In his first season at Michigan, Dusty May has turned a flailing program into a Big Ten stalwart, and he has been rewarded with a multi-year contract extension, the school announced Friday.
The No. 12-ranked Wolverines (20-5 overall, 12-2 in Big Ten play) sit atop the conference standings and control their own destiny heading into the NCAA Tournament. It’s a stark difference from a season ago, when the Wolverines finished 8-24 and dead last in the Big Ten, and May is the man directly responsible for this quick resurgence.
“His (May’s) commitment to this university and the success of the men’s basketball program has far exceeded our expectations,” said Warde Manuel, the University of Michigan’s athletic director.
May’s original contract with Michigan was a five-year deal with an average yearly salary of $3.75 million. The new contract is, essentially, a re-structuring of that original deal that includes a pay raise and an additional year added on, per CBS Sports. This news of the extension comes just before a season-defining, top-15 battle between the Wolverines and in-state rival Michigan State (21-5, 12-3) on Friday evening (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app). The winner will lock down first place in the Big Ten.
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For May to earn this extension before the end of his first season at Michigan seemingly says a lot about the mutual confidence the two parties share in one another. Michigan provided May with resources, and the 48-year-old coach delivered results immediately. May officially became Michigan’s head coach in March 2024 after spending six seasons (2018-2024) at Florida Atlantic. May took over the Owls’ job after a 12-19 season and, quickly, turned that program into a winning one as well. FAU went 126-69 over May’s six seasons, all of which were winning seasons.
In 2022-23, May led FAU to a program-best 28-3 regular-season, its first Conference USA title and the program’s only Final Four appearance. As a 9-seed, the Owls took down Memphis in the first round, Fairleigh Dickinson in the second round, Tennessee in the Sweet 16 and Kansas in the Elite 8, before losing to 5-seed San Diego State in the Final Four. FAU returned to the NCAA Tournament the following season but lost in the Round of 64 in overtime to Northwestern.
May had done enough to earn a big-time job and Michigan came calling. This wasn’t the Michigan of old, though, as the Wolverines had won just one Big Ten regular-season title and achieved just one 20-plus-win season in the previous five years. May also had to completely revamp the roster, as the Wolverines’ top three scorers transferred.
He brought along FAU center Vlad Goldin and acquired highly touted transfers, such as Yale’s Danny Wolf, Auburn’s Tre Donaldson and rival Ohio State’s Roddy Gayle Jr. Not only did May build a strong team on paper, but he successfully implemented a freewheeling, pro-style scheme in which a 6-foot-3 Donaldson and a 7-foot Wolf can both handle the ball and make decisions off instinct.
Under May, the Wolverines have beaten No. 11 Wisconsin, 67-64, on the road and No. 13 Purdue, 75-73. They’ve already reached the 20-win mark, and if they can take care of business Friday against Michigan State, there’s a clear path to a Big Ten regular-season title.
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