Michigan State University Athletics
Merchant Talks About Move to Michigan State
4/30/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
April 30, 2007
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Suzy Merchant took another step higher in the state's college basketball hierarchy Monday, formally being named women's basketball coach at Michigan State after being head coach at Eastern Michigan and Saginaw Valley State.
The 37-year-old Traverse City native and former Central Michigan women's basketball captain talked about camping out in a tent during recruiting swings in her first years at Saginaw Valley State, and her joy in moving up the rungs of college basketball to what she called her dream job.
"I was ready for the big time, and I always saw Michigan State as that big time," Merchant said during a Monday afternoon news conference at Michigan State's Breslin Center in East Lansing. "I feel like I've paid my dues. ... I'm ready for this opportunity.
"I'm excited to take root here and to get started."
Merchant has been Eastern Michigan's coach the past nine seasons and has a 201-120 record overall and a 147-90 mark with the Eagles. She was a candidate for the recent vacancy at Michigan before the school chose Kevin Borseth.
Michigan State began looking for a new coach after Duke hired Joanne P. McCallie earlier this month. McCallie led the Spartans to five straight NCAA tournaments, including this year, and to the 2005 national championship game. She was 149-75 in seven seasons at Michigan State.
The nationwide search narrowed down to Merchant fairly quickly.
"We ended up with a coach that I think was a perfect fit for Michigan State," athletic director Ron Mason said during the news conference. "I want to wish her all the best of success and we're going to give her all the support that she needs."
Merchant said she plans to stay at Michigan State "as long as they'll have me" and reminisced about attending every Michigan State high school women's basketball camp she could as a kid hoping to get recruited by the Spartans.
"For me personally, I don't think there's any job better than Michigan State when you're from this state and you have a passion for basketball," she said. "I will work so hard for all of you who love these girls, who love this team, who love Michigan State University."
She was accompanied at the news conference by her husband and young son, her parents, her Traverse City High School basketball coach and her brothers, both of whom attended Michigan State.
Merchant was on maternity leave for much of last season, winning three of four games, including the 200th of her career and a school-record 147th at Eastern Michigan. She led the Eagles to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2004, when they almost upset third-seeded Boston College.
In 2005-06, Eastern Michigan was 22-8 and a school-record 15-1 in the Mid-American Conference, winning the West Division. The previous season, the Eagles won a school-record 23 games.
Merchant was 54-29 over three seasons at Saginaw Valley State after being an assistant at Oakland. She was a standout point guard at Central Michigan and Traverse City High School.
