Michigan’s national title defense represents a second chance for new Wolverines coach Mike Boynton.
Boynton coached Oklahoma State to a 119-109 record and one NCAA Tournament berth over seven seasons but got fired after a 12-20 finish in 2023-24. He spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach on Dusty May’s staff at Michigan.
When May left to coach the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks after the Wolverines’ national championship season, Michigan initially made Boynton interim head coach and then signed him to a two-year contract.
Boynton says his experience working with May has made him a better coach.
“The last two years have been sort of like a sabbatical for me,” Boynton told reporters 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.”
Michigan’s transition after winning the NCAA Tournament represented the biggest move of the offseason coaching carousel. Here’s a look at some other notable moves:
Jerome Tang went 26-10 and reached a regional final his first year at Kansas State but went 45-47 over the next three seasons before getting fired. Kansas State’s new coach is Casey Alexander, who owns a 303-180 career record with stints at Stetson (2011-13), Lipscomb (2013-19) and Belmont (2019-26).
LSU Tigers
Will Wade is back for a second stint at the school that fired him in 2022 after the NCAA cited him for recruiting violations. Matt McMahon succeeded Wade but got fired after going 60-70 in four seasons. Wade led McNeese and N.C. State to NCAA Tournament appearances during his time away from LSU. He went 105-51 his first time at LSU with three NCAA berths in six seasons.
Will Wade is back at LSU after stops at McNeese and NC State. (Photo by Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images)
North Carolina Tar Heels
The Tar Heels made an unconventional move by hiring Michael Malone, who didn’t have any previous ties to the program and who didn’t have any college head coaching experience. Malone went 510-394 as an NBA coach from 2013-25 and won a title with the Denver Nuggets in 2023. Malone replaces Hubert Davis, who went 125-54 in five years and got the Tar Heels to the NCAA championship game in 2022.
NC State Wolfpack
Wade went 20-14 in his lone season at N.C. State before returning to LSU. N.C. State now has first-time head coach Justin Gainey, a former Wolfpack captain who most recently was on Rick Barnes’ Tennessee staff but also had stints as an assistant at Marquette, Arizona, Appalachian State and Elon.
Justin Gainey played for NC State from 1996 through 2000, and now he’s replacing Will Wade as its head coach. (Photo by Matt Kelley/Getty Images)
Syracuse Orange
Gerry McNamara owns Syracuse’s career records in 3-point baskets and minutes played. Now he’s back at his alma mater after leading Siena to a 23-12 record and NCAA appearance last season. McNamara replaces Adrian Autry, who was fired after going 49-48 with no NCAA berths in three seasons.
Here are some of the most notable changes on the women’s side:
Alabama Crimson Tide
Pauline Love returns to Alabama as head coach after working there in 2024-25 as an assistant coach for Kristy Curry, who left for South Florida after going 245-173 in 13 seasons. Love spent last season as an assistant at Oklahoma.
Florida Gators
Tammi Reiss arrives after going 138-73 in seven years at Rhode Island with an NCAA appearance last year. She takes over for Kelly Rae Finley, who went 93-75 in five seasons before getting fired.
Tammi Reiss has made the move from Rhode Island to Florida after seven seasons coaching the Rams. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Georgia Bulldogs
New coach Ayla Guzzardo led McNeese to a school-record 29 wins last season. Georgia and Katie Abrahamson-Henderson had a mutual parting after she went 69-59 in four seasons.
Northwestern Wildcats
Carla Berube comes to Northwestern after going 147-29 in six years at Princeton and reaching the NCAA Tournament each of her last five seasons. Joe McKeown retired after going 276-279 in 18 seasons.
Carla Berube moved to the Big Ten and took over at Northwestern after representing the Ivy League in March Madness in five-straight seasons. (Photo by Melina Pizano/Getty Images)
Virginia Cavaliers
Aaron Rousell was 148-72 with three straight NCAA berths in seven seasons at Richmond. Now he takes over a Virginia program that’s coming off a Sweet 16 finish. He takes over for Amaka Agugua-Hamilton, who was fired in April.
Hot Seats – Men’s Coaches
Ed Cooley, Georgetown
Cooley has gone 43-57 in three seasons at Georgetown after posting a 242-153 record in 12 seasons at Providence.
Lamont Paris, South Carolina
South Carolina went 26-8 and earned an NCAA bid under Paris in 2023-24 but has gone a combined 25-39 in the two seasons since.
Hot Seats – Women’s Coaches
Kim Caldwell, Tennessee
Tennessee’s roster underwent a complete overhaul after the Lady Vols ended Caldwell’s second season with eight straight losses and an NCAA Tournament first-round exit
Joni Taylor, Texas A&M
Texas A&M has earned an NCAA bid in just one of Taylor’s four years and has gone a combined 24-32 over the last two seasons.
Reporting by The Associated Press.
