Michigan
Michigan softball raises more than $100k for breast cancer
Biggest takeaway from Dusty May’s first year with Michigan basketball
Tony and Andrew talk the unexpectedly successful first year of the Dusty May era for U-M hoops and how the coach is already gearing up for next year
As it turns out, Dusty May has a little pop in his bat.
The Michigan basketball coach spent his April 24 evening on Alumni Field at Carol Hutchins Stadium, participating as the celebrity in a home run derby. It was the 16th annual partnership between Michigan Softball Academy and the Michigan softball team, with proceeds from the event going to raise money toward fighting breast cancer. As of earlier this week, the charity work had raised more than $100,000 for the American Cancer Society.
Former Michigan softball coach Carol Hutchins came up with the idea in 2010, and it is something that she and current coach Bonnie Tholl have continued since.
The event began at 5 p.m. with members of the U-M softball squad leading preregistered participants, some of whom were breast cancer survivors themselves, through various drills and stations. After two hours of that, the derby began with a few select individuals — including May.
The coach attempted to downplay expectations — uttering a “don’t judge me” before he stepped to the plate — then belted a deep home run to the pull side, high off the wall behind the left field fence on his fourth swing. That was his big hit, though, with the rest resembling line drives.
“It was great to be a part of,” May said afterward.
Over the years, this fundraiser has generated more than $2 million for the American Cancer Society, according to Hutchins, who got the idea for it from former U-M football coach Lloyd Carr’s women’s football academy decades ago. If football could work, so could softball, Hutchins thought, so she contacted the ACS.
“I never thought it would be going for 16 years though or raise $2 million,” Hutchins said. “From what I understand, there’s no other college team that’s raised this type of money for the American Cancer Society.”
This year’s event is well over $100,000 through sponsorships alone. And it’s still going, with a silent auction for several Michigan-related items remaining open through April 28 — the final home U-M softball game of the regular season.
Some of the items in the silent auction:
| A Detroit Tigers on-field game experience. |
| A Megan Rapinoe autographed jersey. |
| Two tickets to see Zach Bryan at Michigan Stadium on Sept. 27. |
| A round of pickleball with Tholl. |
| Michigan football tickets and access to the football alumni tailgate this fall. |
Other notable U-M dignitaries were on hand as well, including College Basketball Hall of Fame coach John Beilein and Jill Martin of NBC’s “Today Show.”
“Yeah, it’s special,” Hutchins said. “It’s developed into a life of its own. It’s special to the community, so many season-ticket holders, our fanbase looks forward to it every year. … It means a lot that they donate their time.
“That’s the thing about Michigan, we have tremendous people who support us and we need to support them back.”
Tony Garcia is the Michigan Wolverines beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at apgarcia@freepress.com and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
Michigan
Michigan Football S Jordan Young enters transfer portal
Announced on Tuesday evening, Michigan true freshman safety Jordan Young has entered the transfer portal.
A former four-star prospect from Monroe, North Carolina, Young flipped his commitment at the last moment from Clemson to Michigan in the 2025 class. He played in nine games this season for the Wolverines and had 15 tackles and three pass breakups, with all three pass breakups coming in the final four games of the season.
We wish Young the very best at his next college football program.
Michigan
Tom Izzo angry at former Michigan State star for courtside ejection
EAST LANSING – Michigan State was rolling to a win against USC when there was a stoppage in play with six minutes remaining in the second half on Monday night.
It had nothing to do with what was happening on the court at the Breslin Center.
Referee Jeffrey Anderson blew his whistle to eject a fan sitting a few rows off the floor. The individual booted happened to be Paul Davis, who starred at center for the Spartans from 2002-06.
“He kind of got after the official and he was 150 percent wrong,” Izzo said of Davis after the No. 12 Spartans (13-2, 3-1 Big Ten) won 80-51 against the Trojans on Monday, “and for a guy like me to 150 percent agree with the official, it’s almost illegal.”
Michigan State fans were upset about a foul call on the other end of the floor when Davis stood up and said something Anderson immediately objected to. That led to a hook.
Despite being tossed, Davis attempted to stay in his seat while taking a drink from an alcoholic beverage container. Anderson didn’t let it slide and provided an explanation to Izzo, who was less than thrilled and yelled across the court questioning what his former player was doing.
Davis finally stood up after being told to leave by associate athletic director Seth Kesler but took his time and brushed two hands against his chest. That prompted Izzo to scream, appearing to tell his former center to “get outta here.” Davis was walked up the stairs and watched the rest of the game from a concourse box.
“I love Paul Davis, I really do, he’s one of my favorite guys … but what he said he should never say anywhere in the world and that ticked me off,” Izzo said. “Just because it’s 25, 20 years later, I’m going to have to call him tomorrow and tell him what I thought of it. You know what he’ll say, ‘I screwed up, coach, I’m sorry.’”
Izzo claimed he was told what Davis said was nothing racial or sexual in nature but it was obviously enough to get the boot.
“It was just the wrong thing to say,” Izzo said, “and I’ll leave it at that.”
Davis ranks 10th on Michigan State’s career scoring list with 1,718 points, was a second-round NBA pick by the Clippers and spent four years in the league. Izzo praised the work Davis does with current players but the Hall of Fame coach in his 31st season leading the Spartans has never been ejected from a game.
“He made a mistake but he’s been really good with our players too,” Izzo said of Davis. “In the summer he comes up and helps work a guy out or he’s just around. Jud Heathcote used to always tell me sooner or later the game makes fools of us all. Once in a while, the game makes fools of our fans and definitely it’s made a fool of me more than a couple times.”
Michigan
Former Michigan star RB promoted to Eastern Michigan assistant head coach
Former Michigan running back and assistant coach Mike Hart is getting a promotion on Chris Creighton’s staff at Eastern Michigan.
The school announced Monday that Hart is being elevated to assistant head coach and will oversee the receivers in 2026. Michigan’s all-time leading rusher spent last season as an offensive analyst for the Eagles.
“Coach Hart is a winner,” Creighton said in a news release. “He has the ‘It’ factor. He selflessly helped us this year as an offensive analyst and made a positive impact. We know that he will be a major addition as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach.”
Hart has 14 years of college coaching experience, including a three-year stint as Michigan’s running backs coach from 2021-23. He served as interim head coach for one game during the Wolverines’ 2023 national championship season when Jim Harbaugh was suspended.
Under Hart, Michigan’s running backs thrived. Blake Corum rushed for 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons and was a third-round pick by the Rams in 2024. The Wolverines won the Big Ten all three years Hart was on staff, but they did not renew his contract after the 2023 campaign.
The 39-year-old began his coaching career at EMU in 2011 and also has had stints at Western Michigan (2014-15), Syracuse (2016) and Indiana (2017-2020).
As a player at Michigan, Hart was a two-time Doak Walker Award finalist and finished fifth in the 2006 Heisman Trophy voting. Last season, EMU finished 4-8 but was No. 2 in the Mid-American Conference in passing yards per game.
“I am excited to be a part of Eastern Michigan football,” Hart said in a release. “Coach Creighton is one of the best leaders of men I have ever been around, and I look forward to learning and being a part of his program. EMU football and the Ypsilanti community have always held a special place in my heart, and I am excited to help the team reach our goals for the 2026 season.”
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