Mark Fox, who has served as California’s men’s basketball head coach for the past four seasons, will not return next year, Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton announced Thursday.

Fox compiled a record of 38-87 with the Golden Bears, including a pair of wins over rival Stanford in the Pac-12 Tournament and engineering a six-win improvement from the previous year in his first season as head coach.

Fox also guided the program through the COVID-19 pandemic, navigating some of the most disruptive restrictions in the country.

“I want to thank Mark for his unwavering commitment to our men’s basketball program,” Knowlton said. “He led the team through some challenging times, and always did so with the class and professionalism we have come to expect from him. Mark understood and embraced our University’s mission and ideals, and was always an exemplary representative of our department. I wish him the best of luck in the future.

“This was a difficult decision and one that I do not take lightly. After deliberately and holistically evaluating all aspects of our program, I felt a change was needed at this time. We will always be guided by the best interests of our student-athletes, as well as the values of our University.”

The Bears excelled academically during Fox’s tenure, twice earning the National Association of Basketball Coaches Team Academic Excellence Award while also producing four NABC Honors Court selections.

Fox also helped fund an internship through the McLendon Minority Leadership initiative, which provides opportunities for approximately 30 young minorities per year within college athletic departments across the country.

The University will begin a national search immediately to find its new head coach.

https://calbears.com/news/2023/3/9/cal-makes-change-in-mens-basketball-leadership.aspx