Dusty May’s journey has come full circle.
Three years after he led Florida Atlantic on a Cinderella run to the national semifinals, May is returning to the Final Four — now as the head coach at Michigan.
A familiar stage, a new program
May first reached the Final Four by steering FAU to an unexpected breakthrough that captured national attention. That run established him as one of the sport’s rising coaching names and marked a defining moment for the program.
Now, he’s back in the same round with Michigan, bringing him to the national semifinals again — this time with a different roster, different colors, and a different set of expectations that come with leading a storied Big Ten program.
Full-circle moment
May described the return as the kind of experience that makes a team want “to pinch ourselves,” underscoring how rare and meaningful a Final Four appearance can be, even for those who have been there before.
For May, the latest trip reinforces the arc of his coaching career: from guiding an underdog into the spotlight to reaching the sport’s final weekend again at one of college basketball’s most prominent schools.