March 15 (UPI) — The University of Michigan has hired Milan Bolden-Morris as the first woman to be a graduate assistant coach at a Power 5 college football program, the school announced Tuesday.
Bolden-Morris, who recently completed her basketball career at Georgetown, will start working with Michigan’s quarterbacks June 1. She is the sister of Wolverines senior defensive end Mike Morris.
“I have always believed in providing opportunities for individuals who are passionate about football and ‘Mimi’ is someone who has shown that drive to become a football coach,” Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said in a statement. “‘Mimi’ reached out and expressed an interest in our graduate assistant positions when we had multiple openings this spring.
“We had some great conversations and I came away extremely impressed with her desire and ideas for coaching, and for making us better as a team. ‘Mimi’ is a very bright, intelligent and competitive young woman who will be a great addition to our program and offensive coaching staff.
“We look forward to having ‘Mimi’ transition into this role working with our quarterbacks. We can’t wait to see the new perspective she brings to our team.”
Bolden-Morris will earn her master’s degree in sports management in May, and she is considering Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy or the School of Social Work for her graduate studies.
She transferred from Boston College to Georgetown as a graduate student midway through the 2020-21 campaign and was a starting guard for the Hoyas this past season.
Bolden-Morris started all 29 games for the Hoyas this season, averaging a team-best 35 minutes. She topped the team in scoring with 12.6 points per game.
“The opportunity to be the first female GA in the Power 5, especially the Big Ten, is an absolute honor,” Bolden-Morris, a Florida native, said. “It speaks volumes to the efforts that Coach Harbaugh has made to create an environment of inclusion. These opportunities have been an anomaly for a Black woman until recently.
“Growing up watching my dad coach my brother, it has always been my dream to be a part of a football team in some form, so this opportunity is allowing me to live out a dream of mine, especially working with quarterbacks.”
