Johnson will remain as Norse Athletic Director
Bay College Head Men’s Basketball Coach Matt Johnson has resigned his position with the Norse Basketball Program. Long-time Assistant Mike Cretens has been named his successor and will take over as head of the program immediately.
Mike Cretens has been an assistant with the Bay College Men’s Basketball Team for the past four seasons and helped the Norse to two Northern Conference Championships and two second place finishes in conference. In 2023-2024 the Norse ended up as the runner-up in the Great Lakes District A Championship Game. Bay College amassed a 100-24 record over those four years, including a 50-6 record in conference.
Prior to his time at Bay, Cretens was the Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach and Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Teams at Trine University in Indiana. Trine was 18-9 and 10-4 in that season and bowed out of the conference tournament in the semifinal round.
Cretens was in the Upper Peninsula in 2020-2021 and took the reigns of the Gladstone High School Boy’s Basketball Team. He was responsible for leading all components of the Braves Basketball Program and oversaw the development of athletes from the youth level on up to the varsity.
Coach Cretens spent two years at William Woods University from 2019 to 2021 and served as the Graduate Assistant Coach for the Men’s Basketball Team there. He was tasked with assisting with game scouts and game plans, managing game schedules and travel schedules, recruiting, and development of post players and shooters.
Coach Cretens also coached in the Great Northern Basketball Program from 2018-2021 where he was responsible for three AAU teams during that period. He also served as the Freshman Basketball Coach for Gladstone High School from 2017-2018. He also had stints as a strength and conditioning coach at Mississippi State University and Tusculum University. Coach Cretens played his collegiate basketball at Gogebic Community College before finishing off his career at Finlandia University.
Coach Cretens becomes the second Head Coach in the Men’s Basketball Program at Bay College in the modern era.
“I have enjoyed working with Mike the past 4 seasons and have all the confidence in the world that he will do an incredible job,” said Johnson. “He has been a huge part of what we have been able to build. Mike’s resume and experience speak for itself; he is a great recruiter, a very knowledgeable coach, and will do an incredible job building relationships with players, coaches, and the Norse community.”
“I’m incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Bay College Men’s Basketball Program,” said Mike Cretens. “Being born and raised here, this is truly special to me. This is home, and I take great pride in leading a program that represents our community. I’m excited to build on what we’ve established and give everything I have to this program, this community, and these student athletes. Go Norse!”
Matt Johnson, who will continue to serve the Norse Athletic Program as the Athletic Director, was hired to reintroduce athletics to Bay College and took the reigns for the Men’s Basketball Team that started in the 2017-2018 school year.
“This was one of the most difficult decisions of my life,” said Johnson. “I have poured my heart and soul into the men’s basketball program over the past 10 years and am very proud of what we have been able to achieve. This was purely a family decision, my kids have always taken the back seat to my teams and with Drake & Lillie both moving on to play College basketball elsewhere next season, I felt it was best for me to be a dad, sitting in the stands watching and supporting them. I’m excited for that next chapter, I know how quickly these 4-5 years will go by, and I want to actively be a part of it.”
In nine seasons as the Head Coach, Johnson led the Norse to an overall record of 186-78. In the 2022-2023 season, the Norse joined the Michigan Community College Athletic Association (MCCAA) and went undefeated in their first season. In the four-years the Norse competed in the MCCAA Bay went 50-6. They won the conference championship in 2022-2023, were co-champions in 2023-2024, and finished second in conference in 2024-2025 and 2025-2026.
Bay College had just one losing season in that span, the pandemic shortened season of 2020-2021. Coincidentally, the Norse made a postseason run in 2020-2021. Bay College found themselves in the Region 13 Championship on their own floor, and despite having a chance in the final possession, they lost a heart-breaking 66-65 decision to Rochester Technical and Community College.
After moving to Region 12 in the 2022-2023 season the Norse once again found themselves in a championship game, this time for the chance to advance to the National Tournament. Mott Community College put and end to the Norse run with an 88-69 victory.
In 2023-2024 the Norse were once again one game away from the National Tournament. In the waning seconds the Norse were able to get a three-pointer up, but the shot landed on the front of the rim and fell off, as Bay lost to Hocking College 82-80.
Johnson steps aside from a program that has seen success from day one, having been ranked on multiple occasions, and seen a multitude of All-American, All-Region, and All-Conference players, and have had many players move on and find success as all levels, including NCAA Division 1 and 2 schools. Johnson was recognoized as the MCCAA Coach of the Year two times, and was also named Coach of the Year twice by the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan (BCAM).
The move allows Johnson to focus his efforts solely on leading the Norse Athletic Department as he continues his role as the Athletic Director for Bay.
“This is an exciting time to be a part of Norse Athletics,” added Johnson. “We are constantly looking for ways to grow as a department and opportunities to enhance the student-athlete experience. By stepping away from coaching, I will be able to invest much more time in doing so. We have some exciting things in the works and I look forward to what the future holds. Go Norse!”
