Warde Manuel issues statement following announcement Michigan AD will step down
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Warde Manuel’s decade-long run as Michigan’s athletic director will come to an end at the conclusion of the calendar year.
The announcement came alongside Michigan’s partial release of findings from an independent investigation into the athletic department that followed former football coach Sherrone Moore’s dismissal. In a statement released by the university, Manuel confirmed his decision to step down and said he would discuss it further at a later date.
“I am very proud of all the successes and accomplishments of our athletic department over the past 11 years,” Manuel said. “We have tremendous coaches and professionals who support our outstanding student-athletes every day.”
Manuel added that he is thankful to Michigan president Domenico Grasso for allowing him to continue leading the athletic department as the two implement the recommendations from Jenner & Block LLP’s investigation into the department.
“I am happy President Grasso asked me to stay on to work with him to implement the recommendations for continuous improvement,” Manuel said. “I promise everyone I will have more to say about my decision at the appropriate time. Forever, Go Blue.”
Under Manuel’s leadership, the football program alone has been part of two major scandals: Moore’s tumultuous exit after two seasons and the sign-stealing black eye that cast a broad shadow over Michigan’s 2023 national championship under former coach Jim Harbaugh. The sign-stealing scandal led to numerous Level I violations — the highest violation handed out by the NCAA — a four-year probation, a $50,000 fine, 10% of the Michigan football program budget and a 14-week prohibition on recruiting comms in the football program during probation, among other punishments.
“The culture review found that Warde Manuel demonstrated important leadership strengths, particularly his commitment to student-athletes. At the same time, it identified failures to quickly and effectively act on allegations of wrongdoing by Athletic Department employees,” Michigan wrote on its public affairs website regarding the findings on Manuel from the investigation.
In his decade-long career serving his alma mater, Manuel has helped the football program to three Big Ten titles and a College Football Playoff title in 2023, a men’s basketball national championship under former coach Dusty May, who left for the NBA and the Dallas Mavericks, this past season and five trips to the Frozen Four with the men’s hockey program.
Manuel was given a five-year extension as athletics director in December 2024 with a base salary of $1.9 million. That contract was scheduled to expire in 2030.
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Warde Manuel issues statement following announcement Michigan AD will step down
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