Billy Donlon: Clemson Assistant to Eastern Michigan Head Coach

0:00On March 17, Billy Donlon, an assistant coach for the Clemson men's basketball team, is stepping up to his third head coaching job at Eastern Michigan. The school made the announcement on Tuesday, replacing Stan Heath, who got fired earlier this month. Donlon will stick around with Clemson through their NCAA tournament run. The Tigers face Iowa on Friday in Tampa, Florida, so he'll be on the bench with head coach Brad Brownell for now. Brownell shared his excitement, noting their 30-year connection that started when Donlon played at UNC Wilmington, and Brownell was an assistant. There, over the past four seasons at Clemson, Donlon led the defense and worked closely with the guards, playing a big role in the team's success. This move comes full circle for Donlon, who first took a head job at Wright State after Brownell left for Clemson back in 2010. He also coached at the University of Missouri, Kansas City from 2019 to 2022. With Clemson eyeing a strong tournament showing, Donlon gears up to build a character-driven program at Eastern Michigan, focusing on tough play and player growth on and off the court.