet, the University of Minnesota’s football team invited a patient at UM’s Masonic Children’s Hospital to join the team meeting. When asked who his favorite player was, the patient answered Kicker Justin Juenemann.
The coach asked the patient to shoot a t-shirt cannon at Juenemann. The t-shirt loaded inside wasn’t an average Gopher shirt.
The “Row The Boat” Culture is all about serving & giving!! Congrats to @JustinJuenemann on EARNING his scholarship!! https://t.co/fguiiyt5tY
— P.J. Fleck (@Coach_Fleck) August 9, 2017
The shirt read “Justin, congrats on earning a scholarship!” The only person more excited than Juenemann and his team was probably his mom, who erupted into shrieks and tears on FaceTime.
Announcements like these have appeared on TV and national news outlets and no doubt help to fuel excitement for the NCAA seasons ahead.