Mark Gottfried Biography

Mark Gottfried was hired to coach the Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball program in March of 1998. Gottfried returned to his alma mater from Murray State University where as head coach the previous 3 seasons he had coached the Racers to a 68-24 record.

Murray State advanced to the NIT Gottfried's first season there and consecutive NCAA appearances his last two seasons. The Racers won three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference titles with Gottfried at the helm. He was the first coach at MSU to win the Ohio Valley Conference title each of his first three years at the school. In 1998 the Pacers finished 5th in the country in the final NCAA team stats in scoring offense, number 3 in field goal percentage and 7th in won-lost percentage. Murray State had a 30-game home winning streak when he left for Alabama.

Obviously, Alabama was getting a coach to whom success was no stranger. At the press conference, held March 25, 1998 introducing Gottfried as Alabama's new head coach he said, "I don't think there's any reason why the goals of this basketball program are anything short of putting a national championship ring on your finger."

Mark Gottried had come home to the University he had graduated from in 1987 with a B.S. in Communication, to the school where he had been named Academic All-Southeast conference and was the 1986 Bryant Award winner as the top University of Alabama scholar-athlete. Gottfried was a starter on Alabama's 87' SEC champion team which also won the SEC tournament and advanced in the NCAA Tournament to the "Sweet 16" a feat the Crimson Tide accomplished all three years Gottfried played. After his senior year he was chosen by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA draft but passed up life in the NBA.

Gottfried was invited by Jim Harrick, head coach at UCLA, to join them as a graduate assistant. Although Alabama head coach Wimp Sanderson had offered him a similar opportunity Gottfried decided to go to UCLA to gain an understanding of how a different system than the one he was familiar with operated.

At UCLA he worked his way up to a full-time assistant coach and recruiter. During Gottried's seven seasons at UCLA the Bruins enjoyed tremendous success. They made it to the NCAA Tournament each of his seven seasons and won it all in 95'. In the meantime Gottfried had developed a well earned reputation as an outstanding recruiter, with the recruiting class of 1994 being recognized as the country's number one class. Additionally, nine Bruin players he helped coach advanced to play ball in the NBA. Murray State came calling and Gottfried was ready.

So far in his tenure at Alabama Gottfried has coached the Crimson Tide to the first number 1 ranking in the school's history in 2002. He was named both the AP & SEC Coaches Coach of the Year for 2002, the NABC District Coach of the Year and coached his team to the regular season SEC Championship in 2002.

His overall coaching career includes having coached 17 players who advanced to the NBA and coached one collegiate and two high school National Players of the Year. Gottfried has also coached 13 Academic All-Conference players.

Alabama set a school record in 2002 with 24 regular season wins, and its 27 total wins (2 in the SEC tourney, 1 in the NCAA tourney) ranks 2nd all-time in school history. For his career at Alabama Gottfried's teams have posted a total of 100 wins against only 56 losses (64%). His overall head coaching career mark is 168 wins against only 80 losses for a (67.7%)winning percentage.

Coach Gottfried and his wife Elizabeth met at a Fellowship of Christian Athletes gathering while both were students at the University. The couple has five children, Brandon, Mary Layson, Cameron, Aaron and Dillon.

Some of his accomplishments are:

One NIT and two consecutive NCAA appearances in 3 years at Murray State
Coached Racers to three consecutive Ohio Valley Conference titles
First coach at Murray State win Ohio Valley Conference title each of first three seasons
30-game home winning streak at Murray State
Named Academic All-Southeast conference as a player at Alabama
The 1986 Bryant Award winner as the top University of Alabama scholar-athlete
Starter on Alabama's 87' SEC champion team which also won the SEC tournament
Advanced in the NCAA Tournament to "Sweet 16" all three years Gottfried played
Chosen by the Detroit Pistons in the NBA draft
UCLA assistant coach 7 seasons
UCLA went to NCAA Tournament each of his seven seasons and won it all in 95'
His recruiting class of 1994 being recognized as the country's number one class
Nine Bruin players he helped coach advanced to play ball in the NBA
Coached the Crimson Tide to the first number 1 ranking in the school's history in 2002
Named both the AP & SEC Coaches Coach of the Year for 2002
Named the NABC District Coach of the Year
Coached Alabama to the regular season SEC Championship in 2002
Coached 17 players overall who advanced to the NBA
Coached one collegiate and two high school National Players of the Year
Coached 13 Academic All-Conference players
Set school record in 2002 with 24 regular season wins
Alabama's 27 total wins in 2002 2nd all-time in school history
Overall head coaching career mark is 168 wins 80 losses for a (67.7%)winning percentage
Graduated University of Alabama in 1987 with B.S. in Communication