College Basketball: Boynton assumes leadership of title-winning Michigan squad

Mike Boynton has officially taken over as the head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, the defending NCAA national champions. The university signed the former assistant to a two-year contract, finalizing a transition that began immediately after the team's title run concluded.

The hiring follows the departure of Dusty May, who accepted the head coaching position with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Michigan initially placed Boynton in the role as an interim coach before moving to secure his services for the coming seasons.

Boynton returns to the head coaching position after a seven-year tenure at Oklahoma State. During that period, he compiled a 119-109 record and led the Cowboys to one NCAA Tournament appearance. His time in Stillwater ended in 2023-24 after the team posted a 12-20 mark.

Since leaving Oklahoma State, Boynton spent the last two seasons on May's staff at Michigan. He describes that period as a professional sabbatical that sharpened his management skills. During Big Ten media days, he noted that sitting next to May allowed him to observe how to run a high-functioning organization and identify specific strengths in players.

"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 told reporters.

Michigan's coaching change anchors a busy offseason for college basketball. At Kansas State, Casey Alexander replaces Jerome Tang. Tang finished his tenure with a 45-47 record over his last three seasons despite reaching a regional final in his first year.

Will Wade returns to LSU for a second stint after a break in 2022. He replaces Matt McMahon, who was let go after a 60-70 record in four years. Wade previously led LSU to three NCAA Tournament berths during his first six seasons there.

North Carolina made a distinct choice by hiring Michael Malone, who has no prior ties to the Tar Heels and no previous college head coaching experience. Malone, who went 510-394 as an NBA coach, replaces Hubert Davis, who guided the team to the 2022 national championship game.

N.C. State installed Justin Gainey as its first-time head coach. Gainey most recently served on Rick Barnes' staff at Tennessee and previously held assistant roles at Marquette, Arizona, Appalachian State, and Elon.

Syracuse brought back Gerry McNamara, the program's all-time leader in three-pointers and minutes played. McNamara replaces Adrian Autry, who was dismissed after three seasons with a 49-48 record and no tournament bids.

On the women's side, Pauline Love returns to Alabama as head coach after serving as an assistant to Kristy Curry. Curry left the Crimson Tide to coach at South Florida after 13 seasons.

Tammi Reiss arrives at a program where she replaces Kelly Rae Finley. Reiss went 138-73 in seven years at Rhode Island and earned an NCAA bid last season. Ayla Guzzardo takes over at Georgia after leading McNeese to a school-record 29 wins in her final season there.