Penn State hires Micah Shrewsberry as Men’s Basketball Coach

Micah Shrewsberry (courtesy Penn State Athletics)

3/15/2021

Veteran coach’s resume includes coaching roles at Purdue, Butler and the Boston Celtics

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. –Penn State Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Sandy Barbour announced Monday the hiring of Purdue Associate Head Coach Micah Shrewsberry as the 14th men’s basketball head coach in Penn State history. Shrewsberry comes to Penn State with a wealth of experience as an assistant coach for a pair of nationally ranked programs and in the NBA. He also has two years of head coaching experience.
 
“Micah was a name that immediately jumped to the top of our list with his experience in the Big Ten and the NBA,” said Barbour. “He has had success at all levels and knows what it takes to develop a program into a consistent national contender. He has learned from and worked under some of the most respected coaches in the country in Brad Stevens and Matt Painter. Micah will be an exceptional leader for the young men in our basketball program and I can’t wait for him to get to know our student-athletes. We know he will be a great addition to our Penn State family!”
 
“I’m extremely humbled and excited to be the next head coach at Penn State University,” said Shrewsberry. “I want to thank Dr. Barron, Sandy BarbourLynn Holleran and the rest of the search committee involved in this process. The values of this university and its commitment to excellence are the major reasons why this job was so appealing to me. I can’t wait to arrive on campus to begin working with our tremendous student-athletes. My family and I are looking forward to becoming a part of the Nittany Lion family!”
 
“Micah is an outstanding coach, with a breadth of experience, who will do great things for our program,” said Penn State President Eric Barron. “He is respected nationally as an outstanding talent, and brings an unwavering commitment to the academic success and overall wellbeing of our student-athletes. I am pleased he will be joining the Penn State family and look forward to the program’s development under his leadership.” 
 
Shrewsberry spent the last two seasons with Big Ten foe Purdue University as the associate head coach. As the offensive coordinator, Shrewsberry helped lead the Boilermakers to a fourth-place finish with a 13-6 Big Ten record in 2020-21. Purdue finished with an 18-9 overall mark and earned an NCAA Tournament berth this season. Trevion Williams claimed first-team All-Big Ten honors, while Zach Edey and Jaden Ivey were All-Freshman Team selections.
 
Prior to his time at Purdue, Shrewsberry spent six seasons (2013-19) with the NBA’s Boston Celtics as an assistant coach. During his tenure, the Celtics reached the playoffs in five consecutive seasons, including back-to-back appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 and 2018. Under Shrewsberry, Boston ranked sixth in the NBA in 3-pointers made and seventh in 3-point field goal percentage in the 2018-19 season and was second in 3-point field goal percentage in 2017-18, behind the NBA champion Golden State Warriors.
 
Shrewsberry played a key role in the development of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, who were the No. 3 picks in the 2016 and 2017 NBA Drafts, respectively. Tatum was an NBA All-Rookie Team first-team selection, while Brown earned second-team All-Rookie honors. Shrewsberry was also an assistant coach in the 2017 NBA All-Star Game.
 
Shrewsberry’s first stint as an assistant coach at Purdue spanned the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons where he helped the Boilers reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament. He played an integral role in helping Purdue’s offense lead the country in fewest turnovers per game with 8.74 in 2011-12. Under Shrewsberry, Terone Johnson was one of the most improved players in the Big Ten in 2011-12, improving his field goal percentage by nearly 13 percent and upping his scoring average by more than five points per game from his freshman to sophomore year.
 
The Indianapolis native spent four seasons at Butler University under head coach Brad Stevens. He started his time with the Bulldogs as the coordinator of basketball operations before serving as an assistant coach for three seasons. With Shrewsberry on the bench, the Bulldogs compiled an 87-21 record, won two Horizon League regular-season championships and two Horizon League Tournament titles, and made three NCAA Tournament appearances.
 
During Shrewsberry’s time at Butler, the Bulldogs reached the 2010 and 2011 National Championship games. He aided in the development of Gordon Hayward, who was the 2009 Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, 2010 Horizon League Player of the Year in 2010 and on the Final Four All-Tournament Team in 2010. Hayward was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft by the Utah Jazz.
 
Shrewsberry was the head coach at Indiana University-South Bend from 2005-07. He served as the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) Division I Men’s Basketball Chair in 2006-07. In his second season at the helm, the Titans showed a nine-game improvement from his inaugural season.
 
He was also the director of basketball operations at Marshall University (2003-05) and an assistant coach at DePauw University (2001-03) and Wabash College (2000-01). At DePauw, Shrewsberry led the Tigers to a 42-12 record with a pair of conference championships. Shrewsberry started his coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Indianapolis in 1999-2000.
 
As player, Shrewsberry was a three-year starting guard and team tri-captain at Hanover College. He led the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in free throw shooting (.833) and assists (4.4) in 1998-99.
 
Shrewsberry earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Hanover College in 1999 and a master’s degree in sports management from Indiana State in 2003. He and his wife, Molly, have four children, Braeden, Nicholas, Caitlin and Grace.
 
Fans are able to sign up for the interest list for tickets for the 2021-22 men’s basketball season by clicking here.
 
The Shrewsberry File
 
Personal
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
Education: Hanover College, 1999 – B.A. in physical education; Indiana State University, 2003 – M.S. in sports management
Family: Wife: Molly; Sons: Braeden, Nicholas; Daughters: Caitlin, Grace
 
Coaching Career
2019-21            Purdue – Associate Head Coach
2013-19            Boston Celtics – Assistant Coach
2011-13            Purdue – Assistant Coach
2008-11            Butler – Assistant Coach
2007-08            Butler – Coordinator of Basketball Operations
2005-07            IU-South Bend – Head Coach
2003-05            Marshall – Director of Basketball Operations
2001-03            DePauw – Assistant Coach
2001-01            Wabash – Assistant Coach
1999-2000        University of Indianapolis– Graduate Assistant Coach
 
Prominent Players Coached
Jaylen Brown – Boston Celtics
Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
Isaiah Thomas – Boston Celtics
Al Horford – Boston Celtics
Kyrie Irving – Boston Celtics
Marcus Smart – Boston Celtics
Rajon Rondo – Boston Celtics
Gordon Hayward – Butler, Charlotte Hornets, 2010 NBA Draft Pick
Shelvin Mack – Butler, 2011 NBA Draft Pick
Robbie Hummel – Purdue, 2012 NBA Draft Pick

COURTESY PENN STATE ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS

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