Mark Byington

Mark Byington

Byington in 2024
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Vanderbilt
Conference	SEC
Record	18–9 (.667)
Biographical details
Born	(1976-04-22) April 22, 1976 (age 48) Salem, Virginia, U.S.
Playing career
1994–1998	UNC Wilmington
Position(s)	Guard
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
2002–2004	Charleston (asst.)
2004–2005	Virginia (asst.)
2005–2012	Charleston (asst.)
2012	Charleston (interim HC)
2012–2013	Virginia Tech (asst.)
2013–2020	Georgia Southern
2020–2024	James Madison
2024–present	Vanderbilt
Head coaching record
Overall	237–142 (.625)
Tournaments	1–1 (NCAA Division I) 0–1 (CBI)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
CAA regular season (2021) Sun Belt tournament (2024)
Awards
CAA Coach of the Year (2021)

Mark Byington (born April 22, 1976) is an American basketball coach and former player who is currently the head men's basketball coach at Vanderbilt University. ^[1] He previously served as the head basketball coach at James Madison University.

High school playing career

Mark Byington played high school basketball at Salem High School located in Salem, Virginia. He led the Salem Spartans coached by former Dobyns-Bennett head coach Charlie Morgan to a 26–1 record in the 1993–94 season and to the Group AA state championship defeating Louisa County. His #32 jersey has since been retired by Salem High School along with #11 Richard Morgan, who was an All-American.

College playing career

Byington was a three-year starter for the UNC Wilmington basketball team. He was awarded 2nd-team All-Colonial Athletic Association and All-CAA Defensive Team honors his senior year. In his four years at UNCW, he was a two-time CAA All-Academic selection and scored more than 1,000 points during his career. ^[2]

Coaching career

Byington spent nine seasons as an assistant coach at the College of Charleston, including seven as Bobby Cremins’ top assistant. The College of Charleston compiled a record of 194–100 and a 108–51 record in the Southern Conference during the years when Byington was an assistant coach. During those seasons, they also recorded six 20-win seasons, logged three Southern Conference South Division regular-season titles, advanced to the league's tournament championship game three times and made two appearances in the NIT.

After a one year assistant coaching stop at Virginia Tech, Byington was hired as the head coach at Georgia Southern. ^{[3] [4]} In seven seasons with the Eagles, he guided them to a 131–97 overall record, with three-straight 20-win seasons in his final three seasons. On March 20, 2020, Byington was named the 11th head coach in James Madison history, replacing Louis Rowe. ^{[5] [6]}

In March 2024, Byington was hired by Vanderbilt University as its head coach. ^[7]

Head coaching record

Statistics overview

Season	Team	Overall	Conference	Standing	Postseason
College of Charleston Cougars (Southern Conference)(2011–2012)
2011–12	College of Charleston	7–4*	6–3*	4th (South)
College of Charleston:		7–4 (.636)	6–3 (.667)
Georgia Southern Eagles (Southern Conference)(2013–2014)
2013–14	Georgia Southern	15–19	6–10	T–7th
Georgia Southern Eagles (Sun Belt Conference)(2014–2020)
2014–15	Georgia Southern	22–9	14–6	T–2nd
2015–16	Georgia Southern	14–17	10–10	5th
2016–17	Georgia Southern	18–15	11–7	T–3rd	CBI first round
2017–18	Georgia Southern	21–12	11–7	3rd
2018–19	Georgia Southern	21–12	12–6	T–2nd
2019–20	Georgia Southern	20–13	12–8	T–4th	No postseason held
Georgia Southern:		131–97 (.575)	78–54 (.591)
James Madison Dukes (Colonial Athletic Association)(2020–2022)
2020–21	James Madison	13–7	8–2	T–1st
2021–22	James Madison	15–14	6–12	8th
James Madison Dukes (Sun Belt Conference)(2022–2024)
2022–23	James Madison	22–11	12–6	4th
2023–24	James Madison	32–4	15–3	2nd	NCAA Division I Round of 32
James Madison:		82–36 (.695)	41–23 (.641)
Vanderbilt Commodores (Southeastern Conference)(2024–present)
2024–25	Vanderbilt	18–9	6–8
Vanderbilt:		18–9 (.667)	6–8 (.429)
Total:		237–142 (.625)
National champion        Postseason invitational champion         Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion       Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion       Conference tournament champion

*Byington served as interim head coach after Bobby Cremins took a medical leave of absence.

References

1. "Mark Byington – Head Coach – Staff Directory". James Madison University Athletics.
2. "Georgia Southern Names Mark Byington Men's Basketball Coach". Georgia Southern Eagles. Archived from the original on April 11, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
3. "Georgia Southern hires new coach". ESPN. Retrieved June 6, 2013.
4. "Mark Byington – Men's Basketball Coach". Georgia Southern University Athletics.
5. "Mark Byington Named Men's Basketball Head Coach". James Madison University Athletics.
6. Sports, WHSV. "JMU hires Mark Byington as men's basketball head coach". www.whsv.com.
7. Borzello, Jeff; Thamel, Pete (March 25, 2024). "Vanderbilt names James Madison's Mark Byington new head coach". ESPN . Retrieved December 10, 2024.