Mother of MSU's Tom Izzo, Dorothy, Dies at 100

Tom Izzo's mother died at 100 years old last week, according to her obituary.

Dorothy Izzo poses in front of an AI-generated photo of her playing 1-on-1 against Kur Teng shortly after Tom Izzo's viral "you couldn't guard my mother" line. | Steven Izzo

Tom Izzo's mother, Dorothy Izzo, recently passed away at 100 years old.

According to her posted obituary, Dorothy passed away on May 19 at Touchmark Senior Living in Appleton, Wis. She had just celebrated her 100th birthday on May 13, was born and raised in Norway, Mich., before going to nearby Iron Mountain, where she raised Tom.

Recent View in Public Eye

Michigan State's Tom Izzo smiles from the bench during a game against Maryland at the Breslin Center on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Dorothy was put into the public eye a little bit this past basketball season. The television broadcast of Michigan State's game at Oregon on Jan. 20 captured Tom telling sophomore guard Kur Teng that "you could not guard my mother."

The clip then went viral, gathering millions of views across multiple platforms. Izzo joked after that game that Teng was going to stop at the senior living home in Appleton to go up against Dorothy in a game of 1-on-1. It's also not uncommon to hear Izzo drop the line in practice to anybody who is not pulling their weight on the defensive end.

Michigan State's Tom Izzo yells to one of his players during a game vs. Michigan at the Breslin Center on Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

"Taking care of others was always a priority throughout her long life, whether caring for her children, patients, grandchildren, or eventually great grandchildren," her obituary says. "Because she outlived all but one of her sister-in-law’s, she became a parent figure to many nieces and nephews.

"Dorothy loved watching sports, and even more so if it involved family. She was a faithful member of the Trinity United Methodist Church and was active in the choir and various church circles. After moving to Appleton, she became a member of First United Methodist Church.

More on Dorothy Izzo

She was in East Lansing back in March 2024, 98 years old at the time, to watch Tom's Spartans beat Michigan and raise a Big Ten championship banner.

"I can't believe it," Dorothy said in an interview with WILX. "I can't believe that he [Tom] has done so well. Growing up, he was just a plain kid, and now he's got so much fame. It's amazing to me."

Michigan State's Tom Izzo watches from the sideline against North Dakota State during the first round of the NCAA Tournament at the KeyBank Center on Thursday, March 19, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI

Tom is one of four children Dorothy is survived by. She is also survived by six grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, a son-in-law, and a sister-in-law. Her husband and Tom's father, Carl, passed away at 90 years old back in 2015. A date for a celebration of life is currently TBA.

"His father would be ecstatic," she also said to WILX. "He'd be very proud of him... We wanted him to be a teacher. He's done well. He's done well."

Michigan State's Tom Izzo shakes the hand of an Ohio State assistant before a game at the Breslin Center on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026. | Starr Portice, Michigan State Spartans on SI