Dusty May staying at Michigan, taken out of North Carolina coach search

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Dusty May staying at Michigan, taken out of North Carolina coach search

Dusty May staying at Michigan, taken out of North Carolina coach search

John Leuzzi, USA TODAY NETWORK · USA TODAY Sports

Mon, Apr 6, 2026 ·

3 min read

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Dusty May will be the coach at Michigan beyond Monday's Men's NCAA Tournament championship game.

In a statement to Tony Garcia of the Detroit Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network, Wolverines athletic director Warde Manuel put speculation and rumors around May as North Carolina's potential next head coach to bed.

It had been reported by multiple outlets on April 5 that May, a reported top candidate in the Tar Heels' search, had told Michigan he was not looking to take a different job.

Yaxel Lendeborg injury update: Michigan star says he'll play in national championship

"We had a great conversation about his future at Michigan and my commitment to him, his staff and his team," Manuel told the Detroit Free Press on Sunday evening. "Thrilled to have him continuing to lead our men's basketball team and to have Anna [his wife] and his family remain in Ann Arbor.

"His focus and mine is on the game Monday night versus UConn."

May fielded multiple questions about his name being tossed into the North Carolina job search at the Final Four in Indianapolis, but never named the Tar Heels directly in his responses.

"After last year, I decided I'll never respond to any job speculation. I had already agreed to terms with Michigan, was 100% done, and I made the comment that I was flattered about a certain job opening because of my background, and that was misconstrued, so I just decided I'm never going to comment on any job that I don't have," May said on Friday, April 3 in a media availability.

Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines dunks the ball against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) scores against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts with teammates against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Yaxel Lendeborg #23 and Trey McKenney #1 of the Michigan Wolverines react while playing against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Aday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines shoots the ball against Motiejus Krivas #13 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Head coach Dusty May of the Michigan Wolverines looks on against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts while playing against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Morez Johnson Jr. #21 of the Michigan Wolverines defends Motiejus Krivas #13 of the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Elliot Cadeau #3 of the Michigan Wolverines shoots a three pointer against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Michael Reaves, Getty Images)

Elliot Cadeau #3 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts while playing against the Arizona Wildcats during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) in action against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Robert Deutsch, Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) shoots over Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Robert Deutsch, Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) shoots over Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Robert Deutsch, Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines guard Trey McKenney (1) in action against Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium
(Robert Deutsch, Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) shoots over Arizona Wildcats guard Jaden Bradley (0) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) shoots against the Arizona Wildcats in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Robert Deutsch, Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats forward Ivan Kharchenkov (8) goes to the basket against Michigan Wolverines center Aday Mara (15) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images)

Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) shoots against Arizona Wildcats center Motiejus Krivas (13) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Robert Deutsch, Imagn Images)

Arizona Wildcats guard Brayden Burries (5) shoots over Michigan Wolverines guard Elliot Cadeau (3) in the first half during a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium.
(Trevor Ruszkowski, Imagn Images)

A general view as Motiejus Krivas #13 of the Arizona Wildcats and Aday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines jump for the ball during the first half in the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on April 04, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana
(Patrick Smith, Getty Images)

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"I think it's well documented how happy I am at Michigan. Obviously, my private life, my personal life, my family, their happiness is very important. I love it at Michigan, but you'll never hear me comment on any other job unless Michigan lets me go, and then I'll comment on every job."

In two seasons under May, the Wolverines have quickly jumped back up to the top of the Big Ten standings. Last season, Michigan improved its win total by 19 games under May from a year prior and made it to the Sweet 16, where it lost to Auburn.

This year, the Wolverines have been one of the top programs in the country for much of the season. He led the program to the Big Ten outright regular season title and a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance for the fourth time in program history .

As noted by USA TODAY, May signed a new contract with Michigan in February 2025, just under a year after he became the Wolverines' next coach. His current deal is through the 2030 season, according to his contract obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

His base salary for the 2025-26 season was $4.6 million and will see an increase to $4.85 million next season if his current deal doesn't change, which seems likely to happen after the type of season the Wolverines have had.

Monday night's national championship game at 8:50 p.m. ET inside Lucas Oil Stadium against No. 2 UConn will be the first May has coached in, and the program's first since they lost to Villanova in 2018. The Wolverines cruised through their Final Four semifinal over No. 1 Arizona, even with Yaxel Lendeborg sustaining multiple injuries and playing through them.

Should the Wolverines win April 6, it will be the first men's basketball title for the Big Ten in over two decades, with the last one coming from their in-state rival, Michigan State, in 2000.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dusty May staying at Michigan, won't seek UNC basketball or other jobs

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Dusty May staying at Michigan, taken out of North Carolina coach search

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