Coming in at #8 on FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams: the Michigan Wolverines. From the legendary “Fab Five” in the early ‘90s to the modern Michigan team, Wolverines basketball has always been about team cohesion and success. The strength of the team, however, cannot exist without the strength of the fans, who are unwavering in their support of the Wolverines. To repay their support, Michigan has grown into a yearly juggernaut, made evident by numerous Big Ten and NCAA Tournament wins. Strong finishes across all categories earned the Wolverines the #8 spot among FanWide’s Top 10 College Basketball Teams.
Visit FanWide.com to find a Michigan Wolverines game watch party or fan club near you.
Teams were evaluated in 8 different categories (visit this blog post to see the methodology):
Category | Count | NCAA Basketball Rank |
Fan Clubs (FanWide) | 66 | 4 |
National Championships (All time) | 1 | 13 |
NCAA Tournament Wins (Last 10 years) | 19 | 7 |
Regular Season Wins (Last 10 years) | 247 | 16 |
NBA Lottery Picks (Last 10 years) | 2 | 14 |
Attendance (2018) | 10,871 | 27 |
Coach Tenure (Years) | 12 | 11 |
Aggregate Social Media Followers (Thousands) | 902.3 | 5 |
Top 10 So Far:
8. Michigan Wolverines
Fan Clubs: 92 (4th)
The Wolverines have 92 fan clubs (the third most of any college basketball team) listed on their alumni website or with FanWide, the world’s largest fan club network, with locations scattered across the country. If you want to start your own Michigan fan club in your city, contact FanWide today!
National Championships: 1 (13th)
The last Michigan title came in 1989, just before the dawn of the Fab Five era. The Wolverines have reached the title game multiple times since then, losing to Louisville in 2013 and Villanova in 2018. Given their consistently strong talent base and elite coaching staff, Michigan seems poised to take home another National Championship soon.
Recent NCAA Tournament Wins: 19 (7th)
Michigan has had a strong recent tournament track record, reaching the tournament in 8 of the past 10 years. They have played consistently well in the tournament, winning the 7th most games of any team over the past 10 years, highlighted by two National Championship appearances.
Recent Regular Season Wins: 247 (16th)
Even in the loaded Big Ten conference, the Wolverines are a regular season threat every year, finishing with a winning percentage of .500 or better each of the last 9 years. For this reason, they are always primed to make noise in the Big Ten tournament and earn a strong seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Recent NBA Lottery Picks: 2 (14th)
Two Wolverines have been lottery selections in past years: shooting guard Nik Stauskas, who was taken 8th overall by the Sacramento Kings in 2014, and point guard Trey Burke, who was taken 9th overall by the Utah Jazz in 2013. Both were key players for Michigan, each winning the Big Ten Player of the Year award in their respective final seasons.
Attendance in 2018: 10,871 (27th)
Michigan fans and students are a consistent presence at all games. Their overall attendance numbers are limited by the Crisler Center capacity of 12,707. Still, every Michigan home game is filled with passionate and intense Wolverines fans.
Coach Tenure: 12 years (11th)
Though coach John Beilein has agreed to become head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, the program will continue to benefit from his influence, as many of his recruits and staff remain in Ann Arbor. Given his instrumental role in building the team’s recent success and current popularity, FanWide decided to include his contributions to Michigan Basketball and count his tenure. Over his 12 years in Ann Arbor, John Beilein molded Michigan basketball into one of the nation’s premier programs. During his time in Ann Arbor, Beilein has led the Wolverines to 9 NCAA Tournaments, two National Championship appearances, two Big Ten regular season titles, and two Big Ten tournament titles.
Aggregate Social Media Followers: 902,300 (5th)
The Wolverines have a strong social media presence, finishing 5th in the category with over 900,000 followers across the three main platforms (481k Facebook likes, 311k Twitter followers, 112k Instagram followers). All three of these accounts are excellent sources of news, highlights, and other content for Wolverines fans.
Led by top 10 finishes in three categories and strong finishes all-around, the Wolverines were able to capture the #8 spot on our list. No matter where you live or travel, you can find other Michigan Wolverine fan clubs near you through FanWide, the world’s largest fan club network.
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