Player Bio: Mark Turgeon - TEXAS A&M OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE

Mark Turgeon

	Hometown: Topeka, Kan.
	Position: Head Coach

In just two seasons at Texas A&M, Mark Turgeon has proved he was the right choice to carry the Texas A&M basketball program to the highest levels of college basketball.

Turgeon has a 49-21 record at A&M, the most wins by a Big 12 coach in his first two seasons at a league school. He is only the second coach ever to lead the Aggies to consecutive NCAA Tournaments and has led his teams to five 20-win seasons in the last six years.

Last season, the Aggies went 24-10 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the fourth straight year.

Turgeon led the Aggies to a 25-11 record in his first season, the third most wins in school history. The Aggies lost in the final seconds to top-seeded UCLA in the second round of the NCAAs.

"Mark Turgeon has done a magnificent job with the Aggies." CBS analyst Jay Bilas said. "I played against him (in the 1986 Final Four) and I ran into few competitors who were tougher than Mark."

"Mark is one of America's brightest young coaches, with a great heritage of basketball history," A&M Director of Athletics Bill Byrne said. "He is a winner."

In seven years as head coach at Wichita State (2000-07), Turgeon built the Shockers into one of the premier teams in the Missouri Valley, culminating in a conference title and NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2006. In the 2006 NCAA Tournament, WSU knocked off Seton Hall and Tennessee before falling to eventual Final Four participant George Mason.

Turgeon was named the 2006 MVC Coach of the Year. He built a 128-89 record (.590) at WSU, third most wins in school history. Turgeon had a 104-56 mark (.650) in his final five years, an average of 20.8 wins per year. He led the Shockers to three straight NITs from 2003-05 in addition to the 2006 NCAAs, the first time WSU had four straight postseason appearances in 40 years.

Prior to WSU, he served as head coach at Jacksonville State for two seasons (1998-00), posting a 17-11 record in his second year after finishing 8-18 in his inaugural campaign. He led the Gamecocks to a 12-6 record and a tie for third-place in the Trans America Conference in his final year.

The 44-year-old Turgeon's overall record in 11 years as a head coach is 202-140 (.591).

His basketball pedigree runs deep. Turgeon served as an assistant coach at Kansas for five seasons, first under Larry Brown (1987-88) and then under Roy Williams (1988-92). The Jayhawks made the NCAA Tournament four of those seasons, capturing the national championship in 1988 and finishing second in 1991. Kansas won back-to-back Big Eight titles in 1991-92.

Turgeon was the top assistant under Jerry Green at Oregon from 1992-97, where he worked briefly with Byrne, who was the athletics director at Oregon until August of 1992. Turgeon helped the Ducks to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 34 years.

He was an assistant coach under Brown with the NBA's Philadelphia 76ers in 1997-98 before accepting the head coaching position at Jacksonville State.

A point guard at Kansas from 1984-87, he was the first player in Jayhawks history to play in four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, helping the team to a 108-33 record under Brown. Turgeon served as team captain in 1986 and 1987, leading the Jayhawks to the 1986 NCAA Final Four. He was named to the Big Eight All-Academic Team in 1986 and was selected to the Big Eight All-Freshman Team in 1984. He earned a bachelor of science degree in Personnel Administration from Kansas in 1987.

A native of Topeka, Kan., Turgeon led Hayden High School to back-to-back Class 4A state championships in 1982 and 1983, earning all-state tournament honors each year. A first-team all-state performer as a senior, he helped Hayden to a 47-3 record in his career.

Last summer, Turgeon was inducted into the Topeka Sports Hall of Fame.

Turgeon is married to the former Ann Fowler of Chicago, Ill., and they have two sons - William Harris and Leo - and a daughter, Ella.

Philadelphia 76ers Executive VP Larry Brown:

"Mark Turgeon was the first kid we signed at KU. He played four years for me and was a captain. Then he was an assistant with me on the 1988 National Championship team. He also worked on my staff at Philadelphia. I love him. I think it's a great job at Texas A&M and he's a wonderful fit. I think he will do an amazing job. Texas A&M is getting a great coach, and Texas A&M is a perfect fit for Mark. (On Turgeon's style) "He's smart enough to figure out what his kids can do, and tailor what he wants to do on their strengths. He's worked with Roy (Williams), but he's developed his own style. His teams are going to play hard, play unselfish and they are going to guard. That's the way Billy did it as well, so I think the transition won't be difficult. What Mark values is the same as what Billy valued. I am a big fan of Billy Gillispie and I'm a huge fan of Mark Turgeon."

ESPN Analyst Andy Katz:

"Mark is cut from the same cloth as his mentor, Roy Williams. He outworks and outhustles his competition."

North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams:

"I am extremely happy for Mark and Texas A&M basketball. It is a wonderful match. Billy Gillispie did an outstanding job as an enthusiastic and hard-working coach and that is exactly what A&M is getting in Mark Turgeon. He is very intelligent, organized and competitive and has a tremendous passion for coaching. He truly enjoys working with young people and that is a characteristic you look for in an outstanding coach." Kansas Assistant Coach Danny Manning: "I'm excited and happy for Mark and his family. I think it is a great hire for Texas A&M. Turge is going to be someone that when his teams step on the court they will be prepared to play at a very high level."

CBS Sports Analyst Jay Bilas:

"Mark is one of the brightest young coaches in the game. He is and always has been a winner and he's done it the right way."

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2007- : Texas A&M, Head Coach

2000-07: Wichita State, Head Coach

1998-00: Jacksonville State, Head Coach

1997-98: Philadelphia 76ers, Assistant Coach

1992-97: Oregon, Assistant Coach

1987-92: University of Kansas, Assistant Coach

EDUCATION

Topeka Hayden High School, 1983

Kansas (B.S. in Personnel Administration, 1987)

PLAYING EXPERIENCE

Topeka Hayden High School, 1980-1983

Kansas, 1984-87

PERSONAL

Born: Feb. 5, 1965 in Topeka, Kan.

Wife: Ann Children: William Harris, Ella, Leo

ASSISTANT COACHING RECORD

Kansas

Head Coach: Larry Brown (1987-88)

1987-88 27-11 NCAA Champions

Head Coach: Roy Williams (1989-92)

1988-89 19-12

1989-90 30-5 NCAA Second Round

1990-91 27-8 NCAA Runner-up

1991-92 27-5 NCAA Second Round

Oregon

Head Coach: Jerry Green

1992-93 10-20

1993-94 10-17

1994-95 19-9 NCAA First Round

1995-96 16-13

1996-97 17-11 NIT First Round

Philadelphia 76ers

Head Coach: Larry Brown

1997-98 31-51

HEAD COACHING RECORD

Jacksonville State

1998-99 8-18

1999-00 17-11

Wichita State

2000-01 9-19

2001-02 15-15

2002-03 18-12 NIT Opening Round

2003-04 21-11 NIT First Round

2004-05 22-10 NIT Second Round

2005-06 26-9 NCAA Sweet Sixteen

2006-07 17-14

Texas A&M

2007-08 25-11 NCAA Second Round

2008-09 24-10 NCAA Second Round

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