Ganz comes to Marquette after one season at UWGB
MARQUETTE, Mich. – Northern Michigan Athletics has named Keil Ganz as its next head men’s basketball coach, Athletic Director Rick Comley announced Friday.
Ganz returns to Marquette after spending the 2025-26 season as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. This marks his third stint with the Wildcats program, as he previously served as associate head coach during the 2024-25 season and as an assistant coach in 2023-24, following an earlier stop in 2019-20.
“We are very excited to welcome Keil Ganz and his family back to Northern Michigan to lead our men’s basketball program,” said Comley. “He has a strong understanding of our university, our culture, and what it takes to succeed here. Keil is a proven coach and recruiter, and we believe he is the right person to build on the momentum of our program.”
“Becoming the head coach at Northern Michigan University is a dream come true,” Ganz said. “I want to thank Dr. Olsen, Coach Comley, Robin Burke and the rest of the search committee for this wonderful opportunity.”
During his most recent time in Marquette, Ganz was part of a staff that led the Wildcats through one of the most successful stretches in program history under head coach Matt Majkrzak. Northern Michigan captured its first GLIAC regular season championship in 31 years, hosted the conference tournament for the first time, and earned an NCAA Tournament berth as the No. 4 seed. The Wildcats also claimed the 2025 GLIAC Tournament Championship and produced a GLIAC Player of the Year in 2023-24.
Ganz added, “Winning a championship at NMU was one of the highlights of my career, and I look forward to continuing the pursuit of championships.
“Not only getting a chance to be a head coach, but to do so at a place we know and love is so exciting. My family and I couldn’t be more thrilled to be part of the university and community.”
Ganz spent the 2025-26 season at Green Bay, where he played a key role in one of the nation’s top turnarounds. The Phoenix improved from 4-28 overall and 2-18 in the Horizon League the previous season to 18-15 overall and 12-8 in league play, climbing from 11th to fifth in the standings.
Before his return to NMU in 2023, Ganz served as the director of basketball operations at Southern Indiana during the 2022-23 season. In that role, he oversaw team travel, budgeting, scouting preparation, and academic support.
His earlier tenure at Northern Michigan in 2019-20 saw the Wildcats finish third in the GLIAC North Division while securing three wins over top-25 opponents.
Ganz also brings a diverse coaching background, including three seasons as an assistant coach at St. Norbert College from 2016-19. During that time, the Green Knights compiled a 57-20 record, won two conference championships, and set an NCAA record with 72 consecutive conference victories.
At the high school level, Ganz served as head coach at Kewaunee High School from 2014-16, where he led a seven-win improvement in his first season and guided the program to a 12-game winning streak.
In addition to his collegiate and high school experience, Ganz has been active on the AAU circuit, coaching with the Wisconsin Jets, Wisconsin Shooters, and Wisconsin Playground Club. He also worked as a video scout for Sports Info Solutions in 2021, contributing to advanced analytics projects for NBA teams, agents, and player development personnel.
Ganz takes over the Northern Michigan program following the departure of Majkrzak, who accepted the head coaching position at Northern Illinois after seven seasons leading the Wildcats. Ganz will be the 16th head coach in program history.
A native of Wisconsin, Ganz earned his Bachelor’s in Marketing with a minor in Economics from the University of Wisconsin Green Bay.
Details regarding an introductory press conference will be announced in the coming days.
What they are saying about Keil Ganz
“Keil was a home run hire for NMU. Keil was a driving force in everything we accomplished the last seven years. I’m extremely confident he will help the program keep taking steps forward to be a power regionally and nationally. I’m so happy for both Keil and NMU! Go Cats!”
– Matt Majkrzak, Northern Illinois Head Coach
“Keil is going to absolutely kill it at Northern Michigan. From the moment we met, I have been impressed by his knowledge and passion for Northern Michigan basketball. Working with me for the past year I have been blown away by how incredible a coach and mentor he is for our young men. Northern Michigan is in incredible hands”
– Doug Gottlieb, Green Bay Head Coach
“I am extremely proud of Keil Ganz and this opportunity at Northern Michigan University. Keil is a tireless worker, a big time leader, and someone who truly understands how to build a winning culture the right way. He’s earned this moment through years of dedication to his craft and to the players he’s coached. I have no doubt he’s ready to lead a program and make an immediate impact-he absolutely deserves to be a head coach. Loyalty is thrown around in this business often. Keil is someone who absolutely deserves the honor of being called loyal.”
– Brian Barone, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Head Coach
