Spartans' Izzo Named to Prestigious Award Watch List

For his impressive achievements this season, Michigan State coach Tom Izzo is one of the Top 15 names for the Naismith Coach of the Year Watch List.

Feb 15, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The No. 14 Michigan State Spartans (22-5, 13-3) have put together quite the season and head coach Tom Izzo is being recognized for his greatness. The 30-year head coach is amongst the top coaching names in the country in competition for the Naismith Coach of the Year Award.

On Friday, the NCAA released the Top 15 names that are on the Naismith Midseason Coach of the Year Watch List. A few familiar names alongside the Spartan Hall of Famer are Wisconsin's Greg Gard, Michigan's Dusty May, and Purdue's Matt Painter.

If Izzo were to win the award, it would mark the first time he would do it on the national level. He has never won the Naismith version of this award, but this would be quite the year to do so.

A season ago, the Spartans achieved an under-par season with a 20-15 record, 10-10 in conference play, and were bounced in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Izzo has flipped the turned his program back into a national contender as one of the nation's Top-15 teams.

Looking back at recent winners of this award, it looks like Izzo will have to go on another signature run in the NCAA Tournament. In the last 10+ years, each of the winners took their respective programs to at least a Sweet 16 appearance, something Izzo has done 15 times in 30 seasons as head coach.

Izzo has earned multiple coaching awards throughout his career. He took home the NABC Coach of the Year, twice ('01, '12), Big Ten Coach of the Year, three times ('98, '09, '12), AP College Coach of the Year ('98), and the Clair Bee Coach of the Year ('05). His trophy shelf is nothing short of filled.

A large part of a national coaching award is taking a program that did not have championship expectations and bring them into the conversation as the year progresses.

Izzo has transformed a team that was unranked in the preseason. They are now the No. 14 ranked team in the country with an opportunity to win an 11th conference title under Izzo.

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