Eastern Michigan hires Clemson assistant Billy Donlon as head coach
Eastern Michigan has hired Billy Donlon to be its head men’s basketball coach, per On3’s Pete Nakos confirmed this report. Donlon has been an assistant coach at Clemson since 2022.
Donlon will replace Stan Heath, who had been Eastern Michigan’s head coach since 2021. He led the program to a 57-99 overall record and a 29-63 mark in conference play during his tenure. Eastern Michigan never reached the NCAA Tournament under Heath.
Eastern Michigan won’t be Donlon’s first head coaching gig. He was Kansas City‘s head coach from 2019-22, leading the Roos to a 46-39 record.
Prior to taking the reins at Kansas City, Donlon was the head man at Wright State from 2010-16. Under Donlon, Wright State posted a 109-94 overall record and a 53-49 mark in the Horizon League. In Donlon’s final season at Wright State, the Raiders finished second in their conference.
Since joining Clemson’s staff in 2022, Donlon has helped the Tigers’ men’s basketball program make significant strides. In Donlon’s first year at Clemson, the program reached the NIT.
In each of the three years since then, Clemson has reached the NCAA Tournament. Most notably, the Tigers made a run to the Elite Eight in the 2023-24 season. Donlon has also served as an assistant on staff at Michigan and Northwestern.
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Donlon has a tall task ahead of him at Eastern Michigan. The Eagles went 10-21 this season and finished 11th in the MAC standings. After firing Stan Heath, Eastern Michigan athletic director Scott Wetherbee emphasized the school’s dedication to success moving forward.
“Our expectation is to compete for championships and to contend at the highest level each season,” Wetherbee said in a statement. “While we have not met that standard, our commitment to reaching it remains firm. This is one of the most attractive positions in our conference and region.
“We offer a first-class student-athlete experience, strong institutional support, and premier facilities. We will begin a search immediately to identify a leader who will build on our foundation and guide our men’s basketball program toward sustained success on and off the court.”
Evidently, Donlon is the leader EMU was looking for. The work will immediately begin for Donlon, who must begin to secure returning players, while also planning for the opening of the transfer portal.