Spartans' Izzo Wins Prestigious Big Ten Honor for Fourth Time
It could not be more well deserved for Michigan State coach Tom Izzo as he was awarded the 2025 Big Ten Coach of the Year Award for what he achieved in his 30th season at the helm of the program.
The Big Ten announced its postseason awards on Big Ten Network on Tuesday -- Izzo's honor was one of six Spartan awards.
After entering the season unranked nationally and being picked to finish fifth in the conference, Izzo and his Spartans showed up the rest of the Big Ten with the most regular season conference wins in program history (17) while winning the 17th Big Ten title in program history, 11th under Izzo.
Big Ten Network's Rick Pizza caught up with Izzo with a virtual interview just minutes after his name was revealed as the award winner. In classic Izzo fashion, he gave all the credit to his coaching staff and players for achieving what they did. He also threw in a bit of humor at the end.
"Well, I really appreciated it; that award came a few times early in my career, and it's been a long time, and yet, I think my team deserved this award," Izzo said.
"You hear every coach give coach speak, how the team did, your assistants did. If there was ever a year when that is true, this is true. We've had an incredible year, but we've done a lot of things together.
"It's truly the group effort that does this and there's nothing better than to tell your team if we have success, individuals have success. Well, we've had success, and I get to be the recipient of some of that, and I'm grateful to all the coaches, media, and everyone that voted."
It marks the fourth time in Izzo's career that he has won the award, but the first time in 13 years (1997-'98, 2008-'09, 2011-'12). He is the oldest coach to win the award at 70-years old and is also the first coach in Big Ten history to win Coach of the Year in four separate decades.
Consistent and prolonged success from arguably the greatest coach in college basketball. There are very few coaches at any level of any sport that have been able to maintain such a productive output on a yearly basis, spanning four decades as Izzo has. It is truly special to experience as a Big Ten fan.
Pizzo later asked if there is any more gratification when awards like this come later in the career. Izzo got his start as Michigan State's head coach in 1995 and has remained leading the program since. He appreciated the success he has been able to maintain when many wrote him off, years ago.
"Hell yeah!" Izzo said with a broad smile. "Everybody knows you get to certain ages, that you're on the back nine, and if you can survive if these jobs anymore.
"I think it's more meaningful, too, that people start thinking maybe the game has passed you by, and it's good to know that the game hasn't passed me by until I quit working, and that's the way I look at it."
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