Photo Credit: On3

By TESN Staff

The University of Michigan will soon begin a new chapter in its athletic department.

Athletic director Warde Manuel announced Monday that he will step down at the end of the 2026 calendar year, ending an 11-year run that featured championship success but also increasing scrutiny over the department's leadership. Manuel will remain in his role through December while assisting University President Domenico Grasso with implementing recommendations from an independent review of the athletic department.

A former Michigan football player and team captain, Manuel returned to Ann Arbor in 2016 after serving as athletic director at Buffalo and UConn. During his tenure, the Wolverines captured national championships in football, men's basketball, men's gymnastics and women's gymnastics while remaining one of the nation's premier athletic programs.

The announcement follows the completion of an independent culture review conducted by the law firm Jenner & Block. While the review praised Manuel's commitment to student-athletes, it concluded that weaknesses in accountability, oversight and reporting contributed to an environment where allegations of employee misconduct were not always addressed promptly or consistently.

In a statement, Manuel said he is proud of what Michigan Athletics accomplished during his time as athletic director and expressed appreciation for the coaches, staff and student-athletes he worked alongside. He also said he looks forward to helping the university implement the review's recommendations before his departure.

Michigan has already launched a national search for its next athletic director. The position will be one of the most prominent in college athletics, overseeing one of the country's most successful and visible athletic departments as it navigates an evolving era of college sports.