Mike Brey Named Head Men's Basketball Coach

July 14, 2000

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NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Mike Brey, whose teams at the University of Delaware won an unprecedented 20 or more games and earned postseason bids each of the last three seasons, has been named the 17th head men’s basketball coach at the University of Notre Dame.

Brey brings with him five years of head coaching experience with the Blue Hens — and he’s also a veteran of eight seasons as a Duke assistant coach under Mike Krzyzewski, with the Blue Devils advancing to the NCAA Final Four six times during those eight years.

“Mike Brey brings to Notre Dame all the characteristics and elements you’d like to see in a college basketball head coach,” said Notre Dame director of athletics Kevin White.

“His experiences along the way — at De Matha, at Duke and at Delaware — provide him with a tremendous background for what he will encounter at Notre Dame. Of course, I talked to dozens of coaches and administrators as well as select others throughout this process, and there wasn’t a single person who didn’t have the highest regard for Mike both professionally and personally. With that said, I truly believe that our men’s basketball program is going to have some great opportunities in the coming seasons and I am confident that Mike is the ideal person to lead the Irish program wherein we can expect to realize our full potential.”

Delaware had made only two previous trips to the NCAA tournament prior to Brey’s arrival — but he doubled that total in his third and fourth seasons with the Blue Hens. In 1997-98, his team ended up 20-10 overall, won the America East Conference title with a 12-6 mark and saw its coach named co-America East coach of the year. Delaware entered the ’98 NCAA tournament as a number-15 seed before falling to Purdue.

A year later in 1998-99, the Blue Hens repeated as America East champions, finished 25-6 (15-3 in league play) and then as a number-13 seed lost to 20th-rated Tennessee in the NCAA tournament. This past season, Delaware finished 24-8 (14-4 in conference play) and received a National Invitation Tournament bid (losing to Villanova in the first round).

In Brey’s five seasons with the Blue Hens, Delaware ranked as the only team to finish in the top half of the league standings in each of those seasons. His .656 winning percentage in those five seasons ranks as the second best in the country (behind only Michigan State’s Tom Izzo) among those Division I head coaches who took over in 1995-96.

His five years at Delaware combined to produce a 99-52 record for Brey, including a 60-30 record in America East competition. His teams’ on-court success helped set Delaware attendance records as well. The Blue Hens in 1998-99 averaged a record 4,815 fans (in 5,000-seat Acierno Arena), including nine sellouts. Then in 1999-2000, they topped that figure with a 4,989 average and a dozen sellouts.

His first season in 1995-96 featured a 15-12 record that marked Delaware’s best since 1992-93 — and an 11-7 league mark good for fourth place.

Since Brey has been at Delaware, every senior who has completed his eligibility has graduated — including all-America East forward Mike Pegues, a 2000 third-team GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-American and the America East Scholar-Athlete of the Year for 1997-98.

Off the court, Brey proved to be a driving force in bringing the Philadelphia 76ers training camp as well as the first-ever one-site America East Conference Men’s Basketball Tournament to the Bob Carpenter Center, with Delaware as host.

Among guest speakers at his summer basketball camp at Delaware have been NBA standouts Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, Danny Ferry, Bobby Hurley and New York Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy.

He also has been active in the Coaches vs. Cancer program, helping make Delaware one of the top fund-raising schools in the country through that program.

Prior to taking over at Delaware, Brey served under Krzyzewski for eight seasons beginning in 1987-88. During that time, he saw the Blue Devils advance to six NCAA Final Fours, four national title games and claim the NCAA championship in both 1991 and 1992. The Blue Devils finished a combined 216-65 (.769) during his eight seasons and won 24 or more games in seven of those seasons.

During his years at Duke, Brey also served as a clinician in Nottingham, England, in the summer of 1990, and assisted Duke associate coach Pete Gaudet on the Atlantic Coast Conference Select Team tour of Canada in 1993.

Brey previously spent five seasons as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater, De Matha High School in Hyattsville, Md., under legendary coach Morgan Wooten. He served as head junior varsity coach and varsity assistant beginning in 1982. During those five years, De Matha combined to finish 139-22, claim four league crowns, two city titles — as well as a number-one ranking by USA Today in 1984.

The Rockville, Md., native played two seasons at De Matha under Wooten, with the Stags finishing a combined 55-9 during Brey’s time there. A standout guard, he played three seasons at Northwestern Louisiana State, leading the team in assists and steals all three years. After transferring to George Washington, he played for the Colonials as a senior, was named team captain and won team MVP honors.

Born March 22, 1959, Brey is a 1982 graduate of George Washington, with a degree in physical education. He and his wife Tish (she is a former volleyball standout at George Washington and served as a Delaware assistant volleyball coach for two seasons) are parents to two children — Kyle, 13, and Callie, 10.

What They Are Saying About Mike Brey

Morgan Wooten

Head Coach, DeMatha (Md.) High School

“Mike Brey is a brilliant selection. He is one of the great young head coaches in America. Mike is the total package — he’s a teacher, educator, knows the game and can relate to his players extremely well. He will represent the University of Notre Dame in the finest imaginable fashion. Mike is a winner in every aspect.”

Dick Vitale

ESPN College Basketball Analyst

“Mike Brey brings a wealth of basketball knowledge to Notre Dame. He was a vital part of Duke going to the NCAA Final Four six out of eight seasons. He also was brilliant at Delaware in leading Delaware to national recognition. He will bring excitement, energy and a lot of enthusiasm to the Golden Dome. He is going to be awesome baby!”

Tommy Amaker

Head Coach, Seton Hall University

“I was very fortunate to work with Mike Brey for seven years when we were both assistant coaches. Mike is not only a former colleague but also a great friend. I am thrilled for the Brey family, for the University of Notre Dame and for our league. I know that Mike will do a tremendous job at a very special institution.”

Mike Krzyzewski

Head Coach, Duke University

“What a perfect fit! Mike has the background which is totally suited for the level of success that Notre Dame wants and deserves. He and his family will be absolutely terrific in representing Notre Dame. I’m so happy for all of them.”

C.M. Newton

Recently retired Athletic Director, University of Kentucky

“This is just a tremendous hire on Notre Dame’s part and a tremendous decision on Mike Brey’s part to accept the job. It’s a great fit. Notre Dame is getting an outstanding young basketball coach who totally understands the concept of a student-athlete, and a man who possesses character and integrity in the coaching profession. It will be a great opportunity for Mike to coach at Notre Dame for what could be one of the great college basketball programs.”

The Mike Brey Record

AS HEAD COACH at DELAWARE (five years)

AS ASSISTANT COACH at DUKE (eight years)

CURRENT DIVISION I HEAD COACHES with FIVE YEARS as a HEAD COACH