The Michigan Wolverines baseball team continues their search for their next head coach following the departure of Erik Bakich, who departed the program earlier this month and was soon announced as the new coach at Clemson, returning to a program where he served as a volunteer assistant in 2002.
The 19th coach in team history, Bakich had just completed his 10th year with the Wolverines this season, leading the team to Regional Final before ultimately falling to Louisville. And according to Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel, he’d like to get a new coach to Ann Arbor swiftly.
“I’d like to get it done as soon as I can,” Manuel said. “It could be a week or two weeks. I don’t anticipate two months, or a month, actually.”
There was thought that the Wolverines might stay local in their search, as current Detroit Tigers pitching coach Chris Fetter was floated as a potential candidate. However, Fetter won’t be returning to Ann Arbor, withdrawing his name from consideration for the position.
Another candidate being considered for the job was Connecticut coach Jim Penders, who also withdrew his candidacy.
“I’m not thirty-one anymore, but I still owe UConn, and I renew my pledge today,” Penders said in a statement.
Michigan is reportedly interested in Virginia’s Kevin McMullan
Currently, the search for Michigan’s new head coach continues. And according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi, one candidate that Michigan is considering is Kevin McMullan, associate head coach at Virginia:
Michigan showing interest in Kevin McMullan, associate head coach at Virginia, in search for new head baseball coach. McMullan has been regarded for many years as one of the top NCAA assistant coaches; Ryan Zimmerman and Sean Doolittle are among those he's coached at UVA.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 28, 2022