Suzy Merchant

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Suzy Merchant
Sport(s) Basketball
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Michigan State University
Record 89-38
Biographical details
Born 1966
United States Traverse City, Michigan
Playing career
1987-1991 Central Michigan University
Position(s) Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1992-1995
1995-1998
1998-2007
2007-present
2009		 Oakland Univ. (asst.)
Saginaw Valley State
Eastern Michigan
Michigan State University
USA World Championships (asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall 290-158 (.647)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Mid-American Conference West Division
Medal record
Women’s Basketball
Assistant Coach for  United States
World University Games
Gold 2009 Belgrade, Serbia Team Competition

Suzy Merchant (born in Traverse City, MI) is the current head coach for the Michigan State University Women's Basketball team. She is married to Gary Rakan and has a young son, Tyler Rakan.[1]

Coaching career

Merchant owns a 290-158 (.647) career record in 15 years as a head coach at the collegiate level.

Saginaw Valley State

After inheriting a team with a losing record, Merchant quickly built the SVSU program into a winner, compiling a 54-29 record during her three-year tenure as head coach. During her first season, the team earned a 15-11 record before going 19-11 in the following year. The latter achievement earned the team a berth into the NCAA Division II Tournament for the second time in school history. In her final season, Saginaw Valley State collected a 20-7 record, and was ranked as high as 15th in the nation during the season.[2]

Eastern Michigan

While at EMU, she compiled a record of 147-91 (.618), including three 20-win seasons, three postseason appearances and two Mid-American Conference West Division titles. Merchant's 2003-04 Eastern Michigan team claimed the MAC West Division and MAC Tournament championships for the first time in school history, earning the program's first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament en route to a 22-8 record. However, Eastern Michigan stumbled in the first round against eventual sweet sixteener Boston College.[3] She followed that impressive season by winning 23 games in 2004-05, the most in school history. However, a loss in the MAC Tournament semi-final[4] sent EMU to the WNIT where the Eagles fell in the 1st round to eventual semi-finalist Kentucky 79-68.[2]

In 2005-06, the Eagles reached the 20-win plateau for the third consecutive season and won their second MAC West title with a 15-1 conference record, notching the most league wins in school history. Their 22-8 overall record put them into the postseason for the third straight year as the Eagles earned a bid to the WNIT. EMU's 1st round opponent, Indiana State, defeated the Eagles 79-57. While on maternity leave for most of last season, Merchant's Eagles finished second in the MAC West Division with a 10-6 league record and finished 16-13 overall, losing to Kent State 70-56 in the MAC conference semi-finals.[2][5]

Michigan State

Merchant was named head coach at Michigan State on Monday April 30, 2007.[2] She replaced Joanne P. McCallie who left Michigan State for the same coaching position at Duke University. In her second season, Merchant ousted McCallie's #1 seeded Duke Blue Devils in the 2009 NCAA Division I tournament.[6]

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Saginaw Valley State University (GLIAC) (1995–1998)
1995-1996 SVSU 15-11 9-9 T-7th
1996-1997 SVSU 19–11 10-8 3rd NCAA Div II
1997-1998 SVSU 20-7 12-6 T-3rd
SVSU: 54-29 31-23
Eastern Michigan University (MAC) (1998–2007)
1998–1999 EMU 14-13 8-8 3rd
1999–2000 EMU 16-14 8-8 T-3rd
2000–2001 EMU 16-12 9-7 4th
2001–2002 EMU 18-11 10-6 T-4th
2002–2003 EMU 13-16 9-7 4th
2003–2004 EMU 22-8 12-4 1st NCAA First Round
2004–2005 EMU 23-8 11-5 2nd WNIT
2005–2006 EMU 22-8 15-1 1st WNIT
2006–2007 EMU 3-1*
EMU: 147-91 82-46
Michigan State University (Big Ten) (2007–present)
2007–2008 Michigan State 23-14 10-8 T–5th WNIT Runner-up
2008–2009 Michigan State 22-11 13-5 T-2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2009-2010 Michigan State 23-10 12-6 2nd NCAA Second Round
2010-2011 Michigan State 27-6 13-3 1st NCAA Second Round
2011-2012 Michigan State 20-12 11-5 T-2nd NCAA Second Round
2012-2013 Michigan State 25-9 10-6 3rd NCAA Second Round
Michigan State: 140-62 69-33
Total: 341-172

      National champion         Conference regular season champion         Conference tournament champion
      Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference division champion

  • Missed all but four games of 2006-07 while on maternity leave

Playing career

Merchant played four seasons as a guard at Central Michigan University. She was a four-year starter and a 3 year captain.[7]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/043007aaa.html
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Suzy Merchant Named Spartan Women's Basketball Coach :: Merchant becomes fifth coach in program history following nine successful years at Eastern Michigan
  3. ↑ ESPN - Eastern Michigan vs. Boston College - Recap, March 20, 2004
  4. ↑ 2005 Kraft MAC Women's Tournament Semifinal #1 - MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference
  5. ↑ Kent State Upsets Top-seeded Eastern Michigan, 70-56 - MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference
  6. ↑ Lage, Larry (March 24, 2009). "McCallie loses to former team as Spartans shut down Blue Devils". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 24, 2009. 
  7. ↑ Bio: Suzy Merchant - Michigan State Official Athletic Website

External links

Current women's basketball head coaches of the Big Ten Conference
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