Mike Roth on Gonzaga’s unique culture: ‘We’re not going to prioritize winning over the right fit’
It is early in Mike Roth’s term as Gonzaga’s director of athletics. long before the men’s basketball team became a dominant force on the West Coast. Although Roth had made many superficial modifications to the school’s branding, such as changing the logo, color scheme, and other standout aspects of the brand, his ideas and ambitions had not yet seeped into the whole athletic department.
That is, until a gathering with the administration and trustees of the university helped establish the parameters for the kind of individuals Roth desired to coach the Gonzaga student-athletes. So Mike, what do you look for when you’re hiring a coach?” someone inquired. Roth thought back. “I said, ‘I want the best person for Gonzaga University, not the best coach. That’s not what I’m looking for. We will not put victory ahead of the best fit. Upon identifying the ideal match, we must confirm that they possess coaching abilities.
The hits greatly exceed the busts, but it’s not a foolproof strategy. Head coach of Gonzaga baseball for more than 20 seasons, Mark Machtolf is a five-time WCC Coach of the Year. One of the nation’s most successful cross country coaches is Pat Tyson, the director of track and field at Gonzaga University. Over the past 20 years, the women’s basketball team has prospered under Lisa Fortier and Kelly Graves (2000–2014).
“We at Gonzaga won’t just stand by and let things happen. That isn’t our identity. When you look at our coaches, you’ll see that they’re first and foremost incredibly nice individuals who are also really brilliant coaches,” Roth remarked.
Naturally, Mark Few and the Gonzaga men’s basketball program’s 25 years of NCAA Tournament dominance can also be attributed to Roth’s influence. Under Few, who this past season reached his tenth consecutive Sweet 16 and eclipsed the 700-win mark in his career, the Bulldogs have gone dancing every season. All the while, Few and his coaching staff welcomed “fit” and gave it top priority when hiring new players.
Finding the guy who will value that and understand that, “Well, we have a track record of not only winning, and if you want to talk about growing your brand, I mean you’re at one of the most popular brands in all of college basketball,” is what we completely focus on when we’re in the transfer portal, Few said on an episode of Gonzaga Nation. Since that is the foundation of our program, “the ones who end up maybe valuing that, and that resonates and they listen,” are the ones who belong at Gonzaga It’s enjoyable to win. Our goal is to win,” stated Roth. “But achieving success with wonderful children and wonderful, kind coaches.”
Roth provided additional context for what sets Gonzaga apart and much more on a new Gonzaga Nation episode.
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