Midwestern State’s Nelson Haggerty resigned as men’s basketball coach Tuesday afternoon.

The announcement ends a 10-year association with MSU Texas which produced 209 wins, seven NCAA Division II tournament appearances, five Lone Star Conference championships and three Elite Eight showings.

“We have been honored to be a part of Coach Haggerty’s career path, and we appreciate the dedication he has shown to our men’s basketball program,” MSU Texas President Suzanne Shipley said. “The fondness his players felt for him was mirrored by our fans’ affection for him and his teams. We thank him for his efforts on behalf of MSU and wish him well.”

The two-time Lone Star Conference Coach of the Year posted a 154-88 record in his eight seasons as head men’s basketball coach.

“I commend Coach Haggerty for his commitment to our men’s basketball program and thank him for his decade of service,” Athletics Director Kyle Williams said. “Nelson was instrumental in the development and character building of our student-athletes. He gave us several great years of winning basketball. He is a true professional and we wish Nelson and his family all the best in his future plans.”

In his first five seasons at the helm, Haggerty continued a successful era leading the Mustangs to NCAA Division II postseason appearances each year which included a trip to the Elite Eight and four Lone Star Confere
nce championships.

Haggerty started his tenure at Midwestern State as the top assistant for Grant McCasland in 2009 helping the Mustangs to 55 wins and to their first NCAA Division II Elite Eight showings in each of his first two seasons on staff.

However, Midwestern struggled over the past two-and-a-half seasons posting a 22-47 mark after winning 12 of its first 16 games to start the 2016-17 season.

The Mustangs failed to win at least 10 games this season for the first time in 61 years and snapped a string of 10 consecutive Lone Star Conference postseason appearances. MSU Texas posted a 9-19 overall record and finished tied for eighth in the league at 5-13.

The Mustangs placed sixth in the LSC in 2017-18, but suffered their first sub-.500 ledger in 15 seasons with an 11-18 mark. MSU Texas was 14-14 with a seventh-place league finish in 2016-17.

A national search for the next Midwestern State men’s basketball coach begins immediately.

https://msumustangs.com/news/2019/3/12/haggerty-resigns-as-mens-basketball-coach.aspx