Central Michigan places basketball coach Andy Bronkema on leave
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Central Michigan placed head men's basketball coach Andy Bronkema on leave without giving a reason.
Associate head coach Raymoan McAfee takes over as interim, with no timeline set.
Background
Andy Bronkema, 42, is Central Michigan's head men's basketball coach, a 20-year coaching veteran who spent 12 seasons at Ferris State, where he won a Division II national championship. He was in his second season at CMU after going 10-21 in his first, and the team was picked to finish last in the Mid-American Conference in a preseason poll. The school announced the leave on Nov. 5, 2026, the same day it named associate head coach Raymoan McAfee interim head coach.
How it unfolded
- Apr 15, 2025Andy Bronkema became Central Michigan's head men's basketball coach, and Raymoan McAfee joined the program as associate head coach.
- Nov 2, 2026Central Michigan opened the season with an 83-78 comeback victory at Louisiana-Monroe.
- Nov 5, 2026The school announced Bronkema had been placed on leave, releasing no further details.
- Nov 5, 2026Athletic director Amy Folan named McAfee interim head coach beginning that day, without saying how long he would serve.
- Nov 6, 2026Central Michigan was set to host Alma at McGuirk Arena at 7 p.m.
Key terms
- Mid-American Conference
- A collegiate athletic conference in the Great Lakes region whose members compete in NCAA Division I.
- Division II
- The intermediate-level division of competition in the NCAA, between Division I and Division III.
- interim head coach
- A person temporarily appointed to a senior leadership role for a defined period during transition, crisis, or change.
Source: Wikipedia
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Athletic director Amy Folan said McAfee has built strong relationships with student-athletes and that she has full confidence the team is in good hands under his leadership.
Still unverified
The school gave no reason for placing Bronkema on leave, and did not say how long McAfee would serve as interim head coach. Bronkema did not immediately return a call from The Detroit News seeking comment.