Michigan women's basketball coach Kevin Borseth resigns, heads back to Green Bay
Kevin Borseth was 77-73 in five seasons as the Michigan women's basketball coach.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Two hours after reports surfaced that point guard Trey Burke would leave the Michigan men's basketball team, another bombshell hit the Wolverines' hoops program.
This one came on the the women's side, where head coach Kevin Borseth announced Wednesday he would resign his post and return to Wisconsin-Green Bay.
He coached the Phoenix for nine seasons before leaving to join the Wolverines in 2007. He went 77-73 in five years at Michigan, and 38-48 in the Big Ten.
Borseth guided the Wolverines to a 20-12 mark last year and their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2001. They were ousted in their opener against Oklahoma.
“My family and I have really enjoyed our time at Michigan," Borseth said in a statement. "We have made some terrific friends and we will miss everybody. I would like to thank everyone at the University of Michigan for giving me this opportunity to be the women’s basketball coach, and I wish everyone the best in the future.”
Borseth takes over at Wisconsin-Green Bay for Matt Bollant, who left for Illinois. He will be officially announced at a 2:30 p.m. press conference on Thursday.
Michigan will launch a national search to fill its vacancy, according to the release.
"Kevin felt it was best for him and his family to return to Green Bay,” Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said in a statement.
“We appreciate all that Kevin has done for the Michigan women’s basketball program over the past five years and we wish the Borseth family the best of everything as they move back home to Green Bay.”
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
Comments
packard_4003
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 4:58 p.m.
From what I saw, the fanbase was increasing during Borseth's time. Those fans will continue to support the team under Coach Dawn. The team can continue with the least amount of disruption and angst if UM promotes Dawn to the head coaching position. Even if they do a nation wide search, they will not find anyone better to continue to take the team to the next level. Go Blue.
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 8:55 p.m.
I have no confidence in the athletic department here. Ushers are poorly trained, the Crisler remodel makes it too loud for many children, prices don't reflect the current demand for tickets. If we want a program that brings in an attendance commensurate with what we expect from a team of this quality, the athletic department needs to hire professionals who understand marketing.
discgolfgeek
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 3:44 p.m.
Women's basketball has almost no support here, that's the problem. Good players want to play for established programs with large established fan-bases. We are neither. The Athletic Dept needs to somehow drum up some local enthusiasm, then good things can begin to occur.
MRunner73
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 3:37 p.m.
The womens basketball program seems like it is back burner. Yes, they can enjoy the new facilities at CC but it might boil down to recruiting. Michigan will need to attract top players like most other sports.
BlueBooster33
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 3:20 p.m.
The way I see it, Dave Brandon is an intelligent leader that will see hiring Dawn Plitzuweit as clearly best choice. He will do his job, and assure the University is best served, and he knows that when he surveys the field (which he should and will do), it will be clear he has a Michigan woman with National Championship heritage with her. Definitely a next level coach for the ages. Go Blue!
Ben
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 1:38 p.m.
*higher*
Ben
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 1:38 p.m.
mr_annarbor, that's why he needs to hire Dawn P. She will take the program even hire if he gives her a chance. Otherwise, we face a lot of disruption and losing our best recruiting class (including Ms. Basketball) next year.
Big Daddy
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 2:13 p.m.
agree coach Dawn was the a powerhouse behind Borseth and was suppose to be his replacement when Bill Martin hired them... she will take it to the next level for sure and should have a shot at the job.. that said the ego of DB will probably not allow that to happen and every good thing they built the last 5 years will be gone...Hire Dawn
YPboyWRheart
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 12:18 p.m.
Great family. Will miss K.C. shooting those threes ar Saline.
Blu n Tpa
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 11:12 a.m.
As in all business discussions it came down to numbers. Coach Borseth hadn't been offered, at least hadn't signed, a new contract from AD Brandon. In this day and age coaches that colleges want to keep have extensions added to their contracts almost before the ink dries on the most recent one. So Brandon has been sending a message to Coach Borseth for several months now. When there wasn't any movement after getting the Michigan women's basketball program to the dance this year, well, what would you do if you were the coach? Then the UWGB gig became available, and just like that, Coach Borseth had options. Whatever you want to say about him, he turned the women's program around and got it moving in the right direction. The top recruit from Michigan for 2012 has committed to UM. The roster has depth and is balanced by class. He has a winning record as coach of WBB at Michigan and there's not a lot of those in the record book. I'm sure KB would have like to have won more games and gone to more dances. The guy is a competitor, and he is a lot like Bo, where how you grew and matured as a person was as important as how did in the classroom and on the playing surface. His players graduate and they excel while doing it. In the end, though, it still came down to numbers. It's a half a day trip, almost 600 miles from AA to Bessemer in the UP. It's about four hours and a little over 200 mile drive from Green Bay to Bessemer. DB had it half right about wishing "...the Borseth family the best of everything as they move back home to Green Bay." I think "home" for Coach Borseth is just a bit further north. Go Blue!
mr_annarbor
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 1:02 p.m.
If Brandon thinks he can do better, I wish him luck. Borseth built the UWGB program into a perennial top 20 team. That didn't happen at Michigan, but I don't think you can blame the coach. UM has just never had a reputation as being a basketball school, was in total disarray when Borseth was hired, and aside from few of the Guevara years, has never been a ranked team. Building that kind of program into a powerhouse is a truly Herculean task.
Ben
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 11:56 a.m.
I think you hit the nail on the head with this comment. Well stated. Sorry to see him go. I hope Brandon is smart enough to continue the success with little disruption to the program and promote Dawn P (asst coach) to head coach.
Veracity
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 4:29 a.m.
Here is an opportunity for Dave Brandon to show his interest in promoting women's basketball at the University of Michigan. The top-rated women's teams in the NCAA attract crowds that rival and exceed their men's programs in attendance. Has anyone watched TV broadcasts of Tennessee games or Stanford games or Connecticut games? Michigan should be able to do the same with an elite coach and top-notch facilities.
John william
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 3:54 a.m.
If this was mens basketball Id be worried but he probably realized that Ann Arbor will never support womens basketball there really isn't much of a difference between Michigan and Green Bay girls basketball just more empty seats and better facilities. Ive got no problem with him leaving good luck in the future
Macabre Sunset
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 3:52 a.m.
I was tired of seeing him jumping up and down like a monkey when he didn't like something. I thought he took himself out of games - questionable substitutions in the closing moments, unable to coach the basics in the closing seconds. He was decent, but to take this team to a level where it can challenge for a league title, Michigan needs a better coach. It's too bad Martin let Suzy Merchant go to MSU when she may well have wanted to be here.
giwan
Fri, Apr 6, 2012 : 2:45 a.m.
KB has been a winner at EVERY program he has coached at and brought the pathetic level of bball at AA to levels it had not seen in decades. If you're so good at making substitutions then you better apply for the job.
mr_annarbor
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 12:53 p.m.
Suzy Merchant would have been a good coach here, but I'm not so sure she would have done much better than Borseth. The MSU women's basketball program was already head and shoulders above the UM program at the time. Borseth has narrowed that gap, but it's very difficult to recruit players here, given the fact that the program really doesn't have much of a history of success.
Veracity
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 4:21 a.m.
I was disappointed when Suzy Merchant went north also.
heartbreakM
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 2:37 a.m.
Borseth put in a good 5 years at UM and we should thank him. He was passionate, he got decent results, though not outstanding. Never put the program in jeopardy that we know of. Some people really like other towns, and it sounds to me that Green Bay and Borseth are a good fit.
ArthGuinness
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 1:37 p.m.
Agreed. Best of luck to Borseth, and Go Blue!
Ed daggett
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 2:16 a.m.
Brandon wants to name every coach and than become the school president. His ego is out of control. LC and him hijacked the M program & in time we will all be embarressed
giwan
Fri, Apr 6, 2012 : 2:43 a.m.
Brandon did not hire Beilein
MRunner73
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 3:34 p.m.
Seems a little harsh but you might be right if Mr Beilein suddenly leaves.
John william
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 3:51 a.m.
Im sorry but are you kidding? before David Brandon Michigan Football was being destroyed by Rich Rod and Michigan Basketball hadn't made the ncaa tournament in years. Every single hire that Brandon made has had success within two years and the one "truly" important sport the football team won the sugar bowl.
tim
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 12:14 a.m.
Sort of shocking---- maybe he just likes Green bay -A2 is not for everybody, or perhaps he doesn't like the UM athletic department. If UM wants to be a B10 contender every year then they will have to be very serious about his replacement.
coachcookeAZ
Wed, Apr 4, 2012 : 11:30 p.m.
Bon voyage... never was impressed with his coaching results anyway. Kinda like RichRod a good coach in a small time program not so good in a big time one. Love bringing the Texas coach to UofM. Make it happen! Concern: she did resign because she was exhausted...maybe it was dealing with those people from Texas!
PLGreen
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 1:41 a.m.
And you think dealing with the people in Ann Arbor is easier than dealing with the people in Texas.
Just Blue
Wed, Apr 4, 2012 : 11:07 p.m.
With Goestenkors resigning at Texas it makes sense to bring her back to her home state. Certainly had great success at Duke prior to that.
SalineBob
Thu, Apr 5, 2012 : 4:45 p.m.
Goestenkors said she is "tired" and needs to take a break from basketball. At least at Texas. She could certainly get in a few catnaps here and there with 1,700 people showing up at Crisler to watch women's basketball. Good coach though--worth looking into. See attached link. http://espn.go.com/womens-college-basketball/story/_/id/7710524/texas-longhorns-coach-gail-goestenkors-resigns-says-tired