Warde Manuel facts for kids
Manuel in 2024
|
|
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Athletic director |
| Team | Michigan |
| Conference | Big Ten |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | May 22, 1968 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan (BGS, MSW, MBA) |
| Playing career | |
| 1986–1989 | Michigan |
| Position(s) | Defensive tackle |
| Administrative career (AD unless noted) | |
| 2005–2012 | Buffalo |
| 2012–2016 | Connecticut |
| 2016–present | Michigan |
Warde Joseph Manuel (born May 22, 1968) is an American sports leader. He used to play American football in college. Since January 2016, he has been the Athletic Director at the University of Michigan. This is his old school!
Before working at Michigan, he led sports programs at the University of Connecticut from 2012 to 2016. He also worked at the State University of New York at Buffalo from 2005 to 2012. From 2000 to 2005, he was an associate athletic director at the University of Michigan.
Contents
Early Life and College Days
Warde Manuel played football in high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. He was so good that he was named a high school All-American!
He then went to the University of Michigan. There, he played defensive tackle for the Wolverines from 1986 to 1989. His coach was the famous Bo Schembechler. Sadly, a neck injury ended his playing career.
Manuel studied a lot at the University of Michigan. He earned three different degrees:
- A Bachelor of General Studies in 1990. This degree focused on psychology.
- A Master of Social Work in 1993.
- A Master of Business Administration (MBA) in 2005.
Leading College Sports Programs
Warde Manuel learned a lot about managing sports teams at the University of Michigan. He worked there as an assistant and then associate athletic director. He says that coaches and staff at Michigan helped him become successful. These people include Bo Schembechler, Stephen M. Ross, and Greg Harden.
Making a Difference at Buffalo
When Manuel became the Athletic Director at the University at Buffalo, he made big changes. He hired Turner Gill as the head coach for the football team. Under Coach Gill, the team had its first winning season. They also played in their first ever postseason bowl game since joining NCAA Division I sports.
Manuel also helped change how Buffalo's sports teams were seen. He updated their old "Bull Head" logo to a new, modern bull design. He also increased the money available for sports programs. Within three years, the athletics budget grew from $11 million to $25 million!
Helping Choose Playoff Teams
Since 2022, Warde Manuel has been part of the College Football Playoff selection committee. This group decides which college football teams get to play in the national championship playoffs. For the 2024–25 season, he became the chairman of this committee. This was a big year, as it was the first time the playoff included 12 teams!
