Suzy Merchant

Suzy Merchant
Sport(s) Basketball
Current position
Title Head coach
Team Michigan State
Record 204–96 (.680)
Biographical details
Born (1969-07-26) July 26, 1969
Detroit, Michigan
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–present Michigan State
2009 USA World Championships (asst.)
Head coaching record
Overall 405–216 (.652))
Accomplishments and honors
Championships

Mid-American Conference West Division

Big Ten Conference
Medal record
Women’s Basketball
Assistant Coach for  United States
World University Games
2009 Belgrade, Serbia Team Competition

Suzy Merchant (born July 26, 1969)[1] is the current head coach for the Michigan State University Women's Basketball team. She is married to Gary Rakan and has two young sons, Tyler Rakan and Brady Rakan.[2]

Coaching career

Merchant owns a 369-184 (.667) career record in 19 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.[3]

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.[4] 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[5] sent EMU to the WNIT where the Eagles fell in the 1st round to eventual semi-finalist Kentucky 79-68.[3]

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.[3][6]

Michigan State

Merchant was named head coach at Michigan State on Monday April 30, 2007.[3] 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.[7] 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.

Head coaching record

Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Saginaw Valley State University (GLIAC) (1995–1998)
1995–96 SVSU 15–11 9–9 T–7th
1996–97 SVSU 19–11 10–8 3rd NCAA Div II
1997–98 SVSU 20–7 12–6 T–3rd
SVSU: 54–29 (.651) 31–23 (.574)
Eastern Michigan University (MAC) (1998–2007)
1998–99 EMU 14–13 8–8 3rd
1999–00 EMU 16–14 8–8 T–3rd
2000–01 EMU 16–12 9–7 4th
2001–02 EMU 18–11 10–6 T–4th
2002–03 EMU 13–16 9–7 4th
2003–04 EMU 22–8 12–4 1st NCAA First Round
2004–05 EMU 23–8 11–5 2nd WNIT First Round
2005–06 EMU 22–8 15–1 1st WNIT First Round
2006–07 EMU 3–1*
EMU: 147–91 (.618) 82–46 (.641)
Michigan State University (Big Ten) (2007–present)
2007–08 Michigan State 23–14 10–8 T–5th WNIT Runner-up
2008–09 Michigan State 22–11 13–5 T–2nd NCAA Sweet Sixteen
2009–10 Michigan State 23–10 12–6 2nd NCAA Second Round
2010–11 Michigan State 27–6 13–3 1st NCAA Second Round
2011–12 Michigan State 20–12 11–5 T–2nd NCAA Second Round
2012–13 Michigan State 25–9 10–6 3rd NCAA Second Round
2013–14 Michigan State 23–10 13–3 T–1st NCAA Second Round
2014–15 Michigan State 16–15 7–11 9th
2015–16 Michigan State 25–9 13–5 3rd NCAA Second Round
Michigan State: 204–96 (.680) 102–52 (.662)
Total: 405–216 (.652)

      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

Playing career

Merchant played four seasons as a guard at Central Michigan University. She was a four-year starter and a 3-year captain.[8]

References

  1. ↑ "Women's Basketball Coaches Career". NCAA. Retrieved 26 Sep 2015.
  2. ↑ http://www.msuspartans.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/043007aaa.html
  3. 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
  4. ↑ ESPN - Eastern Michigan vs. Boston College - Recap, March 20, 2004
  5. ↑ 2005 Kraft MAC Women's Tournament Semifinal #1 - MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference
  6. ↑ Kent State Upsets Top-seeded Eastern Michigan, 70-56 - MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference
  7. ↑ Lage, Larry (March 24, 2009). "McCallie loses to former team as Spartans shut down Blue Devils". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 24, 2009.
  8. ↑ Bio: Suzy Merchant - Michigan State Official Athletic Website
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