Joel Metzger

Class:
Sophomore
Position:
LB
Height:
6-1
Weight:
218
Hometown:
Battle Creek, Mich.
High School:
Lakeview

At Michigan
• Three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree (2022-24)
• Named the team's Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Year (2022)
• Two-time letter winner (2023-24)

Junior (2024)
• Appeared in one game at linebacker and on special teams to earn his second varsity letter
• Played as a linebacker and on special teams against Northwestern (Nov. 23)

Sophomore (2023)
• Appeared in two games on special teams to earn his first varsity letter
• Made his collegiate debut against UNLV (Sept. 9), contributing on special teams
• Earned snaps against Indiana (Oct. 14), contributing on special teams

Freshman (2022)
• Did not see game action
• Named the team's Special Teams Scout Team Player of the Year
• Named Scout Team Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his role in preparing the special teams units for UConn

Prep
• Attended Battle Creek Lakeview High School (2021) coached by Jerry Diorio
• Two-year captain for the Spartans (2019-20)
• Helped the Spartans to an undefeated regular season his junior year (2019)
• Salutatorian
• All-Academic honoree for the Spartans
• Also lettered in baseball and in swimming and diving at Lakeview

Key Statistics
• Led the team in tackles as a senior
• Played as a linebacker and fullback

Honors and Ranking
• Division two All-State honorable mention at tight end
• Two-time All-City and All-League honoree

Personal
• Son of Steve and Melissa Metzger
• In baseball, helped the Spartans to the regional semifinal his senior
• Set the single-season program records in home runs (nine) and RBI (69)
• All-State swimmer (freestyle)
• High school coach, Jerry Diorio, won four varsity letters (1980-83) as a guard at U-M
• Enrolled in the College of Literature, Science and the Arts, majoring in Computer Science