Michigan State University Athletics
Gregory Rejoins MSU Basketball Staff
6/21/1999 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
April 3, 1999
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State head men's basketball coach Tom Izzo has announced that Brian Gregory, a member of the Northwestern University coaching staff the past two years, will join the Spartan program as an assistant coach. Gregory fills the void left by the departure of associate head coach Tom Crean, who was appointed head coach at Marquette University on March 30.
Gregory, 32, is well familiar with MSU, having served the Spartan program as a graduate assistant coach from 1990 through 1992 and as an assistant from 1992-96. While with MSU in those six seasons, he helped the Spartans to four appearances in the NCAA Tournament along with a pair of berths to the NIT.
Gregory served as an assistant on Stan Joplin's staff at Toledo during the 1996-97 season before joining Kevin O'Neill's staff at Northwestern at the start of the 1997-98 campaign. This past season, the Wildcats posted an overall record of 15-14 (the first winning year for Northwestern since 1993-94) and advanced to the NIT, the first postseason trip by a Northwestern squad since '93-94.
"It's a definite advantage having Brian back on our staff," said Izzo. "He knows both our system and some of our older players, having been involved in their recruitment.
"He has done an excellent job both at Toledo and Northwestern and played a key role in the rebuilding of those programs, both through his recruiting and excellent on-the-floor-coaching. I felt that I was losing a good friend and a great coach when Tom Crean went to Marquette and I feel that I'm replacing him with a good friend and a great coach in Brian Gregory."
Gregory helped Northwestern recruit a talented class for the 1999-2000 season that was ranked in the nation's top 20 by analyst Bob Gibbons. In addition, Gregory was recognized by Basketball News (Feb. 22) as one of the nation's top assistant coaches in terms of recruiting.
"I'm excited about coming back to MSU and the challenge that awaits," said Gregory. "When I left in 1996 to go to Toledo, one of the things that I talked about was putting myself in the position of being able to come back. It's a dream job for me.
"I learned something every day from Kevin (O'Neill) at Northwestern in terms of recruiting -- how to evaluate talent, selling the program and the head coach and getting young men to believe that they are going to be a part of something special."
Gregory attended Oakland University (Rochester, Mich.) and was an honorable mention All-American and three-time All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference selection. He finished his career as the Pioneers' all-time leader in assists (906) and paced the conference in that category all three of his seasons. He graduated in 1990 with a bachelor's degree in education before earning his master of arts in athletic administration from Michigan State in 1992.
"Brian is a rising star in college basketball and does a great job in all facets of the game; recruiting, scouting, coaching, individual work, all of it," said Northwestern head coach Kevin O'Neill.
"His biggest asset is how he deals with people. He is a tremendous organizer and worker. We will miss him dearly and wish him the best. We're proud of the type of program he's leaving us for. If it was any other place than Michigan State, he would not go. Michigan State is like family to him."
Brian's family includes his wife, Yvette.
