Illinois State Announces Dan Muller Will Not Return Following 2021-22 Season

NORMAL, Ill. – Illinois State athletic director Kyle Brennan announced Sunday that Dan Muller will not return as men’s basketball coach after the conclusion of this season. He’ll remain as coach through the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.

Muller, a former two-time MVC Defensive Player of the Year for the Redbirds, is in his 10^th season as head coach and holds a 167-150 career record at the helm.

“Announcing a head coaching change during a season is a difficult decision I don’t take lightly, especially with a coach who has given so much of his life to ISU and Redbird Athletics with integrity, passion and commitment. I believe this is what is best for our current student-athletes and the future of the program,” said Brennan in a press release. “We have not been performing at a consistent level and we have not seen the continued growth needed to get back into contention in the Missouri Valley Conference.”

Muller has two years left on a seven-year contract extension he signed in 2017. ISU will honor his buyout and pay him roughly $500,000 to $600,000 for the next two seasons.

As a player from 1994-1998, Muller helped ISU to two regular-season and MVC Tournament championships and four postseason appearances, including consecutive trips to the NCAA tournament.

During his coaching tenure, the Redbirds have played in three MVC Tournament championship games (2015, 2017, 2018), losing all three.

According to the press release, “a national search for a new head coach will begin immediately.” There is no timeline on when that hire will be made.