Year in Photos 2025

From faculty to athletics, 2025 was full of change. The Michigan football team welcomed freshman Bryce Underwood to the team as the fourth true freshman starting quarterback in the Wolverines’ history. Former University President Santa Ono resigned to be replaced by President Domenico Grasso. Most recently, previous University of Utah head football coach Kyle Whittingham replaced Sherrone Moore as head coach for the Michigan football team.

For every trial and tribulation, the Michigan Daily Photostaff was there to capture it all. Join us as we reflect on 2025 and take a trip down memory lane.

January

At the beginning of the year, Wrigley Field in Chicago hosted its first-ever collegiate hockey game, turning the baseball field into a giant temporary ice rink. The Michigan and Ohio State University hockey teams faced off at the inaugural event, with the Wolverines ultimately falling to the Buckeyes 4-3.

Etienne Charles, jazz musician and music professor, traveled to the University of Michigan for a performance at the Lydia Mendelssohn Theater Jan. 20. The performance, called Earth Tones, utilized musical storytelling to highlight the plights of communities affected by climate change across the world.

February

University of Michigan students and Ann Arbor residents gathered on the Diag Feb. 24 for a candlelight vigil recognizing the third year of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The vigil was accompanied by a carillon concert at the Burton Memorial Tower, where the Ukrainian national anthem played on the Baird Carillon. 

The fraternity Sigma Nu hosted its annual Winterfest broomball tournament for charity Feb. 15, raising money for the Fisher House Foundation, Autism Alliance of Michigan, Women’s Center of Southeastern Michigan and Garrett’s Space. More than 5,000 people attended and watched the hockey-esque event as fraternity and sorority members competed against one another.

The Michigan and Michigan State hockey teams faced off for their annual “Duel in the D” at Little Caesars Arena. The Spartans overwhelmed the Wolverines, maintaining an offensive streak throughout the game that led them to a boasting win, 6-1. 

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer delivered her State of the State address Feb. 26, discussing partisanship in politics and her accomplishments throughout her time as governor. Whitmer also described her plans for the rest of her term regarding education, infrastructure and the economy in Michigan.

Fans filled the familiar stands of the Crisler Center for an event unfamiliar to the stadium: wheelchair basketball. Dr. Feranmi Okanlami founded Michigan’s wheelchair basketball team in 2019, but this was the first time the players got the chance to shoot at Crisler. The team serves as an outlet for University of Michigan students, faculty and Ann Arbor residents of varying physical abilities with a shared love of basketball. Michigan and Michigan State’s teams faced off on the court, with the Wolverines ultimately winning, 51-42.

The Students Allied for Freedom and Equality organized a protest outside the former University President Santa Ono’s house March 14. The protest was held in response to the arrest of Columbia University alum Mahmoud Khalil, a pro-Palestine activist. The demonstrators demanded Ono to publicly condemn Khalil’s arrest, keep Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents off campus and for the University of Michigan to divest from companies financially associated with Israeli military operations.

After a series of close games in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament in Indianapolis, the Michigan men’s basketball team clinched the final win against the University of Wisconsin–Madison to claim the championship trophy and a ticket to 2025 March Madness.

In a tight game won in the fourth quarter, Michigan women’s basketball team advanced to the second round of women’s March Madness as the No. 6 seed, beating out No. 11 Iowa. The Wolverines put up an aggressive offense that eventually gave the push of energy needed for a winning score of 80-74 by the final buzzer.

Michigan students packed into the Power Center for a performance by Del Water Gap hosted by the student organization Big Ticket Productions. He danced across the stage and even down into the audience, engaging students and creating a fun atmosphere on a Monday night.

April

For the first time in 11 years, the Michigan men’s gymnastics team became National Championship winners. Thanks to graduate Paul Juda’s final effort on vault and the team’s proficient performances throughout the meet, the Wolverines were able to beat out the Stanford University Cardinals, five-time defending NCAA Champion for the trophy.

After years of disuse, the Nichols Arboretum amphitheater hosted music lovers for the first ever ARBFEST. On a bright spring day, student groups and soloists were given a platform to perform.

The all-male dance group FunKtion performed at DanceMix, an annual student-organized showcase at the University of Michigan. The team gave The Michigan Daily an inside look at their practice schedule and showed what dancing means to them.

President Trump celebrated his 100th day in office by hosting a crowd of about 3,000 at a political rally at the Macomb Sports & Expo Center in Warren, Michigan. Trump’s public evaluation of his first 100 days addressed topics like immigration, the auto industry and his approval ratings.

Outside of Trump’s 100th day rally, over 2,000 protesters gathered along the roadside and outside of the Macomb Sports & Expo Center in Warren, Michigan. The protest was called “I dissent”, and protesters held signs with messages critiquing Trump’s executive actions throughout his first 100 days in office.

May

Friends, family, faculty and graduates gathered in the Big House for the annual Spring Commencement Saturday May 3. The ceremony featured guest speaker and University alum Derek Jeter, a professional baseball player.

The No. 7 seed Michigan baseball team closed out its season in the Big Ten Tournament with a 7-5 loss to No. 2 seed University of California, Los Angeles. The game followed a loss to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign two days prior that assured the Wolverines would not advance within the tournament.

A sold-out crowd at Saint Andrew’s Hall in Detroit gathered in eager anticipation of Ashe’s performance as part of “The Trilogy Tour.” Performing her folksy style and dancing around the stage barefoot, Ashe enraptured the audience with her whimsy and talent.

The 2025 Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix transformed the city into a nine-turn street circuit. Entertainment and adrenaline mixed to create an exciting weekend with three major races, interactive activities for attendees and an electronic dance music concert.

Music fans from across the country gathered together in Grant Park in Chicago for Lollapalooza 2025. A wide array of music artists across various genres including stars like Olivia Rodrigo, Doechii and A$AP Rocky entertained massive crowds at their outdoor stages.

The LIV Golf Team Championship came to Michigan for the first time in the tour’s history, hosted at The Cardinal at Saint John’s in Plymouth. In an effort to establish itself as a premier golf tour, the tournament included star players and flashy add-ons like a concert from Imagine Dragons and Swedish House Mafia.

In their home opener game against the University of New Mexico, the Michigan football team displayed its new talent. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood and junior running back Justice Haynes, a transfer from Alabama, captured the crowd’s attention and maintained their offense throughout the game to end with a win.

Students returned to campus to find construction lining State Street, and even spreading into the Diag. Though grumbles over the first-day commute to class filled the student body, the construction ultimately allowed for additional bike lanes, a dedicated bus lane and improved pedestrian accessibility.

The University of Michigan’s chapters of the College Republicans, Turning Point USA and Young Americans for Freedom hosted a vigil Sept. 14 for the right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, after he was killed while hosting a debate in Utah for his American Comeback Tour. More than 100 community members attended the event at Ingalls Mall and joined together to pray and listen to a variety of speakers.

Entheofest, an annual commemoration of the decriminalization of psychedelics in Ann Arbor, enjoyed its fifth year of educating festivalgoers on the storied history and various potential uses of psychedelics. Though the event faced barriers as the Student Association of Psychedelic Studies fought in a lawsuit against the University of Michigan for the right to hold the festival in the Diag, as it has in past years, they ultimately won the case and followed through with the celebration.

Singer, songwriter, producer, arranger and instrumentalist Jacob Collier was welcomed to the Michigan Theater Oct. 20 as part of the Penny Stamps Speaker Series hosted by the Stamps School of Art & Design. Collier spoke on the value of music in his life, delivered an introduction to music theory and turned the audience into a choir – his signature act.

The Rogel Ballroom in the Michigan Union was filled Oct. 24 with a sold-out audience eager to listen to Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai speak. The renowned activist shared excerpts from her new memoir, “Finding My Way,” and reflected on how becoming a public figure at a young age impacted her life.

Michigan College Boxing traveled to Findlay, Ohio for a chance to compete at Main Event IV, a 19-bout tournament. The group, once recognized as an official club sport by the University of Michigan and one of the most decorated club sports at the University with numerous national titles, lost its club status following the COVID-19 pandemic. The University revoked the club’s privileges because boxing was deemed “too risky,” but Michigan’s boxers have continued to persevere and fight for recognition through their tournaments.

The Michigan football team took the Paul Bunyan Trophy home for the fourth year in a row after winning its rivalry game against Michigan State. Junior running back Justice Haynes was essential to the team’s success, driving the Wolverines down the field.

In a performance at the Big House, country artist Zach Bryan set a record for the largest ticketed show in the United States’ history, with an estimated 112,408 fans in the stands. The concert was anticipated for months prior by University of Michigan students and community members alike, both for Zach Bryan’s performance and for his main opener, John Mayer.

An estimated 30 protesters gathered outside the construction site for Five Corners, a new student housing development, to demand that the developer Core Spaces end its contract with United Electrical Contractors. UEC was recently involved in a federal lawsuit and held liable for racial discrimination by both company management and employees.

November

The Michigan football team traveled to the windy city for its second sports event of the year at Wrigley Field, this time transforming the baseball stadium into a football field. After two turnovers and a nail-biting second half for the Wolverines, the game ended with a win for Michigan 24-22 with a game-winning field goal from senior kicker Dominic Zvada.

Breaking its four year streak, the Michigan football team lost The Game to Ohio State, 27-9, Saturday Nov. 29. After a heated first quarter, the Wolverines quickly lost steam and faced the next ruthless three quarters where the Buckeyes found their footing.

Former Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore was promptly fired following a University of Michigan investigation that revealed inappropriate relations between himself and a staff member – a violation of University policy. Soon after the announcement of Moore’s terminated contract, it was reported that the former coach was detained by The City of Saline Police Department as they launched an ongoing investigation into Moore for potential charges. The University of Michigan’s athletic director Warde Manuel named Biff Poggi interim head coach, effective immediately, as the Wolverines prepare for the 2025 Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. Dec. 31.

The University of Michigan’s annual Winter Commencement was held at the Crisler Center Sunday, Dec. 14. The celebration of the University’s final 2025 graduates included a commencement address by University alum Fred Upton, a former U.S. representative, as well as speeches from various faculty members and graduate Kaylee America Rodriguez.

The Michigan Daily Photostaff can be reached at photo@michigandaily.com.  

This project was led, written and organized by 2025 Senior Multimedia Photo Editor Grace Lahti, who can be reached at glahti@umich.edu.

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