The Two Longest Tenured Men’s NCAA Coaches Are In Michigan

Michigan has a long history of success in sports. The "Bad Boys" Pistons brought NBA championships in the '80s and '90s. The Detroit Red Wings have the most championships of any US team, and the Michigan Wolverines are the winningest program in college football. Generally, when one team isn't having a highlight-worthy season, a team in another sport is absolutely killing it.

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But longevity is the enemy of every team. Whether that's players leaving, coaches being fired, or new ownership, it's rare to have a constant presence on a team. But men's college basketball in Michigan is unique in that the two longest-tenured coaches in the NCAA are both here. 

One is a name everyone knows, and the other is one that audiences only recently became aware of.

Tom Izzo, Michigan State University

We'll start with the second-longest tenured coach, Hall of Famer Tom Izzo, the head coach of the Michigan State Spartans. Izzo has been with the Spartans since 1995, coaching the Spartans for 30 seasons. His accolades include:

The 2000 NCAA National Championship, 11 regular-season Big Ten Championships, six Big Ten Tournament titles, eight Final Four appearances, eight National Coach of the Year awards, and a Big Ten record 27 straight NCAA Tournament appearances. 

And he's still impressing at the age of 70. Last season, Izzo was awarded the Big Ten Coach of the Year. The only way he's leaving MSU is on his own terms.

Career record: 737-302

Read More: Oakland Fan Goes To Extreme Lengths To Distract Opposing Team |

Greg Kampe, Oakland University

Tom Izzo's 30-season tenure is impressive, but pales in comparison to Greg Kampe's 40 seasons at Oakland University. While he doesn't have the same prestige as Izzo, his 2023-2024 season was one in which his team won the Horizon League tournament and upset the 3-seed Kentucky, propelling his 14-seed Grizzlies to the national spotlight.

Kampe has won three Summit League Tournaments and a Horizon League tournament. He was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year in 1988 and the Summit League Coach of the Year four times. Much of Kampe's legacy isn't highlighted in a record book, as the impact he's had on his players, team. and university over the years.

Career record: 714-554

Izzo and Kampe's Holiday Tradition

As the two longest-tenured coaches, Izzo and Kampe have played each other many times and have formed a friendship. The two have played each other in 23 regular-season games, and while Oakland has never beat the Spartans, there is one tradition that has developed between these two legendary coaches.

Each meeting, the two dress up in ugly Christmas sweaters that bring a sense of whimsy to an otherwise important matchup for Oakland. Michigan State is one of the program's biggest match-ups of the year, but this small tradition helps make these coaches stand out. It's pretty cool that the coaches have this kind of relationship after all these years.