Cal has come to terms with Mark Madsen as its new head coach, hiring a four-year player from the Bears’ bitter rival to lead their program, multiple outlets reported Wednesday.
Madsen starred at Stanford from 1996-2000 and was a two-time All-Pac-12 forward.
Madsen, 48, is fresh off taking Utah Valley to the NIT semifinals, where they lost to UAB on Tuesday night. Madsen went 70-51 in four seasons at Utah Valley, twice winning the WAC regular-season title.
Madsen was recently named the WAC Coach of the Year.
With nine seasons in the NBA to his credit, the last in 2008-09, Madesen replaces Mark Fox, who was fired earlier this month after a 3-29 season. Fox went 38-87 in four seasons leading the Bears.
Cal lands Madsen after first trying to pry Randy Bennett from Saint Mary’s.
Speculation centered on Madsen returning to coach Stanford, but the school decided to keep Jerod Haase despite missing the NCAA Tournament for a seventh consecutive season.
Cal’s last NCAA Tournament appearance came in 2016, with the program not advancing past the first round since 2013.
–Field Level Media