Cal Sports Report

Mark Madsen Will Be Next Cal Coach Barring Something Unexpected

Cal has offered the former Stanford star and current Utah Valley head coach the job, and he will be Bears next head basketball coach unless he has a last-minute change of heart

Jake Curtis

Mark Madsen, a former Stanford standout and the current head coach at Utah Valley, has been offered the head coaching job at Cal, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report on Sunday. And unless something unforeseen happens, Madsen will be Cal's next head coach, Jon Rothstein of CBS tweeted Monday night and Jeff Goodman of Stadium tweeted Tuesday.

All that's left is for Madsen to accept the job, and he is expected to do just that unless there is an unexpected impediment or a last-minute change of mind. Cal's women's basketball coach, Charmin Smith, is also a former Stanford player.

It was reported Sunday that Madsen had become a leading candidate to become Cal's next head basketball coach, according to a twitter report by Jon Rothstein of CBS. And now it has gone to the next step, with Cal offering the job to Madsen. The latest news is that Madsen is expected to accept the offer, although he has made no official announcement. His Utah Valleuy tem is scheduled to play UAB in the NIT semifinals Tuesday night, and if the Wolverines lose that game, Madsen may issue a statement.

Madsen, 47, has done some impressive work as Utah Valley's head coach,

After going 25-8 this season and losing in the semifinals of the Western Athletic Conference tournament to Southern Utah by one point, Utah Valley has advanced to the semifinals of the NIT, where it will face UAB on Tuesday in Las Vegas.

The Wolverines are now 28-8 and have shown steady improvement under Madsen, who is in his fourth season as their head coach.Utah Valley went 11-19 in his first season, 11-11 in his second, 20-12 in his third and the 28-8 mark this season.

The idea that interim Texas head coach Rodney Terry would become Cal's head coach was probbly a pipe dream, and now it appears Texas is about to make him the Longhorns' permanent head coach:

Instead it appears the next Cal head coach is likely to be Madsen, although there is nothing set in stone yet.  It might be odd for Cal to hire a former Stanford player, but no more unusual that Stanford hiring former Cal quarterback Troy Taylor as the Cardinal's head football coach.

If he accepts the Cal offer, Madsen would replace Mark Fox, who was dismissed after a 3-29 season.

Here is some biography information on Madsen:

Mark Madsen, Utah Valley

Stanford alum in his fourth season - he is 47 years old

Native of Danville, CA - earned nickname “Mad Dog” playing at San Ramon Valley HS

In the NIT this year, his team won at New Mexico and Colorado, then at home vs. Cincinnati, beating three teams ranked in the top-70 of the NET. The win over Cincy was the 7th win in 8 games for UVU and improved the record to 28-8. UVU also beat Oregon and BYU this season.

Madsen’s career record at UVU after the Cincinnati win: 70-50, including 48-20  the last 2 seasons. The team was 11-19, 11-11, 20-12 before this year

Regular-season WAC champion in 2021 and 2023

As a player at Stanford from 1996-97 through 1999-2000: he averaged 10.9 pts, 7.9 rebs Stanford was 105-24 in four seasons under Mike Montgomery -- 4 NCAA tournament berths, including Final Four appearance in 1998 when the team was 30-5.  In 12 career NCAA games (8-4 record) averaged 13.2 points, 10.7 rebounds with 7 double-doubles — had 11 points, 16 rebounds in Final Four loss to Kentucky.

Has an undergrad degree and an MBA from Stanford.

Went on a 2-year Mormon mission to Spain before college.

He was a first-round NBA draft choice, and played in the NBA from 2001 through 2009 (9 seasons), averaging 2.2 points, 2.6 rebounds Played (although on a limited basis) for NBA championship teams with the Lakers in 2001 and 2002, which were his first two seasons. He was coached by Phil Jackson and on teams with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.

Start of coaching career: After 

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After

 

being waived in the NBA, Madsen was hired as the assistant coach for the Utah Flash of the NBA Developmental League (D-League). In 2012, he was hired as an assistant coach at Stanford. On May 13, 2013, he was named head coach of the Los Aneles D-Fenders, a D-League team owned by the Los Angeles Lakers. On July 19, 2013, Madsen was promoted to a player development coach position with the Lakers. On September 16, 2014 Madsen was promoted to full-fledged assistant coach by Byron Scott. After Byron Scott was dismissed as head coach of the Lakers, new head coach Luke Walton retained Madsen as assistant coach on July 1, 2016.

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Cover photo of Mark Madsen by Wendell Cruz, USA TODAY Sports

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Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

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