University of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel to step down after culture review
Warde Manuel, the athletic director at the University of Michigan, will leave that role in about six months.
U-M President Domenico Grasso announced the move on Monday, saying that Manuel told the president he would like to step down. This comes as a third-party investigation into the athletic department wraps up.
"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," Grasso said.
A national search will start for the next athletic director.
"Accountability extends beyond the athletic department," Grasso said. "The president and the Board of Regents are responsible for upholding the highest standards across the university. The culture assessment is sobering."
Manuel had addressed a round of reports about his potential exit from the university just last week, saying he had had conversations about a potential buyout.
The Wolverines have seen athletic success in recent years, including the 2026 men's basketball national titles and NCAA titles in other sports.
But the athletic department also saw a series of scandals, including criminal charges filed against former head football coach Sherrone Moore. As that situation went through the court system, the University of Michigan hired a firm to lead an investigation into the circumstances surrounding Moore's conduct, along with "an independent review into the culture, conduct, and procedures within the Department of Athletics."
While details of the report are not being made public, the culture review called for improvement in leadership accountability, organizational structure and reporting culture.
"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," the university said.
Manuel played football and ran track during his college years at Michigan, and was hired in 2016 to lead the athletic department.
Manuel had about four years left on his contract.
After the announcement, Manuel provided the following statement:
"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."
