KALAMAZOO, Mich. — After 19 years as an assistant coach at Michigan State, DJ Stephens had a warm welcome to his new post as the Head Coach of the Western Michigan Men's basketball team.
"We will be winners at Western Michigan," said Stephens. "What are you getting in DJ Stephens as a coach? Over everything you're getting a winner. Everywhere that I've been, I've won. I've been a winner".
Stephens is from Royal Oak Township, Mich., graduated from Ferndale High School and went to play at Michigan State. He also briefly coached at Oakland University and Marquette University before coming back to East Lansing.
"I think you're going to get a guy when he talks abut community, it's going to be big but when he talks about this athletic department. And when you go to those events, that's when you meet these students. Because some are hockey fans that never went to basketball, now they see DJ there. I think they're going to have fun with him here, ya know? I just think it's going to be a real smooth fit," said Michigan State coach, Tom Izzo.
The Broncos were 8-23 last season. They only won four games in the MAC. Stephens is their third head coach in the last five season.
