Dwayne Stephens was hired as the 15th head coach in the history of the Western Michigan men's basketball program in April of 2022. The 2025-26 campaign will be his fourth at the helm of the Broncos.
The 2024-25 campaign saw Western Michigan return to the MAC Tournament, making it back-to-back appearances in Cleveland for the Broncos for the first time since the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons. Along the way, WMU collected five MAC road wins, its most in league play since 2013-14. The first MAC road win for the Brown and Gold came at Kent State, a place the Broncos had not won in over a decade. The final road triumph came at Bowling Green in the regular season finale, and punched Western Michigan's ticket to Cleveland.
WMU junior guard Chansey Willis Jr. paced the MAC in both scoring and assists, and was named to the All-MAC Second Team, the program's first Second Team selection since Thomas Wilder in 2016. The Broncos also continued to dominate the glass, leading the league in offensive rebounding for the third straight season. Western Michigan's 13.2 offensive boards per game ranked 24th in NCAA Division I, and its overall average of 37.8 rebounds was second-best in the MAC and 54th in the country. The Brown and Gold led the league with five Academic All-MAC selections, tied for the most in program history, and set new program records with four CSC Academic All-District honorees and seven named to the NABC Honors Court. WMU also earned the NABC Team Academic Excellence Award for the third consecutive year.
During his second season in Kalamazoo, Western Michigan improved its overall win total by four and its conference win total by five over the prior campaign. The Broncos tied for sixth in the MAC standings and made their first appearance in Cleveland at the MAC Tournament since the 2016-17 campaign. Along the way, WMU won its first non-conference event since 2013 by winning its bracket of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla., and set single-game program records for points (127), three-pointers (18) and assists (34) in its final tune-up before MAC play. In league action, the Brown and Gold secured their first-ever regular season sweep over Buffalo, swept Miami for the first time since 2017-18, and then clinched a place in the MAC Tournament with a 90-84 win over Akron on Senior Night in front of a national audience on CBS Sports Network.
The Broncos continued their success on the glass, once again proving to be one of the top rebounding teams in the MAC. Western Michigan led the conference and ranked 34th in the nation in offensive rebounding at 12.6 per game, and was also atop the league in rebounding margin in conference play at +4.6/game. WMU was second in the MAC in total rebounding (37.9) and third in overall rebounding margin (+2.6). After hitting 250 triples as a team in 2022-23, the Brown and Gold drained 253 in 2023-24 to establish a new second-best mark in school history. JaVaughn Hannah became the program's third-ever winner of the MAC Sixth Man of the Year award, and B. Artis White was named All-MAC Honorable Mention. Hannah and Max Burton were named Academic All-MAC and became WMU's first Academic All-District honorees since 2019. As a team, Western Michigan set new program records for GPAs in both a single semester (3.45 in the Fall) and academic year (3.41).
Stephens captured his first win as head coach of the Broncos on Nov. 10, 2022, as WMU defeated Goshen College, 99-62, in what was also Stephens' first home game at the helm. Western Michigan's new leader also won his first two MAC home games, taking care of business against Eastern Michigan (85-79) and Bowling Green (108-92). The win over BGSU marked the first 100-point game for the Broncos against a conference opponent in nearly 15 years.
In his first season at the helm, Stephens helped WMU vastly improve its rebounding, as the Broncos went from ranking near the bottom of the conference in 2021-22 all the way to the top of the MAC in rebounding margin (+4.7/game, 34th nationally) and offensive rebounding (12.2/game, 27th nationally). Western Michigan had strong play from the outside as well, as the team combined to hit 250 three-pointers, then the second-most in a single season in program history. Senior guard Lamar Norman Jr. became the 45th player in program history to reach 1,000 career points, and also earned an All-MAC Honorable Mention selection. Freshman guard Seth Hubbard came on strong late in the season to earn a spot on the MAC's All-Freshman Team.
Stephens arrived in Kalamazoo after spending 19 seasons as an assistant at Michigan State under legendary head coach Tom Izzo, the last 10 of which were as Associate Head Coach. Overall, he coached in 20 consecutive NCAA Tournaments and reached six Final Fours. At MSU, he helped guide the Spartans to six Big Ten Championships, as well as four Big Ten Tournament titles.
Among his many responsibilities at Michigan State, Stephens was a large part of MSU’s player development, scouting and recruiting efforts. He worked closely with 11 Spartans selected in the last 11 NBA drafts, including seven frontcourt players (Draymond Green, Adreian Payne, Branden Dawson, Deyonta Davis, Miles Bridges, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Xavier Tillman Sr.). After being named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2016-17, Bridges returned to school and was a consensus Second Team All-America selection. In 2017-18, Jackson was the first Big Ten player to earn the league’s Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year awards in the same season since 2007. Davis developed into an NBA draftee after just one season, while Dawson finished his career as MSU’s all-time leader in blocked shots. Payne was a two-time All-Big Ten performer and a first-round pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. Tillman was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, a Second Team All-Conference performer and chosen in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft.
Under Stephens’ guidance, Green was the 2012 NABC Division I Player of the Year, a consensus First Team All-American and the Big Ten Player of the Year. Green led the Big Ten in rebounding his senior year at 10.6 per game, and concluded his career as the Spartans’ all-time leading rebounder. Paul Davis was a three-time All-Big Ten honoree and was named an honorable mention All-American by the Associated Press in 2003-04. Davis and 2009 All-Big Ten performer Goran Suton also went on to become NBA draft picks.
In total, 30 different Spartans earned some form of All-Big Ten recognition during his tenure, with Michigan State posting an overall mark of 477-189 (.716) with five Final Fours. MSU led the nation in rebounding in 2009, 2010, 2016 and 2019, and topped the Big Ten in 10 of his 19 seasons.
Recognized as one of the top recruiters in the nation, Stephens also played a major role in many highly-ranked recruiting classes. In 2020, The Stadium listed him as the top assistant coach in the Big Ten Conference. The 2016-17 Sporting News College Basketball Yearbook named him as the best recruiter in the Big Ten. A May 2014 article by Jeff Goodman and Jay Bilas at ESPN.com had Stephens as one of the Top-15 Recruiting Assistants according to a vote of his peers. In 2012, Bleacher Report listed him among the Top-10 Best Assistant Coaches and the Top-10 Recruiters. He was among the top five coaches on a list of the “Top-25 High-Major Assistants”, according to FoxSports.com in 2010. In 2008, he was listed among the top-20 High Major Assistants in the nation by Goodman at FoxSports.com. He was named a Rivals.com Class of 2006 Top-25 Recruiter.
Prior to his time in East Lansing, Stephens spent four seasons as an assistant coach on Tom Crean’s staff at Marquette. In 2001, Brian Wardle became the school’s first-ever First Team All-Conference USA honoree. The Golden Eagles made the NCAA Tournament in each of his last two seasons, advancing all the way to the Final Four in 2003. Dwyane Wade was a two-time All-Conference performer and a 2003 Associated Press First Team All-American before going on to be the fifth pick in the 2003 NBA Draft.
Before landing at Marquette, Stephens spent two seasons at Oakland University, aiding the Golden Grizzlies to 27 wins as the program transitioned to full Division I membership.
A Ferndale, Mich., native, Stephens was a four-year letterwinner at Michigan State from 1989-93. In his four seasons, the Spartans were 84-38 and made four postseason appearances. As a freshman, he was named to Basketball Weekly’s Freshman All-America Team, and scored the game-winning basket in a victory over Purdue that clinched the Big Ten Championship.
As a junior, he was named All-Big Ten Honorable Mention, and averaged 16.0 points in a pair of NCAA Tournament games. As a senior co-captain in 1992-93, he averaged 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists to earn a spot on the Basketball Weekly Honorable Mention All-Midwest Team. Following his collegiate career, Stephens played three professional seasons in Europe.
Stephens earned a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from MSU in 1993. He and his wife, Sarah, have three children, Taylor, Skylar and Noah.
Stephens’ Career Coaching Record
| Year |
School |
Position |
Record |
Postseason |
| 1997-98 |
Oakland University |
Assistant Coach |
15-12 |
None |
| 1998-99 |
Oakland University |
Assistant Coach |
12-15 |
None |
| 1999-00 |
Marquette |
Assistant Coach |
17-14 |
NIT First Round |
| 2000-01 |
Marquette |
Assistant Coach |
17-14 |
None |
| 2001-02 |
Marquette |
Assistant Coach |
28-7 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2002-03 |
Marquette |
Assistant Coach |
29-6 |
Final Four |
| 2003-04 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
18-12 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2004-05 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
26-7 |
Final Four |
| 2005-06 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
22-12 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2006-07 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
23-12 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2007-08 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
27-9 |
Sweet Sixteen |
| 2008-09 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
31-7 |
National Runner-Up |
| 2009-10 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
28-9 |
Final Four |
| 2010-11 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
19-15 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2011-12 |
Michigan State |
Assistant Coach |
29-8 |
Sweet Sixteen |
| 2012-13 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
27-9 |
Sweet Sixteen |
| 2013-14 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
29-9 |
Elite Eight |
| 2014-15 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
27-12 |
Final Four |
| 2015-16 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
29-6 |
NCAA First Round |
| 2016-17 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
20-15 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2017-18 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
30-5 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2018-19 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
32-7 |
Final Four |
| 2019-20 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
22-9 |
Canceled due to COVID-19 |
| 2020-21 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
15-13 |
NCAA First Four |
| 2021-22 |
Michigan State |
Assoc. Head Coach |
23-13 |
NCAA Second Round |
| 2022-23 |
Western Michigan |
Head Coach |
8-23 |
None |
| 2023-24 |
Western Michigan |
Head Coach |
12-20 |
None |
| 2024-25 |
Western Michigan |
Head Coach |
12-20 |
None |
| 28 Seasons |
|
|
627-320 (.662) |
20 NCAA appearances,
6 Final Fours |
