Ryan Marks was named the head coach of the University of St. Francis men’s basketball team in July of 2013. The 2025-26 season will represent Marks’ 13th year as head coach.
As of the start of the 2025-26 season, Marks has compiled an overall record of 203-151 (.574) and a conference mark of 139-97 (.589) while at University of St. Francis (IL). He has managed his teams to three CCAC regular season conference titles (2014-15, 2015-16, 2024-25), two CCAC tournament championships (2018-19, 2024-25), and four NAIA National Tournament appearances (2014-15, 2015-16, 2018-19, 2024-25). In 2015-16, he led the team to the program’s first-ever No. 1 ranking in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll and in 2018-19 he pushed USF into the second round of the NAIA National Tournament for the first time in program history after defeating No. 2 ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan 74-70.
Marks is a three-time CCAC Coach of the Year recipient (2014-15, 2015-16, 2024-25) and was the recipient of the 2015 CollegeInsider.com’s Jack Bennett Award as well as a finalist for the CollegeInsider.com’s 2013 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award.
In his 24-year head coaching career, Marks has accumulated an overall record of 390-323 (.547), with a 232-157 (.596) showing in conference competitions. Marks notched his 100th career victory on January 27, 2007 with a final score of 66-50 against Oklahoma Panhandle State University. His 200th win came on February 12, 2014 with a 77-72 victory over Indiana University South Bend. He surpassed the 300-win milestone on February 23, 2019 with a 59-54 win over Governors State University. His first career victory at USF was on November 9, 2013 with a 58-49 score over University of Michigan-Dearborn.
Under his tutelage at USF, a total of 23 players have earned CCAC All-Conference honors - which includes one having obtained Player of the Year status (Ilya Ilyayev - 2015-16) and one receiving Newcomer of the Year accolades (Lewis Holey - 2018-19) - along with one All-Freshman Team member (Nick Niego - 2023-24). One of his teams also captured the CCAC Champions of Character Award (2016-17). Marks has seen 17 of his players receive CCAC Player of the Week awards, and one receive NAIA Player of the Week accolades (Ilya Ilyayev - 2016). Overall, he has coached a total of two NAIA All-Americans during his head coaching career (Ilya Ilyayev - 2014-15 & 2015-16) and has had numerous players go on to play under a professional contract. On the academic side, Marks has totaled 78 CCAC All-Academic honorees, 61 NAIA Scholar Athletes, and two CSC NAIA Academic All-Americans (Aitor Anabitarte – 2022-23, 2024-25).
Prior to taking over as head coach at St. Francis, Marks served in the same position for four seasons (2009-2013) as head men’s basketball coach at NCAA Division I University of Texas-Pan American, where he took over a program that had been placed on two years NCAA probation prior to his arrival in 2009. While at UTPA, he compiled an overall record of 39-89 (16-26) and guided the Broncs to its first winning regular season (16-15) in five years and a second-place finish in Great West Conference standings in his final year in 2012-13.
Before his stint with UTPA, Marks served as the head men’s basketball coach at NCAA Division II St. Edward’s College (Texas). During his five seasons with the Hilltoppers (2004-2009), he posted an overall record of 91-54 (40-22) and led the team to three NCAA Division II tournament appearances - including its first ever appearance in 2005-06 - and capped his tenure by leading St. Edward’s to an unprecedented fourth straight winning campaign in 2008-09.
Marks made his collegiate head coaching debut at NCAA Division III Southern Vermont College in 2001-02. While at SVC, he compiled a record of 57-29 (37-12) during his three-year tenure (2001-2004) and led the Mountaineers to a 24-6 finish and the program’s first ever NCAA Division III tournament appearance in 2002-03.
Marks broke into the college coaching ranks at NCAA Division I Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Ill., serving as an assistant coach for six seasons (1995-2001) after spending two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at NCAA Division II Central Missouri State University (1993-95).
Marks earned his Bachelor's degree in Public Relations from the University of Southern California in 1993. During his time at USC, he spent three years as a player personnel assistant for the NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers and two seasons as head sophomore and assistant varsity boys’ basketball coach at Muir High School in Pasadena, Calif.
COACHING RECORD
| Year |
Record |
Conference |
CCAC Tournament |
NAIA |
| 2013-14 |
15-15 |
12-7 |
0-1 |
- - |
| 2014-15 |
23-10 |
*16-3* |
1-1 |
0-1 |
| 2015-16 |
28-4 |
*19-2* |
1-1 |
0-1 |
| 2016-17 |
18-13 |
12-9 |
0-1 |
- - |
| 2017-18 |
10-19 |
7-13 |
- - |
- - |
| 2018-19 |
20-15 |
10-10 |
*3-0* |
1-1 |
| 2019-20 |
10-18 |
8-14 |
- - |
- - |
| 2020-21 |
14-10 |
6-6 |
0-1 |
- - |
| 2021-22 |
14-14 |
10-12 |
0-1 |
- - |
| 2022-23 |
16-11 |
14-6 |
0-1 |
- - |
| 2023-24 |
10-16 |
9-11 |
0-1 |
- - |
| 2024-25 |
25-6 |
*16-4* |
*3-0* |
0-1 |
| . |
|
|
|
|
| Year |
Record |
Conference |
CCAC Tournament |
NAIA |
| 12 |
203-151 |
139-97 |
8-8 |
1-4 |
| . |
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| *Champions |
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