Michigan Wins First National Title Since 1989

Wolverines overcome shooting struggles to defeat UConn in championship game

Apr. 7, 2026 at 11:23am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the Michigan Wolverines' national championship victory, with overlapping planes of bright maize and navy blue representing the team's collective effort and determination.Michigan's national title triumph showcases the power of team-first basketball and the ability to overcome adversity through a selfless, talented roster.Ypsilanti Today

The Michigan Wolverines captured their first national championship since 1989 with a hard-fought victory over the UConn Huskies on Monday night. Despite struggling with their shooting, the Wolverines leaned on their defense and physicality to grind out the win and cut down the nets.

Why it matters

Michigan's championship victory marks a triumphant return to the top of college basketball for the storied program. After coming up short in last year's tournament, the Wolverines reloaded with a talented roster and bought into head coach Dusty May's team-first philosophy to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

The details

The Wolverines overcame an uncharacteristically poor shooting performance, making just 2 three-pointers the entire game. However, they compensated with a dominant defensive effort, forcing turnovers and controlling the glass to neutralize UConn's size advantage. Transfers Yaxel Lendeborg and Elliot Cadeau played key roles, with Cadeau earning Most Outstanding Player honors despite his own shooting struggles.

  • Michigan won its first national title since 1989.

The players

Dusty May

Michigan's head coach who led the team to the national championship in his second season.

Yaxel Lendeborg

Michigan transfer who overcame an injury to contribute to the Wolverines' title run.

Elliot Cadeau

Michigan transfer who was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament after the championship game.

Trey McKenney

Michigan player who praised the team's selflessness and sacrifice in achieving the national title.

L.J. Cason

Michigan player who was sidelined by injury but remained engaged as an assistant coach on the sidelines.

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What they’re saying

“What a way to wrap up the '25-' 26 college basketball season with this group. I want to begin by thanking last year's team at Michigan. We came up a little bit short, but those guys laid the foundation, established an identity for us, and also helped attract these guys to come in and chase this dream together.”

— Dusty May, Head Coach, Michigan

“We constantly just been finding ways to win all year, no matter how everybody is playing.”

— Elliot Cadeau, Player, Michigan

“He was basically saying I'm one of the reasons why we're here, one of the biggest reasons we got to this moment. Nobody is going to downplay me, what I've done this year, because of one bad game.”

— Yaxel Lendeborg, Player, Michigan

“I'm just so proud of myself, where I came from. Last year I was really down on myself, a lot of people doubted me, and I'm just so proud of myself for me to be able to say I was the most outstanding player and win a National Championship at the same time.”

— Elliot Cadeau, Player, Michigan

“I think just the way throughout the season everybody on this team is extremely talented, and for us to be able to sacrifice something for ourselves, a lot of us could be somewhere else doing more than what we've done this season, but I think it just shows that this team is super selfless.”

— Trey McKenney, Player, Michigan

What’s next

The Michigan Wolverines will now turn their attention to the NBA Draft, where several players are expected to declare and test their professional prospects.

The takeaway

Michigan's national championship victory exemplifies the power of team-first basketball and the ability of a talented, selfless roster to overcome adversity and reach the pinnacle of the sport. The Wolverines' triumph will be celebrated as a defining moment in the program's storied history.