Recapping Michigan Wolverine’s National Championship Winning Season

In Dusty May's second season with the program, he led the Wolverines to a jaw-dropping 19-1 conference record, the best record in BIG 10 history, and 37-3 overall. It was the BIG 10's first national championship since rival Michigan State won it in 2000.

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They did it all in dominant fashion, carrying their success into the postseason. After a disappointing loss in the BIG 10 tournament championship, the #1 seed Wolverines went into the March Madness tournament and scored over 90 points in 5 of their 6 tournament games, culminating in a 69-63 win against the #2 seed UConn Huskies.

From the very start of the season, this team made headlines after decimating top-tier programs with double-digit wins, including a three-game stretch of two 30-point wins and one 40-point win, two of those wins over ranked opponents. Let's take a look at how the Wolverines pulled off this incredible season.

Michigan Wolverines, 2025-26 BIG 10 Champions

For much of the season, the Wolverines made it look easy. They went undefeated on the road and claimed the BIG 10 title by four games. At one point, their gameplay was so outstanding that their efficiency broke KemPom records. What does that mean? It means they were kickin some serious a**.

The Key to the Wolverine's Success

The key to the Wolverines' success this season can be credited to their success in the transfer portal. They had the #1 transfer class going into the season, with four of their five starters coming from different teams. They are the first team in NCAA history to win a championship with all starters being transfers (a trend that is likely to continue in this new age of the NCAA).

READ MORE: Why Michigan Has No Mascot Despite Being The 'Wolverines'

Yaxel Lendeborg, a transfer from UAB, made the All-American team and was named BIG 10 Player of the Year. His ability to play all positions effectively shone in many of their biggest games of the season. He played through an MCL sprain he sustained in the Final Four against Arizona and a lingering ankle injury from the BIG 10 tournament, yet still made an impact in the National Championship game.

But that doesn't discredit the contributions of fellow big men Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois) and Aday Mara (UCLA), who flourished in new roles. Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina) and L.J. Cason split point guard duties for most of the season, with Cadeau carrying the load after Cason went down with a season ending injury. Plus, a strong freshman year for Trey McKenney. This team is selfless, and that has played a huge role in its success.

Dusty May took the momentum from the end of last season and showed what this program is capable of under him. Here's a full recap of their successful season.