Chris Markwood (’05) has been named the 23rd head men’s basketball coach at the University of Maine, Director of Athletics Ken Ralph announced on March 21.
“Coach Markwood is everything we could hope for in a men’s basketball coach,” Ralph says. “He is a Maine native, a UMaine alum, a former Black Bear captain, and a long-tenured, successful assistant coach with significant experiences in the Northeast. His outstanding work and documented accomplishments at Maine, Vermont, Northeastern and Boston College has fully prepared him to be a head coach. UMaine men’s basketball got a lot better today. We are thrilled to be able to welcome Chris and his family back to Orono.”
Markwood has served as an assistant coach for the past 16 seasons at schools throughout the northeast region, including a five-year stint at the University of Maine from 2006-11. During his assistant coaching career, Markwood has helped lead two different Division I programs to a combined total of six 21+ win seasons, four conference regular season championships, three conference tournament titles, and five postseason berths including three trips to the NCAA Tournament.
“I am deeply humbled and honored to be the new head men’s basketball coach at the University of Maine,” Markwood says. “I would like to thank Director of Athletics Ken Ralph and President Dr. Joan Ferrini-Mundy, who are united in their strong vision for the future of Black Bear basketball. The state of Maine, and the University of Maine, are home to me and have always held a special place in my heart. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to partner with our student-athletes and lead this program to new heights. Go Black Bears!”
Prior to being named head coach at UMaine, Markwood served as an assistant coach at Boston College during the 2021-22 season where he helped guide the Eagles to a nine-win improvement from the season prior to his arrival.
Before his time at Boston College, Markwood spent seven seasons on staff at Northeastern. Markwood joined the Huskies staff in 2014 and spent the first four seasons as an assistant coach before being elevated to associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for his final three seasons at Northeastern. In 2020, Markwood was named the top assistant coach in the Colonial Athletic Association by Jeff Goodman of Stadium. In his stint at Northeastern, Markwood helped guide Northeastern to three 23-win seasons, three CAA regular season titles, two CAA tournament championships, and a pair of trips to the NCAA Tournament.
After leaving the staff at UMaine in 2011, Markwood served three seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Vermont. During his time on staff, the Catamounts boasted a 38-9 record in America East play while Markwood helped lead the program to three 21+ win seasons, an America East regular season and tournament championship, and three postseason berths, including a trip to the NCAA Tournament where the Catamounts advanced to the second round.
While coaching at UMaine from 2006-11, Markwood was part of a UMaine staff in 2009-10 which registered the third-most single-season victories (19) in program history.
In total under his tutelage as an assistant coach, Markwood has recruited and mentored 25 all-conference selections, a Player of the Year award winner, one Rookie of the Year, and three Defensive Players of the Year.
Markwood graduated from the University of Maine in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Sociology. While at UMaine, Markwood played two seasons for the Black Bears, serving as team captain as a senior in 2004-05. Before transferring to UMaine, Markwood played two seasons at Notre Dame where he helped lead the Fighting Irish to a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and a Big East regular season title. Markwood was a standout for South Portland High School where he was named the 2000 Maine Gatorade Player of the Year.
Markwood and his wife, Ashley (Underwood) Markwood, are the proud parents of two daughters, London and Malia. Markwood’s wife was an all-conference player for the University of Maine women’s basketball team from 2003-07, ending her career with 1,195 points scored for the Black Bears.
