Sources: FAU’s May to be Michigan’s head coach

Florida Atlantic’s Dusty May has been hired as the next men’s basketball coach at Michigan, the school announced Sunday.

Michigan said May had agreed to a five-year contract that averages $3.75 million annually.

“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,” May said in a statement. “… 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.”

University president Santa Ono had posted on social media that he was “thrilled” to welcome May to Michigan, and athletic director Warde Manuel touted “May’s proven track record as a winner.”

“With his ties to the Midwest, Dusty has a deep understanding of our community, recruiting landscape and basketball tradition,” Manuel said in a statement. “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, leaves Florida Atlantic after an improbable 2023 Final Four run and a 2024 NCAA tournament appearance, winning 60 games over the past two seasons — which only UConn and Houston have also done.

FAU lost to Northwestern in overtime Friday in the first round of the NCAA tournament, and sources said that Michigan officials moved quickly to secure May as the school’s next coach.

Several high-major programs — including Louisville of the ACC and Vanderbilt of the SEC — pursued May as a coaching candidate. May ultimately became swept away with Michigan’s alumni network and fierce loyalty to the university and athletics, sources said, and he believes that will help transcend some of the inherently transactional nature of the modern NIL/transfer portal era in recruiting and player retention.

May will replace Juwan Howard, who was dismissed after five seasons and the program’s first last-place finish in the Big Ten since the 1966-67 season.

May’s professional climb has been a study in perseverance and patience. He landed at a downtrodden FAU program six years ago for his first head-coaching job and went 126-69 without a losing season.

Florida Atlantic’s .822 winning percentage in the past two years was the fifth best in Division I, according to ESPN Stats & Information data.

FAU’s Top 25 rankings in the past two seasons are the only ones in school history. The Owls reached the Final Four as a No. 9 seed in 2023, becoming the ninth team seeded No. 9 or lower to reach the Final Four since seeding began in 1979, according to ESPN Stats & Info research.

May is an Indiana University graduate who has had assistant-coaching stops at his alma mater as well as at USC, Eastern Michigan, Murray State, UAB, Louisiana Tech and Florida.