Suzy Merchant

Suzy Merchant (born July 26, 1969) 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.

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. 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 sent EMU to the WNIT where the Eagles fell in the 1st round to eventual semi-finalist Kentucky 79–68.

Michigan State Merchant was named head coach at Michigan State on Monday April 30, 2007. 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. 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.

Head coaching record

Missed all but four games of 2006–07 while on maternity leave Merchant missed 7 games during 2016–17 due to a Medical Leave of Absence

Personal life Merchant is married to Gary Rakan and has two sons, Tyler Rakan and Brady Rakan.