Story Courtesy: Tom Wywrot, Michigan Athletics
University of Michigan Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics Warde Manuel announced Friday (July 10) that Mike Boynton Jr. has been named head coach of the men’s basketball program and will serve as the David and Meredith Kaplan Men’s Basketball Head Coach. Boynton agreed to a two-year contract to lead the Wolverines’ program.
Boynton enters his third season in Ann Arbor after helping guide Michigan to one of the greatest two-year stretches in program history. During his first two seasons on staff, the Wolverines compiled a 64-13 record, captured the 2025 Big Ten Tournament championship, won the 2026 Big Ten regular-season title and claimed the program’s second NCAA national championship.
“Mike is a veteran assistant with strong head coaching experience and a clear understanding of the standard we expect at Michigan,” Manuel said. “Over the past two seasons, he has been an invaluable member of our staff, bringing stability, leadership and perspective during an important period of success. Our players and staff believe in his vision, are committed to his leadership and are excited for the opportunity to pursue great success together this season.”
“Coach Boynton has demonstrated exceptional leadership, unwavering integrity, and a deep commitment to the development of student-athletes throughout his career,” said Michigan President Domenico Grasso. “I am confident he will build on our winning tradition, strengthen our culture of excellence, and lead our program in a way that reflects the very best of the University of Michigan’s values.”
“I’m grateful to Warde for his confidence and thankful for the opportunity to lead this program,” said Boynton. “We have built a championship culture and a standard that everyone associated with this program takes great pride in. We have an outstanding group of players, and I’m excited to get to work and continue the success we’ve established together.”
Boynton was instrumental in Michigan’s historic 2025-26 national championship season. The Wolverines posted a school-record 37-3 record, captured the Big Ten regular-season championship with a conference-record 19-1 mark and won the program’s first NCAA national championship in 37 years.
Regarded as one of the nation’s top player-development coaches, Boynton helped mentor four first-round NBA Draft selections in just two seasons at Michigan, including three lottery selections in the 2026 NBA Draft. Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 9), Yaxel Lendeborg (No. 11), Aday Mara (No. 12) and Danny Wolf (No. 27, 2025) all developed into first-round selections during Boynton’s tenure in Ann Arbor. Michigan became just the fifth program since the NBA Draft Lottery expanded in 2004 to produce three lottery selections in a single draft.
Serving as Michigan’s defensive coordinator, Boynton helped transform the Wolverines into one of the nation’s premier defensive teams. Michigan ranked 12th nationally in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency in 2024-25 before leading the nation in 2025-26, anchoring a championship season that produced a school-record 37 victories.
Boynton also played a key role in roster construction and recruiting, helping assemble the talent that fueled Michigan’s Big Ten championship and NCAA national title run while establishing the Wolverines as one of the nation’s premier programs.
A veteran coach with more than two decades of collegiate experience, Boynton arrived in Ann Arbor in April 2024 following seven seasons as head coach at Oklahoma State. He posted a 119-109 record with the Cowboys, leading the program to an NCAA Tournament appearance and two NIT quarterfinal appearances while developing Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons point guard, into the No. 1 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
Before leading Oklahoma State, Boynton served as an assistant coach with the Cowboys and at Stephen F. Austin under current Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. He also had coaching stops at his alma mater, South Carolina, as well as Wofford and Coastal Carolina after beginning his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Furman.
A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Boynton was a four-year letterwinner at South Carolina, appearing in 125 career games while helping the Gamecocks reach the 2004 NCAA Tournament. He earned SEC All-Tournament Team honors as a senior after averaging 9.9 points and 3.4 assists. Boynton graduated with a degree in African-American Studies.
As he begins his tenure as Michigan’s head coach, Boynton will look to build upon the championship foundation established over the past two seasons. With a commitment to developing elite talent, competing for Big Ten and national championships, and preparing student-athletes for success in basketball and in life, Boynton will guide the Wolverines into the next chapter of one of college basketball’s most storied programs.
