Mark Montgomery hired as next head coach at Detroit Mercy
Detroit Mercy announced on Wednesday evening that Mark Montgomery has been hired as the Titans’ next head men’s basketball coach. Montgomery spent the last three seasons on Tom Izzo‘s staff at Michigan State, his second stint at his alma mater.
“After spending time with Mark and hearing his vision, we are confident that Coach Montgomery will bring our men’s basketball program back to the national stage,” UDM President Donald B. Taylor said. “His experience, approach to strategy and proven success building winning programs and recruiting the top talent in the state of Michigan and beyond are just a few of the numerous reasons he emerged as the leading candidate. After spending time with Mark and hearing his vision, we are confident that Coach Montgomery will bring our men’s basketball program back to the national stage. His experience, approach to strategy and proven success building winning programs and recruiting the top talent in the state of Michigan and beyond are just a few of the numerous reasons he emerged as the leading candidate.”
Montgomery, 54, has spent a total of twelve seasons in East Lansing (2002-11, 2021-24), where he was part of three Final Fours (2005, 2009 and 2010) and two Big Ten titles. In between stints at MSU, Montgomery spent ten seasons as the head coach at Northern Illinois, going 124-170 overall and winning a share of the MAC title in 2020. He also spent part of one season as an assistant at UDM.
“I would like to thank President Taylor, Robert Vowels and everyone on the search committee for giving me this opportunity to be the new head coach at University of Detroit Mercy,” Montgomery said. “Growing up in the area, you heard about the history of the University, the great players, the atmosphere and historic Calihan Hall. Those teams were nationally known and they played the best and beat the best. I am so honored and humbled to lead the program back to where it was.”
“To Coach Izzo, I thank you for always being there for me and guiding me through the coaching realm and helping me to get to where I am today. You have been not only a teacher and mentor, but a friend and I thank you for always being there for me.”
UDM is coming off its worst season in program history, winning just 1 game all year to finish 1-31 (1-19 Horizon). The school parted ways with head coach Mike Davis last month after six seasons, a tenure that will best remembered for the five years that Davis’ son Antoine – who finished his career in 2023 with the most 3PM in men’s D-I history and just 3 points shy of Pete Maravich’s career scoring record – was on the team. Despite the prolific scoring, the Titans struggled as a team and finished above .500 just once.
credit to Detroit Mercy Athletics for the image