College Basketball: Boynton Takes Helm at Michigan

Mike Boynton is the new head coach of the Michigan men's basketball team. The program announced a two-year contract on Monday, ending his interim status after the Wolverines won the national championship in April. Boynton previously served as an assistant coach on the staff of Dusty May, who left for the NBA to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.

The hiring marks a return to head coaching duties for Boynton following his departure from Oklahoma State in 2024. He led the Cowboys to a 119-109 record and one NCAA Tournament appearance over seven seasons. The program dismissed him after a 12-20 finish in the 2023-24 campaign. Boynton spent the subsequent two years learning from May, a period he described as a professional sabbatical.

"The last two years have been sort of like a sabbatical for me," Boynton said during Big Ten media days. "I’m sitting next to this genius every day learning how to run a high-functioning corporation, how to identify great qualities in people specific to your needs as a basketball team and allow them to be great in those areas, how to delegate responsibilities, and how every day to show up and be even."

Boynton's arrival is part of a wide-ranging coaching shift in college basketball. Kansas State hired Casey Alexander to replace Jerome Tang. Alexander holds a 303-180 career record with stops at Stetson, Lipscomb, and Belmont. Tang was fired after posting a 45-47 mark in his final three seasons following a strong 26-10 debut year.

Louisville's Will Wade returned to LSU for a second tenure after the program dismissed him in 2022 over recruiting violations. Matt McMahon, who replaced Wade, was fired after going 60-70 in four years. Wade previously guided McNeese and N.C. State to NCAA Tournament appearances while away from Baton Rouge. N.C. State named Justin Gainey as its new head coach, replacing Wade who went 20-14 in his sole season there.

North Carolina made a distinct choice by hiring NBA coach Michael Malone. Malone went 510-394 in the professional league and won a championship with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. He replaces Hubert Davis, who led the Tar Heels to the 2022 national title game. Syracuse hired Gerry McNamara, a former player for the Orange, to replace Adrian Autry. McNamara led Siena to a 23-12 record and an NCAA bid last season.

On the women's side, Alabama welcomed back Pauline Love, who was an assistant last season. Tammi Reiss moved to UConn from Rhode Island, where she posted a 138-73 record. Ayla Guzzardo took over at Georgia after leading McNeese to a school-record 29 wins. Northwestern hired Carla Berube, who reached the NCAA Tournament in each of her final five seasons at Princeton.