April 17, 2003
CLEVELAND - Cleveland State Director of Athletics Lee Reed introduced Mike Garland Thursday morning as the new Viking men's basketball coach. After spending the past seven seasons as an assistant under Tom Izzo at Michigan State, Garland succeeds Rollie Massimino, who directed the Vikings to a 90-113 mark from 1996-03. He becomes the seventh coach in Cleveland State history (13th including 1925-65 as Fenn College)
"I am extremely excited to have Mike Garland as our new head men's basketball coach," said Reed. "His coaching skills, work ethic and high level of success were well documented when I began my search, but it was his passion for teaching, his exceptional relationship-building skills and his moral fiber that convinced me that he would be the perfect person to lead the CSU basketball program to the championship level that we all desire.
"Mike Garland is what Cleveland State University is all about: hard-working, resourceful, passionate and committed to making Cleveland and Cleveland State a better place."
In his tenure with the Spartans, Garland helped coach MSU to six NCAA Tournaments, four Big Ten Championships, two Big Ten Tournament Championships, three Final Fours and one National Championship. The Spartans started their run to the 2000 NCAA title with a pair of victories in Cleveland at the CSU Convocation Center.
Included in his duties at MSU were scouting and game analysis, off-campus recruiting and academics.
In addition, Garland was responsible for MSU's self-scouting and individual improvement. His instruction helped six Spartans to be selected in the last three NBA Drafts: Mateen Cleaves, Andre Hutson, Morris Peterson, Zach Randolph, Jason Richardson and Marcus Taylor.
"I'm very excited because now I get to watch Mike Garland fulfill his dreams of being a Division I head coach," said Izzo. "He has the opportunity to build the Cleveland State program into one that will have the respect it deserves to have. He'll do a great job if he does any type of job like he's done here. Mike will bring great passion and toughness to the job.
"This is a great opportunity for Mike. I'm really happy for him, but I'm sad to see him go. We've been friends since I was 19 years old, and he's given a lot to me and to this program. He's always had my back. I still remember sitting in his living room trying to convince him to come to Michigan State as the third assistant, and telling him that some day it would pay off. It's great to see that become a reality."
An excellent motivator, Garland has the respect of his coaching peers. In a March, 2002 survey of assistant coaches across the nation, he was listed among college assistants "Most Ready To Be A Head Coach." In the summer of 2002, Garland coached an Athletes In Action team of college all-stars in Africa.
Prior to his arrival at East Lansing, Garland enjoyed a successful nine-year stint as varsity head coach at Belleville High School. During that time, he posted a career record of 153-49 (.757) while earning numerous coaching honors. He was selected as the Associated Press' 1993-94 Michigan High School Coach of the Year while also being named the Michigan Mega Red Conference Coach of the Year. Garland, who coached three players to first-team all-state honors during his tenure at Belleville, was named The Detroit News All-Metro West Coach of the Year in 1990-91 while being selected as the All-Suburban Coach of the Year during the same campaign by the Detroit Free Press.
Garland, 48, earned a bachelor's degree in physical education and community recreation from Northern Michigan in 1977. While at NMU, he was the recipient of the Minority Student Academic Achievement Award. Izzo and Garland were teammates on the Wildcats' basketball squad.
Garland's family includes his wife, Cynthia, daughter, Simone, and sons Quentin and Michael Ray.
