Career Timeline of Mark Pope: Major Achievements and Milestones

From career breakthroughs to professional milestones, explore how Mark Pope made an impact.

Mark Pope is an American college basketball coach, currently the head coach at the University of Kentucky, where he also played college basketball. He is a former professional basketball player. Pope's coaching career includes stints at BYU and Utah Valley University before landing the job at Kentucky. His return to his alma mater marks a significant chapter in his career.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements

1993: Transferred to Kentucky

In 1993, Mark Pope transferred to the Kentucky Wildcats. He sat out the 1993-94 season due to NCAA transfer rules.

1995: Won SEC Championship

In 1995, Mark Pope won an SEC championship playing for the Kentucky Wildcats.

1996: Kentucky Wins NCAA Championship

In 1996, Mark Pope served as a team captain for the Kentucky Wildcats team that won the NCAA national championship.

1996: Drafted to the NBA

In 1996, Mark Pope was drafted in the second round of the NBA draft by the Indiana Pacers.

2009: Joined University of Georgia Coaching Staff

In 2009, Mark Pope left medical school and joined Mark Fox's coaching staff at the University of Georgia as director of basketball operations.

2010: Assistant Coach at Wake Forest

In 2010, Mark Pope moved to Wake Forest to serve as an assistant under Jeff Bzdelik.

2011: Assistant Coach at BYU

In 2011, Mark Pope became an assistant under Dave Rose at BYU.

2013: NIT Semifinals

In 2013, Mark Pope helped the BYU Cougars to the semifinals of the NIT.

2015: Head Coach at Utah Valley

In 2015, Mark Pope became the head coach at Utah Valley University.

2015: Hired as Head Coach at UVU

In 2015, Mark Pope was hired as the head coach at Utah Valley University (UVU).

2015: End of BYU Assistant Coaching Role

In 2015, Mark Pope's time as an assistant coach at BYU ended.

2015: BYU Received Bid for NCAA Tournament

In 2021, Mark Pope's BYU team received an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.

2015: Kentucky's First Win Over Duke Since 2015

Mark Pope, in his third game as coach, won 77-72 against #6 Duke University in the Champions Classic in Atlanta, Georgia, giving the Wildcats their first win over Duke since 2015.

2015: BYU First NCAA Berth Since 2015

The 2019-2020 BYU team, under coach Mark Pope, was projected to be a lock for an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament, which would have been their first berth since 2015.

2017: UVU Postseason Appearance

In 2017, Mark Pope led the Wolverines to a postseason appearance.

2018: UVU Back-to-Back 20-Win Seasons

In the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, Mark Pope led UVU to back-to-back 20-win seasons.

April 10, 2019: Hired as BYU Head Coach

On April 10, 2019, Mark Pope was hired to replace Dave Rose as BYU's 19th men's basketball head coach after Rose's retirement.

2019: BYU Postseason Appearance

BYU failed to reach the postseason in 2023 for the first time since 2019.

2019: Head Coach at BYU

In 2019, Mark Pope became the head coach at BYU.

2020: BYU WCC Play

In 2020-21, Mark Pope's BYU team finished 10-3 in WCC play.

2021: BYU Received Bid for NCAA Tournament

In 2021, Mark Pope's BYU team received an at-large bid for the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.

January 20, 2022: 60th Career Win at BYU

On January 20, 2022, BYU defeated San Diego 79-71, which marked Mark Pope's 60th career win at BYU, making him the fastest BYU head coach ever to reach that benchmark.

July 1, 2023: BYU Joins Big 12 Conference

On July 1, 2023, BYU became a member of the Big 12 Conference, with Mark Pope coaching the Cougars in their first-ever season as part of a major conference in 2023–24.