MSU Coach Suzy Merchant Stepping Down due to Health Reasons




She was a good coach, but couldn’t get over the hump in the NCAA tourney. 10 appearances, 1 Sweet 16.
 


Merchant, who never had a losing season in 16 seasons at Michigan State and only one in the 12 years at previous stops, coached some of the greatest players in program history, including three WNBA first-round draft picks in Aerial Powers (Detroit), Tori Jankoska (Saginaw) and Nia Clouden.

She formed a close bond with men's coach Tom Izzo, with daily talks en route to the office.

Months before the start of the 2022-23 season, Merchant signed a new five-year contract that was to pay her at least $880,000 a year, a raise of more than $200,000. The contract took her out of the bottom of the Big Ten in compensation. The team ended up going 16-14 this season, and on Sunday turned down an invitation to play in the WNIT. A program spokesperson cited the adversity-filled year on and off the court — dealing with Merchant's absence, as well as the emotional toll of the deadly shooting on campus — in skipping the WNIT
 


I bet this is where one of the rumored head coaches on our list ends up. MSU will be a desired Big 10 job, seems like multiple people are Michigan natives that will be up for this job.
 

Robin Fralick is from Okemos which is just a stones throw from campus. Could see her there.
 



For the Spartans, The Athletic recommends:

Robyn Fralick, Megan Duffy, Erin Batth (Michigan assistant), Glenn Box (Indiana associate head coach) and Trish Cullop.

Megan Duffy, Marquette head coach

Duffy is going to get a ton of calls this offseason, and there’s a decent chance she’ll be the Spartans’ first call. The Ohio native spent eight years as an assistant at St. John’s, George Washington and Michigan before being named Miami (Ohio) head coach in 2017. She was named Marquette’s head coach in 2019 and has won more than 70 percent of her games there, guiding the Golden Eagles through an increasingly competitive Big East. Marquette earned a No. 9 seed this season in its second NCAA Tournament appearance under Duffy in three seasons of tournaments (the Golden Eagles would’ve gotten in during the 2020 season as well). Her track record as a head coach, her relationships with Midwest AAU teams and high school coaches as well as her experience in the state make her an obvious choice.
 




Robyn Fralic is from Meriden Charter Township, Michigan..

so wonder if they would go after her more so..
 





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