Sources: U-M interviewing Cooley, Juwan Howard
Providence head coach Ed Cooley has emerged as a candidate for the vacant Michigan job, sources told ESPN.
Cooley was expected to interview with Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel on Monday, sources told ESPN. Manuel is also expected to interview Juwan Howard, the Miami Heat assistant and former Michigan star, on Tuesday.
The Wolverines are looking to replace John Beilein, who left last week to become the head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Beilein had been at Michigan since 2007, leading the Wolverines to two national championship game appearances.
Cooley’s connection to Michigan comes through the search firm hired to help the school, Turnkey Sports. Turnkey’s managing director, Gene DeFilippo, was the athletic director at Boston College when Cooley was an assistant under Al Skinner.
Cooley, a lifelong New Englander who was born in Providence, Rhode Island, has been the head coach of the Friars for eight seasons. He led them to five consecutive NCAA tournament appearances from 2014-2018, before finishing 18-16 last season.
Luke Yaklich and Saddi Washington, who were assistants under Beilein, also have been mentioned in connection with the vacancy. Butler coach LaVall Jordan, who was an assistant under Beilein for six years, and Texas‘ Shaka Smart were linked early in the process, but it’s unclear if either name is on the current shortlist.