Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel proud of school-record 13 conference championships, 'amazing' success in 2021-22

The University of Michigan‘s athletic department won 13 conference championships during the 2021-22 year, shattering the school record that was previously 11. Athletic director Warde Manuel joined host Jon Jansen on the Conqu’ring Heroes podcast to discuss the stellar year for the Wolverines.

Michigan won conference titles in: Women’s soccer, football, women’s gymnastics (regular season and meet), hockey, wrestling, men’s gymnastics (regular season and meet), women’s golf, water polo, women’s tennis, men’s tennis and baseball.

“I would use the term, ‘amazing,'” Manuel said. “With everything that we have gone through, and everything your listeners have gone through, for the last couple of years, to see us return to normal activity, for the most part, and to see how hard the men and women — our coaches and staff — have worked throughout, it’s almost like coming out of a tunnel and you’re ready to roll; coming out of the chute as an offensive or defensive linemen, ready to make the tackle or ready to make the hit. It’s just been amazing. That’s what I continue to tell people. 

“Thirteen conference championships, 12 in the Big Ten and one in water polo [CWPA]. To be capped off with 13th in baseball after them persevering the way they did in the regular season, to win the season against Rutgers, to even get into the Big Ten Tournament, then to do what they did to beat the top four teams, just epitomized the year that we had.”

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Each Michigan title team had a different set of circumstances, but all 11 were able to battle through.

“Some teams had to persevere like baseball,” Manuel continued. “Some teams had to endure a tough loss on the road like we did in football and then have a tremendous win [over Ohio State] at home to end the season. Those things along the way, every step along the way, the word that continues to come in my mind for a while now has been ‘amazing.’”

Manuel has seen great success throughout his tenure, which began in January of 2016, but he deflects much of the credit to his coaches and players.

“Here’s the thing that our fans know or should know — I am very competitive and want our teams to be successful. To a coach, to a player when they’re playing, they’re more competitive and demanding of themselves than I can ever be,” the former Michigan football player turned athletic director said. “That’s a good position to be in as an AD. Meaning, I don’t have to build them up and convince them that winning is the right thing to do. If that’s the issue, I need to make a change. They are some of the most competitive individuals.

“Our coaches, our student-athletes [and] our staff are locked in. They want to win for themselves, for the team, for Michigan. That means a lot to me to see that level of effort across the board.

“They’re competitive with each other. Those coaches want to win so when we have our head coaches meeting, they want to be one of the 13 I talk about when we have that meeting. They are very competitive individuals, and I love them. They care deeply about our student athletes across the board.

“Academically, we’re doing unbelievably well, which makes me even more proud of the athletic success that we’re having. When you pair them together, first and foremost, give credit to our student-athletes for their effort. They have to do the work, they have to do the work on the fields of play, they have to get after it in both. I also give so much credit to our coaches for their recruitment and support of the staff and the academic staff, all the facility staff. Everybody that touches our success, which is virtually everybody in these buildings, I am immensely thankful for their work and their effort.”

This offseason, Manuel was able to ink Jim Harbaugh to a contract extension through the 2026 season after the Michigan head football coach interviewed for an NFL head-coaching job. He also saw head basketball coach Juwan Howard, who signed an extension last November, receive and turn down interest from NBA teams.

The 54-year-old’s next challenge, perhaps, is keeping head baseball coach Erik Bakich, who’s reportedly a candidate for the Clemson job. He’s also currently navigating a situation with head man Mel Pearson and the hockey program, which has been under investigation. Pearson’s contract has expired but he’s remained in his job for the time being.