Mike Brey only needed one season to transform Notre Dame from an obscure program to an NCAA Tournament participant.
He spent the next 22 seasons pursuing the school’s second appearance in the Final Four, and this season will be his final opportunity.
Thursday, Notre Dame announced Brey would step down at the end of the season after guiding the program for a school-record 23 years and winning a school-record 481 games. Athletic Director Jack Swarbrick suggested in a statement that Brey will stay on staff in an unknown capacity.
Brey, 63, said in a statement provided by the athletic department, “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.” “I would like to thank our student-athletes, assistant coaches, and support staff for their significant contributions to the culture we’ve created.”
Brey left Delaware in July 2000 after guiding the Blue Hens to two NCAA Tournaments in three seasons — a feat that was viewed as a mere afterthought in South Bend, considering that in the nine years following Digger Phelps’ retirement in 1991, Notre Dame’s once-premier program had been shut out of the NCAA tournament and had received only three NIT bids.
But the assistant coach under America’s most renowned prep coach, Morgan Wootten of Maryland’s DeMatha High School, and Division I’s most successful college coach, Mike Krzyzewski, helped Notre Dame return to its former glory.
In 2001, Notre Dame ended a 10-year absence from the tournament and made 13 overall tournament appearances under Brey. He tied the school record with 15 tournament victories, and Notre Dame reached the Elite Eight in 2015 and 2016.
“The fact that Mike is the most successful coach in the 119-year history of Notre Dame men’s basketball is a testament to his skill as a coach,” Swarbrick said. “However, his achievements as an educator and mentor of the young men who played for him are even more significant.” In this regard, he represents Notre Dame as well as any coach with whom I have worked during my tenure at the university.”
Brey was significantly more than a basketball coach.
He became a popular campus figure despite being overshadowed by the school’s football program and occasionally the women’s basketball and baseball teams as well.
However, Brey’s performance on the court made the Irish title contenders in two distinct conferences.
Three times he was voted Big East coach of the year, and his 146 conference victories rank fifth all-time. The Associated Press voted Brey coach of the year in 2011 after he led the Irish to a 27-7 record including a 17-0 home record.
Two years after Notre Dame’s 2013 move to the Atlantic Coast League, Brey won the conference tournament by defeating Miami, Duke, and North Carolina during a 32-6 season. The Irish returned to the semifinals of the ACC tournament in 2016 and the ACC title game in 2017, and seven of Brey’s players were selected in the NBA draft.
Recently, however, Brey and the Irish have had a more difficult time. Last season, the Irish were 24-11 and ended a five-year tournament drought. This season, they are 9-10 and off to a 1-7 start in ACC play. During games over the past year, fans could be heard chanting “Fire Brey,” which Brey admitted was fair given the team’s poor performance.
“Mike and I have frequently discussed a future leadership transition for the program over the past few years,” Swarbrick stated. “During our most recent conversation, we both agreed that the end of this season marked the appropriate time.”
Brey is ranked 50th on the Division I career victories list with a record of 580-321. His 481-269 record at Notre Dame places him sixth among active coaches at their current schools. Brey participated in college basketball at Northwestern State and George Washington.
»Mike Brey, coach of Notre Dame, will resign at the end of the season«