Dusty May has joined Ann Arbor after Juwan Howard left after agreeing to a five-year contract that will pay him $3.75 million a year.
Michigan announced on Sunday that May had been hired. This puts him back in the Big Ten and concludes his six-year tenure at Florida Atlantic, which included a Final Four appearance the previous year.
Athletic director of Michigan Warde Manuel stated, “Dusty May’s demonstrated success over nearly two decades, including Florida Atlantic’s incredible run to a 2023 Final Four, speaks volumes about him and his coaching.”
We at the University of Michigan are thrilled to have Dusty and his family as new members. He exemplifies the virtues of exceptional character and high integrity, along with an unmatched grasp of the game of basketball.
May was apparently being considered by Louisville, which will now have to go elsewhere for a replacement in order to bring that once-proud program back to life.
Santa Ono, the president of Michigan, made the hiring announcement on social media on Saturday night. Just before Michigan’s announcement on Sunday morning, May broke the news to his now-former teammates at FAU.
Howard, a former Michigan standout who was let go after five seasons with the Wolverines, will be replaced by May. Although Howard finished 82-67 and made two trips to the NCAA Tournament, the Wolverines’ 8-24 record this season was their poorest since 1960–61.
Long before now, in fact, the conjecture regarding May’s future has been a constant for almost a year. Last season, as FAU went on a 20-game winning streak and made headlines throughout the country for the first time, he was hailed as a promising young coaching prospect. May’s readiness for the biggest of big times was further confirmed by the Owls’ march to the NCAA Final Four, where they were just one win away from facing Connecticut in the national championship game.