Marquette University Athletics
Assistant Basketball Coach Dwayne Stephens Resigns Post
5/7/2003 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
May 7, 2003
MILWAUKEE -- Dwayne Stephens, an assistant coach on the Marquette basketball staff the past four years, has resigned. Stephens will assume an assistant coaching position at his alma mater Michigan State University.
During his four-year tenure at Marquette, Stephens helped the Marquette program to a record of 83-41. In those four years, the Golden Eagles made two trips to the NCAA Tournament (2002 and 2003) along with one appearance in the NIT (2000). This past year, MU posted an overall record of 27-6 and made the program's first appearance in the NCAA Final Four since 1977. The Golden Eagles claimed their first-ever C-USA regular-season title (14-2) and concluded the year ranked No. 9 by the Associated Press and No. 6 by ESPN/USA Today.
Stephens played at Michigan State from 1989 through 1993 and was part of the Spartans' 1990 Big Ten championship team that advanced to the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. He selected by his teammates as the club's MVP during the 1991-92 season and was the program's top defensive player in 1991 and 1993. Spartan Head Coach Tom Izzo was an assistant when Stephens played there.
"It is with mixed emotions that we say good-bye to Dwayne right now," Marquette Head Coach Tom Crean said. "We are excited for him to go back to a place where he enjoyed a fine career and to a place he has an appreciation for. He will be working for an outstanding coach and person in Tom Izzo.
"At the same time, he played an integral part of every facet of this program in his four years, and I stress every facet. He has grown in every imaginable way as a coach and has had a lot to do with the success this program has enjoyed. He is still a big part of the landscape and blueprint that this program stands on, and it will be in the not-to-distant future when we will see Dwayne at the helm of his own program."
A native of Ferndale, Michigan, Stephens served as an assistant coach at Oakland University for two years (1997-98 through 1998-99) before joining Crean's first staff.
"I'd like to thank Coach Crean for all the help he has given me," Stephens said. "He gave me the opportunity to coach at a high level when I didn't have as much experience as some other coaches. He has shown great confidence in me and has pushed me to get better everyday. I learned so much from him -- things like not limiting yourself, paying attention to details, and taking ownership in the entire program. I can't thank him enough for all he's done for me and for his blessing as I return to Michigan State."
