ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — After leading the department for a decade, athletic director Warde Manuel will be stepping down as Michigan's Athletic Director at the end of 2026, president Domenico Grasso announced on Monday morning.
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The university released a statement about this Monday morning:
The University of Michigan is renowned for its excellence. A legacy built by generations of students, staff, faculty, and alumni. That includes achievements in academics, research, patient care, service, and, of course, athletics.
Michigan Athletics has long been a source of pride for our community and for supporters around the world.
Our student-athletes lead the Big Ten in Academic All-Americans and achieve a remarkable 96% graduation rate. In recent years, our teams have won national championships in men’s and women’s gymnastics, football, and men’s basketball.
These successes are a testament to our students, coaches, staff, and, in no small part, to the tireless work of Athletic Director Warde Manuel.
But we also know there have been significant challenges over the past several years. That is why, late last year, I asked the law firm Jenner & Block to conduct two independent reviews:
- First, an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the conduct of former Coach Sherrone Moore, who we terminated based on evidence of an inappropriate relationship with a subordinate.
- And second, a review into the culture, conduct and procedures of our Athletic Department.
At the time, I said we would leave no stone unturned. And we did not.
Investigators interviewed nearly 300 individuals, including employees, student-athletes and others associated with the university; followed more than 90 leads from a hotline they established to gather information; and reviewed more than 20,000 records.
While we took decisive action by terminating Coach Moore, we were also determined to learn if other employees should face disciplinary action. To that end, investigators did not identify any current employee who had direct, contemporaneous evidence of the relationship.
However, the broader culture review has identified serious concerns that require immediate action. These include failures in accountability; structural deficiencies; weaknesses in our reporting and support systems; and concerns about retaliation.
This is unacceptable.
We have significant work ahead to restore Michigan Athletics to its standing as a model program not only on the field, but also off the field.
Moving forward, we are implementing reforms to improve the areas I mentioned. The recommendations are publicly available on our website, but I want to emphasize a few.
First, we will ensure the athletics compliance team has the independence, visibility, and seniority to serve as a credible check on operations, while also reporting directly to the highest levels of the university. We will adopt new policies based on best practices to standardize the investigative process for misconduct and ensure that concerns are appropriately escalated.
Second, we will strengthen the department’s HR function to effectively advise on personnel matters and HR practices, including enhancing background checks, strengthening performance management, and establishing a formal progressive discipline policy. Department HR will now report directly to the highest levels of the university.
Third, we will ensure that student-athletes have confidential, independent support for any personnel issues. We also will ensure support for physical and mental health, with mandatory staff training on student-athlete mental health and nutrition.
The review also identified interference, poor oversight, and failure of accountability by the highest levels of university leadership. This must change.
Additionally, today, I am announcing that Warde Manuel has told me that he would like to step down. I have the deepest respect for Warde and his countless contributions to Michigan and have asked him to stay on until the end of the calendar year. I have asked him, along with one of my trusted vice presidents, to serve as a special advisor to the president and help implement these reforms, and I will be launching a national search for our next athletic director.
Accountability extends beyond the Athletic Department. The president and the Board of Regents are responsible for upholding the highest standards across the University.
The culture assessment is sobering. As a great university, we simply must do better.
These are not quick fixes. They require sustained attention and structural change. Addressing them is essential to protecting our students, supporting our staff, and preserving the integrity of the University of Michigan.
I am confident we will restore the trust and pride that have long defined Michigan.
Forever Go Blue.
This comes after the Board of Regents meeting that happened Thursday, but the board and Manuel said that athletics were not discussed in that meeting.
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The Chicago law firm Jenner & Block has been investigating Michigan athletics since December, when head football coach Sherrone Moore was fired for having a romantic relationship with his assistant. The results of the investigation have not been made available to the public, but Michigan released it's own findings along with this statement.
"Maintaining the confidentiality of the investigation protects the privacy of the members of our community who participated, promotes the willingness of witnesses to participate in any future investigations by allaying concerns relating to privacy or risk of retaliation, preserves investigative integrity, and protects the attorney-client privilege that covers the investigation," Michigan said in the FAQs section of the findings, as to why a report has not been made available.
On December 10 last year, Moore was fired "for cause" from the Head Football Coach position at the University of Michigan, following allegations of an inappropriate relationship with his former staffer Paige Shiver. Prosecutors say just hours after losing his job, Moore broke into her home and threatened to harm himself. Moore pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges back in April, following a deal that dismissed more serious charges.
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Under Manuel's leadership, Michigan won national championships in men's basketball (2026), men's gymnastics (2025), football (2023), and women's gymnastics (2021). But despite that success, the University of Michigan has not been short of scandal since Manuel, a former Michigan football player, was hired in 2016. These scandals have been listed below in chronological order:
- Michigan basketball player Zavier Simpson crashing a car that belonged to Warde's wife, Chrislan (2020). Body cam footage obtained by 7 News Detroit through a Freedom of Information Act Request shows Simpson lied to officers regarding his involvement in the crash and his name
- The University of Michigan reaching a $490 million settlement with survivors of Dr. Robert Anderson, who say they were sexually abused by the doctor who worked in the department's athletic department from 1968-1998.
- Head basketball coach Juwan Howard being suspended after hitting Wisconsin assistant coach Joe Krabbenhoft following a game where Wisconsin won, 77-63 (2022)
- Men's hockey coach Mel Pearson was fired, following an independent third-party review into the climate and culture of the program (2022)
- Defensive tackle Mazi Smith being charged with Carrying a Concealed Weapon after being pulled over for speeding (2022)
- Co-offensive coordinator Matt Weis being indicted for on two dozen cybercrime charges, prompting his firing (2023). According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, as of March 2025, Weiss is charged with 14 counts of unauthorized access to computers and 10 counts of aggravated identity theft.
- Head football coach Jim Harbaugh being suspended for NCAA recruiting infractions, stemming from recruiting (2023).
- Harbaugh being suspended again for his role in the sign-stealing saga surrounding former staffer Connor Stalions. Linebackers coach Chris Partridge was fired for allegedly interfering with that NCAA investigation (2023). Earlier this year, Partridge sued Michigan, alleging that he was a "scapegoat" in the scandal.
- Strength & conditioning coach Jon Sanderson leaving the program after reportedly getting into an verbal altercation with Howard midway through the 2023-24 season
- Two assistant football coaches — defensive line coach Greg Scruggs and assistant director of player personnel Denard Robinson, the latter of which a former Michigan quarterback — were arrested on separate OWI arrests. Scruggs subsequently resigned, and a university spokesperson said in May of 2024 that Robinson was no longer part of the coaching staff.
- Moore was fired before being arrested (2025), with Shiver suing the university earlier this month to publicly release the records related to the internal investigation that led to Moore's firing.
- This February, the Ann Arbor Police Department said they were investigating sexual assault allegations against former Michigan assistant LaTroy Lewis, who was subsequently from his job with the Atlanta Falcons. The investigation stems from an alleged incident that happened in Dec. 2024, back when Lewis was on Michigan's staff.
After leading Michigan to national championships, both Harbaugh and men's basketball coach Dusty May left Michigan the very next off-season to take head coaching jobs in professional leagues; Harbaugh with the Los Angeles Chargers and May with the Dallas Mavericks earlier this summer.
Manuel released the statement below in regards to him stepping down:
"I am very proud of all the successes and accomplishments of our athletic department over the past 11 years. We have tremendous coaches and professionals who support our outstanding student athletes every day.I am happy President Grasso asked me to stay on to work with him to implement the recommendations for continuous improvement. I promise everyone I will have more to say about my decision at the appropriate time. Forever, Go Blue."
