ANN ARBOR, Mich. – A day after the University of Michigan men’s basketball team captured the national championship, fans flooded Crisler Center to welcome the Michigan Wolverines home and celebrate a long-awaited NCAA Tournament national title.
Hundreds gathered outside Crisler Arena, cheering as the team returned to campus following its championship victory.
The scene was filled with maize and blue, as fans of all ages came together to congratulate the new champions.
The celebration extended beyond the arena and into local businesses, where demand for championship merchandise surged.
At Rally House in Ann Arbor, employees worked late into the night to stock shelves as soon as the game ended.
“We were trying to wait for the clock to hit zero; it was like Christmas,” said Dearron Haygood, describing the rush to get merchandise out. “As soon as it did, we busted open the boxes and put the product out.”
Fans quickly lined up to get their hands on commemorative gear, eager to mark the moment.
Gabriella Ring, a Michigan fan shopping at the store, said she wanted more ways to remember the championship.
Others reflected on the significance of the win.
Jim Diana, who said he attended Michigan’s last national championship in 1989, called the latest title a special moment decades in the making.
Inside Crisler Center, players expressed their appreciation to the fans who supported them throughout the season.
Guard Nimari Burnett thanked the crowd, saying their support made his time with the program meaningful.
“Y’all made my time so special,” Burnett said. “I’m so grateful for you guys. We did it.”
The celebration will continue Saturday (April 11) with an official championship event in Ann Arbor.
A parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. at the President’s House and travel down State Street to Yost Ice Arena.
Festivities will then move to Crisler Center for a ticketed event beginning at 1 p.m. Student tickets start at $20, with general seating also available.
Tickets can be purchased through the university’s athletics website.
City officials are expecting large crowds as fans continue to celebrate Michigan’s return to the top of college basketball.