The search for a new head coach for the men’s basketball program has concluded with Keil Ganz named as the 16th head coach of NMU basketball on Wednesday, April 2. Ganz previously served under former head coach Matt Majkrzak in two stints, first to Majkrzak in the 2019 season as his first assistant at Northern Michigan before returning for two seasons as the associate head coach. Ganz also has Division I coaching experience, spending this season as an assistant coach under Doug Gottlieb at Wisconsin-Green Bay.

A 2012 graduate of UWGB, Ganz began his coaching career with the Phoenix before becoming the head coach of Kewaunee High School in Wisconsin, a role he served for two years before becoming an assistant coach at St. Norbert’s College in 2016. From there, Ganz would jump to NMU for just a single season in his first stint before transitioning into the role of Director of Basketball Operations at the University of Southern Indiana and then returning again to Northern Michigan.

While Ganz was on the sidelines in Marquette, the Wildcats compiled a 57-38 record, including a GLIAC regular season and tournament title in the 23-24 and 24-25 seasons respectively. Ganz will have his hands full with his first head coaching gig at the collegiate level, as five of the ‘Cats top six scorers from the 2025-26 campaign are graduating or have entered the transfer portal. Four departing Wildcats also started at least 20 or more games throughout the season, leaving room for a changing of the guard for NMU Basketball.

With championship experience as part of the staff, Ganz knows what it takes to reach the top, which he now has the chance to do at the helm of the program. “Winning championships at NMU was one of the highlights of my career, and I look forward to continuing the pursuit of championships,” said Ganz. Ganz will become the latest addition to the long line of coaches to guide the program in its 119 year history, and is just the fourth head coach since 1986 to draw up plays for the Wildcats.