Dusty May staying at Michigan, taken out of North Carolina coach search
Rebecca French
Dusty May will serve as Michigan’s coach following Monday’s men’s NCAA tournament championship game.
In a statement to Tony Garcia of the USA TODAY Network’s Detroit Free Press, Wolverines athletic director Ward Manuel cleared up speculation and rumors surrounding North Carolina as the potential next head coach in May.
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On April 5, multiple media outlets reported that May, reportedly the top prospect in the Tar Heels’ search, had told Michigan that he did not plan to accept another job.
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“We had a good conversation about his future at Michigan and my commitment to him, his staff and his team,” Manuel told the Detroit Free Press Sunday night. “It’s great to have him continue to lead our men’s basketball team and to have Anna [his wife] His family remains in Ann Arbor.
“He and I are focused on Monday night’s game against UConn.”
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May answered multiple questions about his name being thrown into the job at North Carolina in the Final Four in Indianapolis, but never directly mentioned the Tar Heels by name in his answer.
“After last year, I decided that I would never respond to any speculation about a job. I had an agreement with Michigan State, 100 percent done, and I had said that I would be flattered by a job opening because of my background, but that was a misunderstanding, so I decided to never comment on any job that I didn’t have,” May said in an interview with the media on Friday, April 3.
Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Morez Johnson Jr., No. 21, of the Michigan Wolverines dunks against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Morez Johnson Jr., No. 21, of the Michigan Wolverines dunks against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines forward Maurice Johnson Jr. (21) scores during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats during the semifinals of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Yaxel Lendeborg No. 23 of the Michigan Wolverines plays with teammates against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
No. 23 Axel Lundenburg and No. 1 Trey McKennie of the Michigan Wolverines react during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
No. 15 Aday Mara of the Michigan Wolverines plays against No. 13 Motiejus Krivas of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines head coach Dusty May during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game against the Arizona Wildcats at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Morez Johnson Jr., No. 21, of the Michigan Wolverines dunks against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Morez Johnson Jr., No. 21, of the Michigan Wolverines reacts during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game against the Arizona Wildcats at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
No. 21 Morez Johnson Jr. of the Michigan Wolverines guards No. 13 Motiejus Krivas of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines’ No. 3 Elliot Cadeau makes a three-pointer against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines’ No. 3 Elliot Cadeau reacts during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game against the Arizona Wildcats at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats during the semifinals of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots past Michigan Wolverines guard Elliott Caddo (3) during the first half during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) shoots past Arizona Wildcats center Mortijus Krivas (13) during the first half during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines guard Trey McKenney (1) plays against Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) during the first half during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) shoots past Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) during the first half during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines forward Maurice Johnson Jr. (21) shoots during the first half against the Arizona Wildcats during the semifinals of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Tournament Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) goes up against Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) during the first half during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) takes on Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) during the first half during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5 points) shoots past Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3 points) during the first half during the 2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium.
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Arizona State vs. Michigan State, Final Four title game. View photos
Arizona Wildcats’ No. 13 Motiejus Krivas and Michigan Wolverines’ No. 15 Aday Mara jump ball during the first half of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament Final Four game at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 4, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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“I think it’s well documented how happy I am at Michigan. Obviously, my personal life, my personal life, my family and their happiness are very important. I love being at Michigan, but you’ll never hear me comment on any other job unless Michigan lets me go, and then I comment on every job.”
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The Wolverines have quickly jumped back to the top of the Big Ten in just two seasons in May. Last season, Michigan played 19 more games in May than last year and reached the Sweet 16, where it lost to Auburn.
This year, the Wolverines were one of the hottest programs in the country for much of the season. He led the program to the Big Ten regular-season championship and became a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance for the fourth time in program history.
According to USA Today, May signed a new contract with Michigan in February 2025, less than a year before he became the Wolverines’ next coach. His current contract runs through the 2030 season, according to a contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
His base salary for the 2025-26 season is $4.6 million, and if his current contract doesn’t change, his base salary will increase to $4.85 million next season, which seems likely after a season like the one the Wolverines had.
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Monday’s national championship game against No. 2 UConn at Lucas Oil Stadium at 8:50 p.m. ET will be May’s first game as coach and the program’s first since losing to Villanova in 2018. The Wolverines defeated No. 1 Arizona in the Final Four semifinals despite Axel Lundenburg playing with multiple injuries.
If the Wolverines win on Monday night, it will be the first Big Ten men’s basketball championship in more than two decades, with the last title coming to their in-state rival Michigan State in 2000.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dusty May remains at Michigan, won’t seek UNC basketball or other job
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