Michigan State's Suzy Merchant steps down as women's head basketball coach after 16 seasons

East Lansing, Mich. – After 16 seasons as head coach of the Michigan State women’s basketball team, Suzy Merchant announced that she will be stepping down, effective immediately. Merchant and Michigan State Vice President and Athletic Director Alan Haller announced their mutual decision in a statement released Monday evening. 

Merchant, who began coaching at Michigan State in 2007, was admitted to a hospital on Jan. 28 following a one-car accident due to a medical incident. She was released from the hospital three days later on Jan. 30 and spent the rest of the season away from the team. 

Merchant experienced a different health scare in 2017, when she collapsed during the fourth quarter of Michigan State’s win over Illinois on New Year’s Day.

Associate head coach Dean Lockwood, who filled in for Merchant during her absence this season, will assume interim head coaching duties while the university conducts a national coaching search. 

“It is with a heavy heart that I announce I am stepping down from Michigan State University due to health reasons,” Merchant said in a statement released Monday evening. “After much consideration and consultation with my healthcare providers, I have come to the difficult decision that it is in my best interest. I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the entire Michigan State community, including the administration, faculty, and staff.

“I have had the privilege of coaching some of the most talented and dedicated young women in the country. The opportunity to mentor, lead, and empower young women has been the honor of a lifetime.  Over my 28 years as a head coach and the last 16 years at MSU, I have been blessed to work with incredible assistant coaches as well as staff members that have shared the love of the game, mentoring young women, and were passionate about the Green and White. I am truly grateful to each of you for your time, energy, and dedication to our program. Much admiration and love to you all.

“And of course it goes without saying to express my heartfelt appreciation to the best fans in the world, the SPARTAN NATION! You have supported our team through thick and thin and your unwavering enthusiasm has been a constant source of motivation and inspiration. Finally, I would like to extend a special appreciation to Mark Hollis and Dr. Lou Anna Simon for giving a small-town kid from Northern Michigan the chance of a lifetime to live my dream as a Spartan. I’m eternally grateful.

“It has been an incredible journey…Thank you, Spartan Nation.”

This season, Michigan State finished with a 16-14 overall record and a 7-10 record in the Big Ten, good for a ninth-place conference finish. Michigan State declined the opportunity to play in the WNIT following the regular season.

Merchant finished her tenure at Michigan State with a record of 327-186. She won two Big Ten regular season titles in 2011 and 2014 and made the NCAA Tournament 10 times, most recently in 2021. 

Merchant earned Big Ten Coach of the Year honors in 2011. She coached three WNBA first-round draft picks in her time at Michigan State (Aerial Powers, Tori Jankoska and Nia Clouden).

Her furthest NCAA Tournament run with the Spartans came in 2009, her second year as head coach. Merchant’s Spartans finished 22-11 (13-5) that season and made the Sweet Sixteen before losing to No. 4-seeded Iowa State, 69-68.

Merchant began her coaching career as an assistant coach at Oakland University. Merchant’s first head coaching job came in 1995, when she was hired by Saginaw Valley State. In 1998, Merchant was hired at Eastern Michigan, where she spent nine years. Merchant made the NCAA Tournament once and the WNIT two times while at Eastern Michigan. 

Merchant ended her coaching career with an overall record of 528-306.

“We are grateful to Coach Suzy Merchant for her contributions to Michigan State women’s basketball and Spartan Athletics over the last 16 seasons,” Haller said. “We appreciate everything Coach Merchant has meant to our community. Her two Big Ten titles and 10 NCAA Tournament appearances provided lasting memories. Beyond the team’s on-court success, she invested considerable time and energy into our local community as a leader and a role model for young people.”