Who is Tom Izzo's first wife? Lupe Izzo's life and love story
Tom Izzo’s first wife, Lupe Izzo, rose to prominence following her three-decades-long marriage to the American basketball coach. They first met in the early 1990s, later exchanged their vows in 1992, and welcomed two children.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Tom and Lupe first met through Lupe’s sister in law, who invited her to a party to match the duo.
- Tom and Lupe married in 1992.
- They have two children: a biological daughter, Raquel, and an adopted son, Steven.
- Tom Izzo’s family resides in East Lansing, Michigan, United States.
Lupe Izzo’s profile summary
| Full name | Lupe Marinez Izzo |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | December 1953 |
| Age | 71 years old (as of July 2025) |
| Place of birth | Texas, United States |
| Current residence | East Lansing, Michigan, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Relationship status | Married |
| Husband | Tom Izzo |
| Children | Raquel and Steven Izzo |
| Education | Michigan State University |
| Profession | Businesswoman and philanthropist |
A look at Tom Izzo’s first wife and bio
Tom Izzo’s first wife, Lupe Izzo (age 71 years as of 2025), was born in Texas, United States, in December 1953. She hails from a large family with seven brothers and three sisters.
During Lupe's 70th birthday, her daughter, Raquel, took to Instagram to celebrate her. She captioned,
Happy Birthday to our favourite person! Thank you for showing me the way on how to be the best mom! I know how to do and love because of you and as soon as Izzy was placed on my chest I knew how much you loved me.
Source: Original
What does Lupe Marinez Izzo do for a living?
Lupe Marinez Izzo is a well-accomplished woman and community advocate. She manages the Izzo Legacy Family Fund, which supports multiple charities in East Lansing.
She is also involved in public service and philanthropy, having served as chairperson of the 2005-2006 Tri-County United Way Campaign. Lupe supports several charitable organisations, including Cristo Rey Community Centre and Greater Lansing Food Bank.
Source: Instagram
How did Tom Izzo meet Lupe?
Tom Izzo met Lupe Marinez Izzo through her sister-in-law, who worked as a secretary in the Michigan State basketball office. Lupe was invited to Tom's house after a big MSU game to celebrate, but she did not realise she was being set up to meet him.
Tom already had a girlfriend at the time, so Lupe gave him the cold shoulder and even hung up when he called her the next day. She told him to call back only when he did not have a girlfriend. This is according to a 2022 interview, where she revealed,
He called me one time and I said, 'I hear you have a girlfriend.' He goes, 'Well, yeah there is someone I'm seeing'. Why don't you call me sometime when you don't have a girlfriend, and I just left it at that and I hung up on him, yeah.
Despite this rocky start, they ran into each other several times afterwards. Tom eventually gave Lupe tickets to the Big Ten championship game and encouraged her to bring a date. With encouragement from her mother, Lupe attended the game with her nephew, which marked the beginning of their decades-long relationship.
Does Tom Izzo have any biological children?
Tom Izzo has one biological kid, daughter Raquel Izzo McDonald. He also has an adopted son, Steven. Here is a breakdown of Tom Izzo’s kids:
1. Raquel Izzo
Source: Instagram
- Full name: Raquel Izzo McDonald
- Date of birth: August 1994
- Age: 30 years old (as of July 2025)
- Career: Executive manager
- Social media: Instagram
Raquel is Tom's daughter and only biological child. According to her LinkedIn profile, she graduated from Michigan State University in 2017.
Via an Instagram post, Raquel thanked her parents for being the most influential people in her life. She captioned,
Mom and Dad without you none of this would be possible. I can't thank you enough for always believing in me and pushing me to be my best. Thank you for drying my tears when things got hard, for being my biggest cheerleaders when exciting things happened.
After graduation, she worked for the Spartan Fund and later became the Executive Director of the Izzo Legacy Family Fund alongside her mother, Lupe. Raquel married Matthew McDonald in 2020, and they have a daughter named Isabelle, born in 2023.
2. Steven Izzo
Source: Getty Images
- Full name: Steven Mateen Izzo
- Date of birth: June 16, 2000
- Age: 25 years old (as of 2025)
- Career: Basketball player
- Social media: Instagram
Steven Izzo is the adopted son of Michigan State basketball coach Tom Izzo and his wife, Lupe. He was born in West Virginia and was adopted by the Izzos when he was just four days old.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Steven graduated from Lansing Catholic High School in May 2019. He enrolled at MSU prior to the 2019-2020 season and played as a guard for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team.
Although Steven is not much into social media, his elder sister, Raquel, often posts him on Instagram. In one instance, she pressed her love to her younger brother with a caption,
The rare moment when we can take a good picture! haha love you Steven!
Trivia
- Lupe Izzo's husband, Tom Izzo, age 70 as of 2025, was born in Iron Mountain, Michigan, United States, on January 30, 1955. He is one of the highest-paid coaches.
- Her son, Steven, majored in advertising management at Michigan State University.
- Lupe is active in the Coaches Vs Cancer initiative with the American Cancer Society.
In conclusion
Tom Izzo’s first wife, Lupe Izzo, is a businesswoman and philanthropist who gained popularity following her marriage to the basketball coach. The duo first met in a set-up meeting before exchanging their vows in 1992. They have since raised two children, Raquel and Steven.
READ MORE: Who is Lebron James' wife?
Briefly.co.za shared an article on Savannah Brinson, an American businesswoman and philanthropist best known as the wife of popular NBA star LeBron James. The duo first met when Savannah was 16.
They exchanged their vows in 2013 and share three children, LeBron Raymone James Jr, Bryce, and Zhuri. She also manages the LeBron James Family Foundation.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
