The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1544538
12 THE WOLVERINE ❱ MAY 2026 ❱ INSIDE MICHIGAN ATHLETICS U-M PRESIDENT UPDATE University of Michigan president-elect Kent Syverud was set to begin his time as the school's 16th president soon, but that will no longer happen. Both Michigan and Syverud released state- ments on April 15 stating that a brain cancer diagnosis will prevent him from taking on the role, and that the search for the school's next president is again underway. Domenico Grasso will continue to hold the interim position while a new search is engaged. "Our first priority is helping Kent and his fam- ily address this challenge," Regent chair Mark Bernstein said in a video statement. "And we will do so with every resource we have. Kent will serve as a Professor of Law at our Law School and a special advisor to the board — because we want him to have every opportu- nity to serve our university, even under these difficult circumstances." Syverud also issued a statement, saying, "I am currently undergoing treatment at the University of Michigan. As I shared with the community back in January, I have a deep and personal affiliation with Michigan Medicine. I am where I need to be and I am in excellent hands. I am deeply grateful to the outstanding teams at University of Michigan Medicine and Crouse Hospital and for their extraordinary care. I also want to thank the Michigan Board of Regents and Syracuse University Board of Trustees for the support and compassion they have extended to me and my family. "I also find myself reflecting on what this moment has made so vivid to me: the extraor- dinary gift of great research universities. These institutions, places like Syracuse, like Michigan, exist not only to educate and to discover, but to translate that discovery into care for people when they need it most. I am fortunate, in ways I do not take lightly, to be receiving treat- ment at one of the finest academic medical centers in the world. That is what research universities make possible. I have spent my career believing in that mission deeply, and I believe in it more than ever now." U-M TITLE RUN MAKES IT MOST-WATCHED TEAM The national champions stand on college basketball's mountaintop, and plenty of peo- ple had their eyeballs on one of the greatest runs in the history of the sport. Nielsen released data for the top five men's college basketball teams watched by fans this year, and Michigan led the list with an average of 3.353 million viewers, ahead of Duke (2.965 million), UConn (2.842 million), Purdue (2.554 million) and Illinois (2.377 million). The numbers were based on linear televi- sion viewers from Nov. 1 to April 6 and in- cluded the NCAA Tournament. TV networks included in the compilation were ABC, CBS, CNBC, CW, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FS1, FS2, ION, NBC, truTV, TNT and USA. Michigan's 69- 63 win over UConn averaged 18.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched NCAA Tournament final since the 2019 season. It peaked at 20.4 million viewers and was broadcast on TBS, TNT, truTV and HBO Max. Its Final Four win over Arizona also had plenty of views with 14.2 million people tun- ing in, while the Fab Five alternate broadcast was the most-watched alt-cast on TNT in eight years. SHERRONE MOORE SENTENCED TO 18 MONTHS' PROBATION Former football head coach Sherrone Moore was sentenced April 14 in the post-firing saga that saw him break into the home of a former staffer after being dismissed for an inappropri- ate relationship. Judge J. Cedric Simpson of the 14A-1 District Court in Ann Arbor sentenced Moore – who was charged with third-degree home inva- sion, stalking, and breaking and entering or entering without breaking – to 18 months of probation, avoiding jail time as punishment. He is not allowed to use alcohol or recreational marijuana, nor possess any weapons. Moore will also need to continue mental health treatment and is not allowed to have any contact – direct or indirect – with Paige Shiver, the staffer at the center of the inap- propriate relationship. If he follows the terms of his probation, he will not serve any jail time. Moore will also pay court fines that total more than $1,000. The disgraced former Michigan coach agreed to a deal on March 6 that saw him plead no contest to two new misdemeanor charges in exchange for a previous felony count and two separate misdemeanors being dropped. Moore, who was fired on Dec. 10, 2025, after U-M was provided evidence of an inap- propriate relationship with a staffer, agreed to plead no contest to malicious use of a tele- communications device and one count of tres- pass. The felony count of third-degree home invasion was dismissed as part of the deal. MAIZE AND BLUE NOTEBOOK BY ANTHONY BROOME University of Michigan president-elect Kent Syverud was recently diagnosed with brain cancer and his treatment will prevent him from serving in that role. PHOTO COURTESY MICHIGAN PHOTOGRAPHY