Suzy Merchant
{{Short description|American basketball coach (born 1969)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox college coach
| name = Suzy Merchant
| image = Suzy Merchant.jpg
| alt =
| caption =
| current_title =
| current_team =
| current_conference =
| current_record =
| contract =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1969|7|26}}
| birth_place = Detroit, Michigan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| alma_mater =
| player_years1 = 1987–1991
| player_team1 = Central Michigan
| player_positions = Guard
| coach_years1 = 1992–1995
| coach_team1 = Oakland (asst.)
| coach_years2 = 1995–1998
| coach_team2 = Saginaw Valley State
| coach_years3 = 1998–2007
| coach_team3 = Eastern Michigan
| coach_years4 = 2007–2023
| coach_team4 = Michigan State
| coach_years5 = 2009
| coach_team5 = USA World Championships (asst.)
| overall_record = 512–293 ({{Winning percentage|497|277}})
| bowl_record =
| tournament_record =
| championships = 2× Big Ten regular season (2011, 2014)
| awards = * Big Ten Coach of the Year (2011)
| coaching_records =
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Women's Basketball}}
{{MedalSport|Assistant Coach for {{USA}} }} {{MedalCompetition|World University Games}} {{MedalGold|2009 Belgrade, Serbia | Team Competition}}
}}
Suzy Merchant (born July 26, 1969) most recently served as head basketball coach for the Michigan State University Women's Basketball team. She is married to Gary Rakan and has two sons, Tyler Rakan and Brady Rakan.{{cite web |title=Suzy Merchant Named Spartan Women's Basketball Coach |url=https://msuspartans.com/news/2007/4/30/Suzy_Merchant_Named_Spartan_Women_s_Basketball_Coach.aspx |website=Michigan State University Athletics |accessdate=25 June 2020 |date=30 April 2007}}
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.
=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.[https://web.archive.org/web/20040508113554/http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/recap?gameId=244000009 ESPN – Eastern Michigan vs. Boston College – Recap, March 20, 2004] 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[http://mac-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=42881&SPID=3793&DB_OEM_ID=9400&ATCLID=579111 2005 Kraft MAC Women's Tournament Semifinal #1 – MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference] sent EMU to the WNIT where the Eagles fell in the 1st round to eventual semi-finalist Kentucky 79–68.
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.[http://mac-sports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=42881&SPID=3793&DB_OEM_ID=9400&ATCLID=1095114 Kent State Upsets Top-seeded Eastern Michigan, 70–56 – MAC-Sports.com—Official Web Site of the Mid-American Conference]
=Michigan State=
Merchant was named head coach at Michigan State on Monday April 30, 2007.[http://msuspartans.cstv.com/sports/w-baskbl/spec-rel/043007aaa.html Suzy Merchant Named Spartan Women's Basketball Coach :: Merchant becomes fifth coach in program history following nine successful years at Eastern Michigan] 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.{{Cite web |first=Larry |last=Lage |url= https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=294000003 |title=McCallie loses to former team as Spartans shut down Blue Devils |accessdate=June 25, 2020 |publisher=ESPN.com |date=March 24, 2009}} 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.{{Cite web |first=M.A. |last=Voepel |url= https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/35853744/suzy-merchant-steps-michigan-state-women-hoops-coach |title=Suzy Merchant steps down as Michigan State women's hoops coach |accessdate=April 8, 2023 |publisher=ESPN.com |date=March 13, 2023}}
Head coaching record
{{CBB Yearly Record Start
|type=coach
|conference=
|postseason=
|poll=
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Saginaw Valley State Cardinals
|startyear=1995
|conference=GLIAC
|endyear=1998
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1995–96
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 15–11
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = T–7th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1996–97
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 19–11
| conference = 10–8
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Div II
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1997–98
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 20–7
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Saginaw Valley State
| overall = 54–29 ({{Winning percentage|54|29}})
| confrecord = 31–23 ({{Winning percentage|31|23}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Eastern Michigan Eagles
|startyear=1998
|conference=MAC
|endyear=2007
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1998–99
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 14–13
| conference = 8–8
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 1999–00
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 16–14
| conference = 8–8
| confstanding = T–3rd
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2000–01
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 16–12
| conference = 9–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2001–02
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 18–11
| conference = 10–6
| confstanding = T–4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2002–03
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 13–16
| conference = 9–7
| confstanding = 4th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = confboth
| season = 2003–04
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 22–8
| conference = 12–4
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2004–05
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 23–8
| conference = 11–5
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = WNIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2005–06
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 22–8
| conference = 15–1
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = WNIT First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2006–07
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 3–1*
| conference =
| confstanding =
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Eastern Michigan
| overall = 147–91 ({{Winning percentage|147|91}})
| confrecord = 82–46 ({{Winning percentage|82|46}})
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subhead
|name=Michigan State University
|startyear=2007
|conference=Big Ten
|endyear=2023
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 2007–08
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 23–14
| conference = 10–8
| confstanding = T–5th
| postseason = WNIT Runner-up
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 2008–09
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 22–11
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NCAA Sweet Sixteen
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| season = 2009–10
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 23–10
| conference = 12–6
| confstanding = 2nd
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2010–11
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 27–6
| conference = 13–3
| confstanding = 1st
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2011–12
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 20–12
| conference = 11–5
| confstanding = T–2nd
| postseason = NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2012–13
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 25–9
| conference = 10–6
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship = conference
| season = 2013–14
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 23–10
| conference = 13–3
| confstanding = T–1st
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2014–15
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 16–15
| conference = 7–11
| confstanding = 9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2015–16
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 25–9
| conference = 13–5
| confstanding = 3rd
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2016–17
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 21–12
| conference = 9–7
| confstanding = T-5th
| postseason = NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2017–18
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 19–14
| conference = 7–9
| confstanding = 9th
| postseason = WNIT Round 3
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2018–19
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 21–12
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = 7th
| postseason = NCAA Second Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2019–20
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 16–14
| conference = 9–9
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason = Canceled due to COVID-19
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2020–21
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 15–9
| conference = 8–7
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason = NCAA First Round
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2021–22
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 15–15
| conference = 8–9
| confstanding = 8th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Entry
| championship =
| season = 2022–23
| name = Michigan State
| overall = 16–14
| conference = 7–10
| confstanding = 9th
| postseason =
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record Subtotal
| name = Michigan State
| overall = {{Winning percentage|327|187|record=y}}
| confrecord = {{Winning percentage|159|112|record=y}}
}}
{{CBB Yearly Record End
|overall = {{Winning percentage|528|307|record=y}}
}}
{{va|*}} Missed all but four games of 2006–07 while on maternity leave
{{va|**}} Merchant missed 7 games during 2016–17 due to a Medical Leave of Absence{{cite web |title=MSU's Merchant takes medical leave |url=https://www.record-eagle.com/sports/local_sports/msu-s-merchant-takes-medical-leave/article_e13fa158-eb7c-5b87-afb8-129ed6010297.html |website=record-eagle.com |publisher=Record Eagle |accessdate=11 December 2018}}{{cite web |title=Michigan State's Suzy Merchant coaches in first game since Jan. 14 |url=http://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/18672526/michigan-state-coach-suzy-merchant-returns-medical-leave-absence |website=espn.com |publisher=ESPN |accessdate=11 December 2018}}
Playing career
Merchant began playing basketball during her career at Traverse City High School.{{Cite web|title=Suzy Merchant – Staff Directory|url=https://msuspartans.com/staff-directory/suzy-merchant/200|access-date=2020-08-22|website=Michigan State University Athletics|language=en}} 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.[https://msuspartans.com/staff-directory/suzy-merchant/200] Bio: Suzy Merchant – Bio
References
External links
- [http://knowledgenetwork.alumni.msu.edu/wkar/coachsuzymerchantmsu.html Coach Suzy Merchant] by Michigan State University
{{Saginaw Valley State Cardinals women's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Eastern Michigan Eagles women's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Michigan State Spartans women's basketball coach navbox}}
{{Big Ten Conference Women's Basketball Coach of the Year navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merchant, Suzy}}
Category:American women's basketball coaches
Category:Basketball coaches from Michigan
Category:Basketball players from Michigan
Category:Central Michigan Chippewas women's basketball players
Category:Eastern Michigan Eagles women's basketball coaches
Category:Michigan State Spartans women's basketball coaches
Category:Sportspeople from Traverse City, Michigan
Category:Saginaw Valley State Cardinals women's basketball coaches