Amanda Knapp
The University of Michigan's basketball team has had its fair share of coaches over the years, with John Beilein, Juwan Howard, and Dusty May all taking the helm at one time or another. In 2019, Beilein left Michigan to coach the Cleveland Cavaliers, leaving fans wondering who would fill his shoes. After Beilein, Howard took over as head coach, but his tenure ended in 2024, and Michigan basketball hired Dusty May, previously of Florida Atlantic University, as their new coach. May has a challenging task ahead of him, as several players have jumped into the transfer portal, but he has a successful track record, having led Florida Atlantic to the 2023 Final Four.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Dusty May |
| Previous coaching experience | Florida Atlantic (FAU) coach, Florida (2015-18), Louisiana Tech, UAB, Murray State, Eastern Michigan |
| Contract | 5-year deal |
| Age | 47 |
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What You'll Learn
Michigan's new head basketball coach
Michigan has a new head basketball coach, Dusty May, who has agreed to a five-year deal with the Wolverines. May, 47, joins Michigan from Florida Atlantic University (FAU), where he served as head coach for six seasons. During his time at FAU, May helped transform the team into a consistent NCAA tournament contender, leading them to the 2023 Final Four and a 35-4 record in the 2022-23 season.
May's coaching career began as an assistant at Eastern Michigan in 2005-06, and he has since held assistant roles at Louisiana Tech, UAB, Murray State, and Florida. May's success at FAU and his Midwest ties—he attended Indiana University for college—made him an attractive candidate for Michigan. He fills the vacancy left by Juwan Howard, who was fired at the end of the 2023-24 season after the Wolverines missed the NCAA tournament for the second consecutive year.
Howard, a former player for the Wolverines, had a successful start to his tenure, reaching the Elite Eight in 2021 and the Sweet 16 in 2022. However, the team struggled in the last two seasons, finishing with a 26-40 record and no postseason appearances. May now faces the challenge of restoring Michigan to its former glory, with several players also transferring out of the program.
Other candidates that were considered for the Michigan head coaching role included Porter Moser, who has Midwest connections and has coached at Loyola and Oklahoma; Chris Beard, who led Texas Tech to the national championship game; and Hopkins, who employs a unique defensive strategy and has successfully recruited several top players. Additionally, Dawkins and Pikiell were also mentioned as potential candidates in 2019.
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Dusty May's previous experience
Dusty May is an American college basketball coach, currently the Wolverines men's basketball head coach at the University of Michigan. Hired in 2024, May replaced Juwan Howard as Michigan's basketball coach.
May's previous experience includes serving as the head coach for Florida Atlantic University (FAU) from 2018 to 2024. During his time at FAU, May led the Owls to the NCAA Final Four in 2023 and the NCAA tournament field as an 8 seed in 2024. In his first tenure as a head coach, May compiled a 126-68 or 126-69 record over six seasons and never had a season with a losing record. Before taking on the role of head coach at FAU, May was an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan, Murray State, UAB, Louisiana Tech, and Florida. May's coaching career began as an assistant coach at Eastern Michigan University in 2005-06, and he has since held assistant coaching positions at several other universities.
May's success at FAU is particularly notable given the challenges the program faced before his arrival. In the four years prior to May's arrival, FAU had a poor record and the team consistently ranked towards the bottom of Conference USA. However, under May's leadership, FAU transformed into a serious contender, achieving significant victories and improving their ranking.
May's experience as an assistant coach and his successful tenure as a head coach at FAU have contributed to his reputation as one of the hottest young coaches in college basketball. His ability to turn programs around and achieve results has led to his selection as the head coach at the University of Michigan.
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Juwan Howard's firing
However, things started to decline for Howard and the Wolverines in the 2021-22 season. During this season, Howard was involved in an incident where he hit Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft in the face after a game, resulting in a five-game suspension. Despite this setback, Michigan still managed to reach the Sweet 16. The downward trend continued into the 2022-23 season, with the team finishing with an 18-16 record and missing the NCAA tournament.
The 2023-24 season proved to be the final straw, as Michigan completed one of its worst seasons in program history, ending with an 8-24 record and a 3-17 mark in Big Ten play. They lost their final nine games, including a defeat to Penn State in the Big Ten tournament. This poor performance led to Howard's dismissal, with athletic director Warde Manuel stating that "it was clear...that the program was not living up to our expectations and not trending in the right direction."
Following Howard's firing, there was speculation about who Michigan would hire as their next head coach. The vacancy was filled by Dusty May, who previously served as the head coach of Florida Atlantic. May signed a five-year deal with Michigan and is expected to help restore the team's success.
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Potential candidates for the role
As of March 2024, Michigan has hired Dusty May as their new head basketball coach. May joins Michigan from Florida Atlantic University (FAU), where he had been the head coach since 2018.
Prior to the hiring of May, several names were floated as potential candidates for the role. Here are some of the most frequently mentioned:
- Jay Wright: Wright was mentioned as a potential candidate, but some sources deemed it unlikely that he would take the position due to Michigan's current standing in college basketball.
- John Beilein: Beilein previously coached Michigan before leaving for the NBA, and there was some speculation about his potential return. However, this was seen as improbable due to the significant changes in college basketball since he left.
- Porter Moser: Moser has coached at Loyola and Oklahoma and has Midwest connections. He has a proven track record, and his style could be a good fit for Michigan.
- Jake Diebler: Diebler was mentioned as a possible candidate, but it was noted that he might be more likely to stay with Ohio State.
- Chris Beard: Beard's defensive style was thought to be a good fit for the Big Ten, and a move to Michigan would be a significant promotion for him. However, his lack of experience at the college level could be a minor deterrent.
Ultimately, Michigan chose Dusty May, who has a strong track record of success at FAU, leading them to the 2023 Final Four and transforming them into a consistent NCAA tournament team.
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The hiring process
Identifying the Need
The first step in the hiring process is to identify the need for a new basketball coach. In Michigan's case, the need arose due to the departure of the previous coach, Juwan Howard, who was fired after the 2023-24 season. Howard's final season with the Wolverines was challenging, as the team finished with an 8-24 record and a 3-17 mark in Big Ten play, the most losses in a single season in the program's history.
Determining the Criteria
Once the need for a new coach is established, the university must determine the criteria for the ideal candidate. This includes considering the candidate's experience, coaching philosophy, track record of success, and fit with the university's culture and values. Michigan was looking for a coach who could restore the team's success and make them an annual tournament contender again.
Searching and Screening Candidates
The next step involves searching for and screening potential candidates. Michigan considered various options, including up-and-coming coaches and those with extensive experience. Some of the names mentioned as possible candidates included Dusty May, Porter Moser, Jay Wright, and John Beilein. The university's athletic director, Warde Manuel, played a crucial role in this process.
Interviewing and Evaluating
After narrowing down the list of candidates, Michigan conducted interviews and evaluated each candidate's strengths and weaknesses. They assessed the candidates' coaching philosophies, tactical acumen, and ability to lead and motivate a team. The university also considered the candidates' potential impact on player recruitment and the program's overall success.
Making the Decision
Finally, after a thorough evaluation process, Michigan made its decision and offered the head coach position to Dusty May. May, who previously served as the head coach at Florida Atlantic University (FAU), had a successful track record of transforming the FAU program into a consistent NCAA tournament contender. He led the Owls to the 2023 Final Four and had a strong overall record during his time at FAU.
Finalizing the Contract
With the decision made, Michigan finalized the contract details with Dusty May. Both parties agreed to a five-year deal, providing stability and a long-term vision for the program. The university's president, Santa Ono, expressed his enthusiasm for May's appointment, welcoming him to Ann Arbor through social media.
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Frequently asked questions
In March 2024, Michigan hired Dusty May as their new head basketball coach, agreeing to a five-year deal.
Juwan Howard was the previous head coach, but he was fired at the end of the 2023-24 season after the Wolverines missed the NCAA tournament for the second year running.
Dusty May was previously the head coach of Florida Atlantic (FAU) and helped rebuild the Owls program into a consistent NCAA tournament team. He has also been a longtime assistant coach at various colleges, including Louisiana Tech, UAB, Murray State, and Eastern Michigan.
