That is Greg Kampe with the Oakland Golden Grizzlies. Izzo begins his 31st season in East Lansing when the ball tips in November.
The veteran coach enters the new season with 737 career wins, including 361 inside the Big Ten. Izzo has never endured a losing season with the Spartans. His first two years were modest at 16-16 and 17-12, but by his third year Michigan State was back in the NCAA Tournament. They have not missed the event since, with the lone exception being 2019-20 when COVID wiped it out.
A Legacy of Winning
Izzo is fresh off a Big Ten title and an Elite Eight run, the program’s deepest postseason push since the 2019 Final Four. His Spartans won 17 Big Ten games a year ago, a personal best in conference play.
The resume speaks for itself. Izzo owns a national title from 2000, eight Final Four appearances, 11 Big Ten regular season championships, and six Big Ten tournament crowns. He has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year four times and earned the John R. Wooden Legends of Coaching Award in 2011.
Looking Ahead to 2025-26
This year’s Spartans carry high expectations once again. The season opens on November 3 against Colgate at the Breslin Center. Michigan State will also host Arkansas (Nov. 8) and travel to Madison Square Garden for the Champions Classic against Kentucky (Nov. 18). Later in November they head to Fort Myers for a Thanksgiving Day showdown with North Carolina (Nov. 27).
December brings more marquee matchups, highlighted by a home date with Duke (Dec. 6). Michigan State actually starts Big Ten play on Dec. 2 as the Iowa Hawkeyes come to town. The Spartans will also take a trip to University Park on Dec. 13 to take on Penn State. The Spartans also line up three straight home games before Christmas against Toledo (Dec. 16), Oakland (Dec. 20), and Cornell (Dec. 29).
As Izzo turns 71 during the season, questions swarm about how long he will continue. With veteran coaches retiring across the sport, every season feels more precious. The bigger question in East Lansing is whether this team can give Izzo one more Final Four run, adding a possible ninth trip to an already amazing head coaching career.