The University of Michigan announced the hiring of Warde Manuel as the university’s new athletic director on Friday.
Manuel, who is a U-M alumnus and played football under Bo Schembecher, is currently the athletic director at the University of Connecticut. His 5-year appointment will begin on March 14.
He becomes Michigan’s 12th athletic director and takes over for Jim Hackett who has been interim athletic director since October 2014.
”I am honored to have been selected to serve Michigan as the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics by President Schlissel,” Manuel said in a release. “I look forward to working with all the student-athletes, coaches, staff, faculty, students, donors and fans to continue the Michigan tradition of being “Leaders and Best.”
Reporting to the Michigan President Mark Schlissel, Manuel will serve as a member of the university’s exeutive leadership team.
Hackett will continue to be the athletic director until Manuel takes over in March.
“I want to thank Jim Hackett for his exemplary service to Michigan,” Schlissel said. “He accomplished so much in a short time, serving with a level of distinction and integrity befitting the University of Michigan’s highest values.”
Manuel became the AD at UConn in 2012. The university has won six NCAA national championships under his leadership, the most in a three-year period at UConn. Before that, he lead a 20-sport program at the State University of New York.
