Report | Notre Dame Basketball Coach Mike Brey to Retire Following 2022-23 Season
Notre Dame head basketball coach Mike Brey plans to retire following the 2022-23 season per a report from Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune.
A source also confirmed Brey’s plans to ISD on Thursday afternoon prior to the university announcing the program will be looking for a new head coach following this season.
“Mike (Brey) and I have talked often in recent years about a future transition in the program’s leadership and during our most recent conversation we reached the mutual conclusion that the end of this season represented the right time,” said University Vice President and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick in a statement.
“That Mike (Brey) is the winningest coach in the 119-year history of Notre Dame men’s basketball speaks to his skill as a teacher of the game. His even greater legacy, however, lies in his achievements as an educator and mentor of the young men who played for him. In that sense, he represents this University as well as any coach I have worked with during my time at Notre Dame. And for that reason, I look forward to working with Mike to define his future role within Notre Dame Athletics.”
Brey, who is in his 23rd year at Notre Dame, is the program’s all-time winningest coach as he’s the only head coach to top 400 career victories in South Bend. As of Thursday, Brey sits at 481 career victories as the Irish head man and his 571 victories (entering the season) sat No. 17 among active head coaches at the Division I level.
Under Brey’s leadership, Notre Dame has gone to 13 NCAA tournament berths, three Sweet 16 trips, two Elite Eight appearances and a 2015 ACC Championship.
“It has been a great run for me and our program over the past two decades, but it is time for a new voice to lead this group into the future,” said Brey. “I want to thank our student-athletes, assistant coaches and support staff who have played such a key role in the culture we have created.”
“From Fr. Malloy hiring me, to Fr. Jenkins’ guidance and Jack’s (Swarbrick) friendship, I leave this place with immense gratitude to the University and I’m proud of everything we’ve accomplished together. I look forward to working with Jack in any role that can help the Notre Dame family.”
In 2011, Brey won the AP and Henry Iba/USBWA National Coach of the Year award after guiding the Irish to a 27-7 record and finished second in the Big East. Brey was also named Big East Coach of the Year in 2007 and 2008.
Before taking the job at Notre Dame in 2000, Brey led Delaware to a 99-52 record and won the American East Co-Coach of the Year in 1998. Prior to his five seasons at Delaware, Brey spent eight years at Duke as an assistant, which included six Final Fours and back-to-back National Titles in 1991 and 1992.
Fast forward to present day and the Irish program has underachieved five of the last six years under Brey, including the 1-7 start in ACC play this season after making the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Notre Dame is also on the verge of its third losing season since 2018.
The rough start to the 2022-23 season had Brey without answers on Tuesday night after the Irish lost 84-71 to Florida State at home.
“You do run out of stuff (to say),” explained Brey. “This is a group that’s played a lot of basketball. They’re thoroughly disappointed at where they’re at. We all are. If it was all freshmen, but it’s some old dudes. I told them, ‘I love you like Kyle Brey, but I think I’ve spoiled you like I’ve done Kyle Brey at times.’
“I told them that. So we’ll figure it out. God, I misread us.”
Stay with IrishSportsDaily.com for the latest surrounding Brey’s situation.
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