Illinois hires former Michigan strength coach Jon Sanderson as sports performance consultant

Illinois has hired former Michigan strength coach Jon Sanderson to its staff, the program announced. He will serve as a sports performance consultant.

“Excited to have Jon Sanderson assisting our program as sports performance consultant,” Illinois said in the announcement. “We will utilize Jon’s industry expertise – which includes three Final Fours and developing 30 NBA players during his career – through conversations and meetings with our current staff to create a first in class performance development program.”

Sanderson joined Michigan’s staff in 2009 under former coach John Beilein and spent 15 years with the Wolverines before resigning earlier this month. He left the program in December following an altercation with current head coach Juwan Howard, and The Athletic reported part of Sanderson’s settlement with the university included a non-disclosure clause.

“Jon Sanderson has resigned his position with the University of Michigan Athletic Department, effective March 1,” the university said in a statement to The Athletic. “We appreciate Jon’s contributions over the years and wish him the best going forward.”

More on the situation involving Jon Sanderson, Juwan Howard

Howard and Sanderson reportedly got into a confrontation in December. At the time, Howard was still working his way back from a heart procedure and was not on the sidelines for Michigan. Sanderson said Howard’s son, Jace, was “berating” a trainer that caused a “scene,” The Athletic reported.

The situation later went under review, Brendan Quinn reported.

“According to a university official with direct knowledge of the matter, Howard’s status as Michigan head men’s basketball coach is unchanged,” Quinn wrote. “A confrontation between Howard and longtime U-M strength and conditioning coach Jon Sanderson in a team practice late last week is being explored and going through a university process.

“It is university procedure for such a review to be conducted outside of the athletic department. Multiple sources say claims of punches being thrown in the aforementioned altercation are inaccurate.”

Sanderson didn’t travel with Michigan for its game against Iowa, but was still with the program, according to Quinn.

“Sanderson did not travel to Iowa with the team for Michigan’s game at Iowa today,” Quinn wrote. “He did not return a call for comment. According to a university source, Sanderson currently remains part of the program. Worth noting: Howard remains under a zero-tolerance policy instituted by U-M after striking a Wisconsin assistant coach in February 2022.”

Michigan’s season came to an end Wednesday night in the Big Ten Tournament with a loss to Penn State. The Wolverines finished with an 8-24 record, including a 3-17 record in conference play and a nine-game losing streak to round things out.

Nick Kosko contributed to this report.