MSU Basketball Coach Tom Izzo’s Wife Lupe Marinez Izzo Belongs To Mexican Family
Dylan Hughes
Published May 15, 2026
MSU Basketball Coach Tom Izzo’s Wife Lupe Marinez Izzo Belongs To Mexican Family
Lupe's mother was also born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, and raised in Crystal City, Texas.
May 3, 2026
This article was last updated by Manoj Gadtaula on May 2, 2026
Tom Izzo’s wife, Lupe, grew up in East Lansing and is a massive fan of the Big Ten College town.
After Alan Haller left Michigan State, Tom Izzo and deputy director Jennifer Smith were set to serve as co-interim athletic directors while the University searched for a permanent replacement.
A formal search for a new athletic director is expected to be launched in the coming weeks. In a , Michigan State University President Kevin M. Guskiewicz said,
“This is a pivotal time for college athletics, where innovation, effective communications and community engagement are more important than ever,” “Our next athletic director will lead one of the nation’s more storied athletic programs, home to 23 varsity sports, a passionate fan base, a long legacy of academic and athletic excellence and, most importantly, an ambitious future.”
Izzo is one of the winningest coaches in college basketball history and has long been seen as synonymous with Michigan State athletics.
He served as an assistant at Michigan State from 1983 to 1995 under legendary figure Jud Heathcote before taking over the program in 1995.
Tom has led Michigan State to eight Final Fours, 11 Big Ten titles, and six Big Ten Tournament championships and led the program to its second-ever national title in 2000.
He was into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame and is the seventh-winningest active head coach in college basketball with 737 career victories.
Tom Izzo And Lupe Marinez Are Parents Of Two Kids
American basketball coach Tom Izzo married Lupe Marinez Izzo in May 1992, and they have been together for over 34 years.
The couple through Tom’s sister, who was working as a secretary for Jud Heathcote in the basketball office.
Tom and Lupe are parents of two kids, daughter Raquel Izzo McDonald and son Steven Mateen Izzo.
Raquel Izzo McDonald, 31, was born in August 1994. She from Michigan State University in 2017 and started working for the Spartan Fund.
She got engaged to Matthew McDonald in 2019 at Walt Disney World. They married on July 25, 2026, and held their wedding celebration on July 9, 2026.
They welcomed their first child, a daughter named Isabelle Frances-Izzo McDonald, 2, on July 22, 2026.
On the other hand, Steven Mateen Izzo, 25, was adopted by Tom and Lupe four days after his birth on June 16, 2000.
His middle name, Mateen, is a tribute to Mateen Cleaves, a sports hero and former Michigan State basketball player.
He graduated from Lansing Catholic High School in May 2019 and later attended Michigan State University, where he played basketball as a .
Lupe Marinez Izzo’s Parents Are Originally From Mexico
Lupe’s parents, Efrain and Francisca, married in 1944 in Crystal City. Although they lived in the United States, they were originally from Mexico.
Therefore, they hold American nationality and Mexican-American ethnicity.
Her father, Efrain Portillo Marinez, was and raised in Crystal City, Texas. In 1939, he settled in Michigan and worked and managed area farms.
He was an active member of the Lansing Farm Workers Committee and participated in marches in support of farm laborers alongside his friend Cesar Chavez.
Sadly, Efrain passed away on January 4, 2010, at 87, due to the complications of diabetes.
On the other hand, Lupe’s mother was also born in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, and raised in Crystal City, Texas.
Sadly, she on Monday, March 28, 2011 at 85. Funeral services were held on Thursday, March 31, 2011, at Cristo Rey Catholic Church.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- In 2005 and 2006, Tom Izzo participated in Operation Hardwood, in which college coaches went to Kuwait military camps to coach basketball teams of American service members.
- Tom Izzo, who is of Italian and Finnish descent, was born and raised in Iron Mountain in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, near the Wisconsin border.
- On March 8, 2026, Izzo surpassed Bob Knight for the most wins by a men’s basketball coach at a Big Ten school with 663.
- He won the Dean Smith Award which is awarded to “an individual in college basketball who embodies the spirit and values of the late North Carolina coaching great.
- Check other Articles on
Rohit Maharjan is a skilled content writer and editor, known for his expertise in crafting engaging and informative written pieces. Beyond his professional work, Rohit is also a passionate musician, dedicating his free time to playing the guitar and creating melodious tunes.
Related articles
May 4, 2026
May 1, 2026
April 21, 2026
April 15, 2026
Comments
LEAVE A REPLY
Comment: Please enter your comment! Name:* Please enter your name here Email:* You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here
Δ
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam.
Share article
- May 13, 2026 Residents of Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, are raising serious concerns after a series of violent incidents involving a group of young boys who have been targeting...
- May 13, 2026 Andrew O' Donnell of Fairfield, Connecticut, passed away at the age of 39. He was born in Fairfield, Connecticut, and later moved to Ancramdale, New...
- May 12, 2026 Judy (Evans) Milby of Rockwall, Texas, passed away on Saturday at the age of 80. Milby was born on July 25, 1945, to her father,...
- May 12, 2026 Residents of Dromore, Co. Down, are calling for action after a deeply concerning incident at the local play park, where older children were reported...
- May 11, 2026 A video circulating on Facebook has sparked a heated debate among Bell Gardens residents after police were called on a group of kids riding...
