Dusty May hired as Michigan head coach
The wait to see where Dusty May will go is over, as Michigan announces the hiring of the Florida Atlantic head coach on Sunday morning. May built up the FAU program over six years at the helm, a tenure that included two NCAA Tournament bids and a memorable run to the Final Four in 2023 that launched both himself and the Owls onto the national scene.
“For almost two decades Dusty May’s proven track record as a winner, including Florida Atlantic’s magical run to a 2023 Final Four, speaks volumes about him and his coaching,” said UM AD Warde Manuel. “We are so delighted to welcome Dusty, and his family, to the University of Michigan. He embodies the values of high integrity and outstanding character, coupled with an unparalleled understanding of the game of basketball. With his ties to the Midwest, Dusty has a deep understanding of our community, recruiting landscape and basketball tradition. I am thrilled to bring in a coach who has a demonstrated ability to develop talent and build successful programs. I believe Dusty will be an exceptional leader for our student-athletes and a tremendous asset to our basketball program and university.”
May, 47, took over the FAU program in 2018 after spending the previous 15 years as a D-I assistant, most recently at Florida. After four seasons finishing just over .500, the 2022-23 team won 35 games, claiming the CUSA regular season and Tournament titles and then rattling off four-straight NCAA Tournament wins (including upsets over 4-seed Tennessee and 3-seed Kansas State) to reach the Final Four. The program moved to the AAC this past offseason and had another successful season, earning an at-large bid to the Big Dance.
“The University of Michigan is among the elite institutions in the world and it is both an honor and privilege to be named its head men’s basketball coach,” said May. “This is a dream come true for me, my wife Anna, and my boys Jack, Charlie and Eli. I want to offer my thanks to President Santa Ono, Athletics Director Warde Manuel and the U-M Board of Regents for this opportunity. None of this would be possible, however, without the tremendous people at Florida Atlantic University. They embraced and supported me, as well as my family, from the minute I walked on campus. I can’t thank my players, my staff, the administration and the entire Boca Raton community enough. We made memories at FAU that will last a lifetime. This was an incredibly difficult decision, however, I am deeply committed to reigniting the proud tradition of Michigan Basketball. I can’t wait to get started.”
May was born in Illinois and raised in Indiana, attending IU where he served as a student manager for four years (1996-2000) under the legendary Hoosier head coach Bob Knight. He later worked under Mike Davis at his alma mater as an administrative assistant (2002-05) before getting his first full-time assistant role at Eastern Michigan in 2005.
The press release noted that May’s contract is for five years and worth an average of $3.75 million annually. The school moved on from former head coach Juwan Howard earlier this month after five seasons, reportedly owing him $3 million in a contract buyout. The Wolverines finished last in the Big Ten in 2024, but won the league as recently as 2021.
credit to Michigan Athletics for the image
