Michigan made history on Tuesday when it announced the hiring of Milan Bolden-Morris as a graduate assistant on coach Jim Harbaugh's football staff. Bolden-Morris, a former Georgetown basketball player who goes by Mimi, will work with the Wolverines' quarterbacks as the first female member of a Power Five football staff in history.
"The opportunity to be the first female GA in the Power 5, especially the Big Ten, is an absolute honor," said Bolden-Morris in a statement released by Michigan. "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."
Bolden-Morris will join the program on June 1 after she completes her master's degree in sports management at Georgetown.
"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," Harbaugh said. "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 understands that her new role at Michigan can open doors for other women looking to get into the football coaching realm.
"Having the ability to work in such a prestigious and winning environment will mold me to create other opportunities for women who are seeking a similar career path," she said. "I may be the first woman to do this, at this level, but I know my purpose is greater and that I can use this blessing to assist others."
A star guard on the Hoyas this year, Bolden-Morris averaged a team-high 12.6 points per game. She joined the program in January 2021 after playing three seasons at Boston College.
Part of her attraction to football stems from the similarities that she sees between guards on the basketball court and the responsibilities of quarterbacks on the gridiron.
"Coming from the basketball world, guards and quarterbacks are one in the same," she said. "Both have the ability to make decisions under duress, read defenses, take care of the ball, and execute with precision and accuracy."
Bolden-Morris is the sister of Michigan senior defensive end Mike Morris, who had 16 tackles (one for loss) during the Wolverines' run to the College Football Playoff in 2021.
