Micah Shrewsberry was announced as the 14th men’s basketball head coach in Penn State history on March 15, 2021, and enters his second season in Happy Valley in 2022-23. Shrewsberry came to Penn State with a wealth of experience and success at both the collegiate and NBA levels, having coached in six NCAA Tournaments, two NCAA Final Fours, five NBA Playoffs, and two NBA Conference Finals.
Shrewsberry immediately put his stamp on the Nittany Lion program during his first season at the helm. He engineered the Big Ten’s best scoring defense in 2021-22 and guided the Nittany Lions to their best defensive season (65.0 points allowed per game) in 11 years. The Nittany Lions advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament after winning two postseason games, making Shrewsberry one of just two first-year Big Ten coaches since 2008 to win two Big Ten Tournament games. The regular season saw Penn State earn a number of statement wins, including victories over 19th-ranked Michigan State, Big Ten Tournament champion Iowa, and NCAA Tournament participants Indiana and Rutgers.
Shrewsberry’s efforts on the recruiting trail were felt immediately as he and the Penn State staff signed the highest ranked recruiting class in Penn State men’s basketball history in November 2021, less than eight months into his tenure in Happy Valley. The 2022 signing class ranks as a consensus top-30 class in the nation by all major recruiting services.
Prior to Penn State, Shrewsberry spent the previous two seasons with Big Ten foe Purdue 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 in 2021. Trevion Williams claimed first-team All-Big Ten honors, while Zach Edey and Jaden Ivey were All-Freshman Team selections.
Before 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 current NBA stars 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.
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
2021-present Penn State - Head Coach
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
