Suzy Merchant

Last updated

Suzy Merchant
Suzy Merchant.jpg
Biographical details
Born (1969-07-26) July 26, 1969 (age 56)
Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Playing career
1987–1991 Central Michigan
Position(s)Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1992–1995 Oakland (asst.)
1995–1998 Saginaw Valley State
1998–2007 Eastern Michigan
2007–2023 Michigan State
2009USA World Championships (asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall512–293 (.642)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
2× Big Ten regular season (2011, 2014)
Awards
Medal record
Women's Basketball
Assistant Coach for Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
World University Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 2009 Belgrade, Serbia Team Competition

Suzy Merchant (born July 26, 1969) [1] was the head basketball coach for the Michigan State University women's basketball team from 2007 to 2023.

Contents

Playing career

Merchant began playing basketball during her career at Traverse City High School. [2] She went on to play four seasons at the guard position for Central Michigan University. She was a four-year starter and a 3-year captain. [3]

Coaching career

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. [4]

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. [5] 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 [6] sent EMU to the WNIT where the Eagles fell in the 1st round to eventual semi-finalist Kentucky 79–68. [4]

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 her final season at EMU, 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. [4] [7]

Michigan State

Merchant was named head coach at Michigan State on Monday April 30, 2007. [4] She replaced Joanne P. McCallie who left Michigan State for the head coaching job at Duke University. In her second season, Merchant ousted McCallie's #1 seeded Duke Blue Devils in the 2009 NCAA Division I tournament. [8] With her team's Big Ten regular-season co-championship in 2014, Merchant becomes MSU's first women's coach to capture two conference basketball titles. On March 13, 2023 she stepped down as head coach for health reasons. [9]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview
SeasonTeamOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Saginaw Valley State Cardinals (GLIAC)(1995–1998)
1995–96Saginaw Valley State 15–119–9T–7th
1996–97Saginaw Valley State 19–1110–83rdNCAA Div II
1997–98Saginaw Valley State 20–712–6T–3rd
Saginaw Valley State:54–29 (.651)31–23 (.574)
Eastern Michigan Eagles (MAC)(1998–2007)
1998–99Eastern Michigan 14–138–83rd
1999–00Eastern Michigan 16–148–8T–3rd
2000–01Eastern Michigan 16–129–74th
2001–02Eastern Michigan 18–1110–6T–4th
2002–03Eastern Michigan 13–169–74th
2003–04Eastern Michigan 22–812–41st NCAA First Round
2004–05Eastern Michigan 23–811–52nd WNIT First Round
2005–06Eastern Michigan 22–815–11st WNIT First Round
2006–07Eastern Michigan 3–1*
Eastern Michigan:147–91 (.618)82–46 (.641)
Michigan State University (Big Ten)(2007–2023)
2007–08Michigan State 23–1410–8T–5th WNIT Runner-up
2008–09Michigan State 22–1113–5T–2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2009–10 Michigan State 23–1012–62nd NCAA Second Round
2010–11Michigan State 27–613–31st NCAA Second Round
2011–12Michigan State 20–1211–5T–2nd NCAA First Round
2012–13 Michigan State 25–910–63rd NCAA Second Round
2013–14 Michigan State 23–1013–3T–1st NCAA Second Round
2014–15 Michigan State 16–157–119th
2015–16 Michigan State 25–913–53rd NCAA Second Round
2016–17 Michigan State 21–129–7T-5th NCAA First Round
2017–18 Michigan State 19–147–99th WNIT Round 3
2018–19 Michigan State 21–129–97th NCAA Second Round
2019–20 Michigan State 16–149–98thCanceled due to COVID-19
2020–21 Michigan State 15–98–78th NCAA First Round
2021–22 Michigan State 15–158–98th
2022–23 Michigan State 16–147–109th
Michigan State:327–187 (.636)159–112 (.587)
Total:528–307 (.632)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

* Missed all but four games of 2006–07 while on maternity leave
** Merchant missed 7 games during 2016–17 due to a Medical Leave of Absence [10] [11]

Personal life

Merchant is married to Gary Rakan and has two sons, Tyler Rakan and Brady Rakan. [12]

References

  1. ↑ "Women's Basketball Coaches Career". NCAA. Retrieved September 26, 2015.
  2. ↑ "Suzy Merchant – Staff Directory". Michigan State University Athletics. Retrieved August 22, 2020.
  3. ↑ Bio: Suzy Merchant – Bio
  4. 1 2 3 4 Suzy Merchant Named Spartan Women's Basketball Coach :: Merchant becomes fifth coach in program history following nine successful years at Eastern Michigan
  5. ↑ ESPN – Eastern Michigan vs. Boston College – Recap, March 20, 2004
  6. ↑ 2005 Kraft MAC Women's Tournament Semifinal #1 – MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference
  7. ↑ Kent State Upsets Top-seeded Eastern Michigan, 70–56 – MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference
  8. ↑ Lage, Larry (March 24, 2009). "McCallie loses to former team as Spartans shut down Blue Devils". ESPN.com . Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  9. ↑ Voepel, M.A. (March 13, 2023). "Suzy Merchant steps down as Michigan State women's hoops coach". ESPN.com . Retrieved April 8, 2023.
  10. ↑ "MSU's Merchant takes medical leave". record-eagle.com. Record Eagle. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  11. ↑ "Michigan State's Suzy Merchant coaches in first game since Jan. 14". espn.com. ESPN. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Suzy Merchant Named Spartan Women's Basketball Coach". Michigan State University Athletics. April 30, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
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