On April 24, MSU head coach Suzy Merchant announced the new addition to the team naming Dean Lockwood as the new associate head coach after Amaka Agugua-Hamilton accepted the head coach position at Missouri State University on April 17.
Merchant is excited about the addition of Michigan-native Lockwood into the Spartan family.
"We are absolutely thrilled to have Dean join our Spartan family. He is a person of high character, integrity and passion for the game of basketball. He has spent the last 15 years coaching at one of the most storied women's basketball programs in the country and worked for one of the best to ever coach our game in Pat Summit. Beyond the back-to-back National Championships, Dean is a tremendous teacher of the game as he has developed dozens of WNBA draft picks," Merchant said.
Lockwood spent the last 15 seasons at Tennessee as an assistant coach. While at Tennessee, he snagged two national championship titles (2007 and 2008), three Final Four appearances, five SEC regular season titles and seven SEC tournament titles.
"I am excited to become a part of Coach Merchant's staff. I am extremely thankful for the opportunity she has presented to me, and I will strive to earn it every day. Throughout my 37 years coaching college basketball it has always been a high priority for me to be around great people, in a great environment where excellence is pursued daily. I believe I am once again going into exactly that type of situation here at MSU. I look forward to working with Coach Merchant, our staff and our team to continue to move this program forward. My passion for serving is as strong as ever, and I am very excited to begin a new journey as a Spartan."
Kristin Haynie was also announced to be replacing Alysiah Bond as an assistant after Bond accepted an assistant position at Texas Tech.
Haynie, a former Spartan, holds the MSU record for most single season steals (117) and was the ninth overall pick in the 2005 WNBA Draft.
"I am extremely excited to be back in the Green & White! I'm grateful for this opportunity Coach Merchant and all of the MSU administration has given me. I am ready to help win more championships and get back to the Final Four," Haynie said.
She was inducted into the Michigan State Hall of Fame in 2017.
The Spartans have faced many changes in the past month that has affected next season’s roster, but the addition of Lockwood and Haynie looks hopeful to both the team and fans for a great 2019-2020 season.
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