History of Nate Oats in Timeline

Nate Oats is an American basketball coach who currently serves as the head men's basketball coach at the University of Alabama. Before his tenure at Alabama, Oats held the head coaching position at the University at Buffalo. He is known for his offensive strategies and success in building competitive basketball programs.

Sections (2)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements

October 13, 1974: Nate Oats Born

On October 13, 1974, Nathanael Justin Oats was born. He is now an American basketball coach.

1997: Joins Maranatha Baptist Coaching Staff

In 1997, after finishing his playing career at Maranatha Baptist, Nate Oats became a member of the team's coaching staff.

2000: Leaves Maranatha Baptist Coaching Staff

In 2000, Nate Oats departed from his coaching position at Maranatha Baptist.

2002: Becomes Head Basketball Coach at Romulus High School

After the 2002 season, Nate Oats left Wisconsin–Whitewater to become the head basketball coach and a teacher at Romulus High School near Detroit.

2005: Coach of the Year Honors

In 2005, Nate Oats received coaching awards for his performance at Romulus High School.

2008: Coach of the Year Honors

In 2008, Nate Oats was recognized with coaching awards for his work at Romulus High School.

2009: Coach of the Year Honors

In 2009, Nate Oats received coaching awards for his performance at Romulus High School.

2013: Romulus High School State Championship

In 2013, Nate Oats led Romulus High School to a 27–1 record and a state Class A championship, earning him multiple coach of the year awards.

2013: Bobby Hurley Hires Oats as Assistant Coach at Buffalo

In 2013, while recruiting Romulus guard E. C. Matthews, Bobby Hurley was impressed by Nate Oats' coaching and hired him as an assistant coach at Buffalo.

2014: Recruits Justin Moss

In 2014, as an assistant at Buffalo, Nate Oats was credited with recruiting Justin Moss, who later won the 2014–15 MAC Player of the Year award.

April 9, 2015: Named Interim Head Coach at Buffalo

On April 9, 2015, Nate Oats was named the interim head coach at Buffalo after Bobby Hurley left for Arizona State.

November 2015: Wife's Cancer Diagnosis

In November 2015, Nate Oats announced that his wife, Crystal, had an aggressive form of lymphoma and would be undergoing chemotherapy.

2015: Justin Moss Dismissed

In 2015, Nate Oats faced a challenging offseason as 2015 MAC Player of the Year Justin Moss was dismissed from the university.

May 18, 2016: New Five-Year Contract with Buffalo

On May 18, 2016, Buffalo Athletic Director Allen Greene announced that the school had agreed on a new five-year contract with Nate Oats.

2017: Bulls Begin Conference Play Strong

In the 2017-18 season, the Bulls began conference play with eight straight wins, marking the best conference start in team history.

March 8, 2018: Contract Extension with University at Buffalo

On March 8, 2018, Nate Oats signed a contract extension with the University at Buffalo to remain head basketball coach through 2023.

2018: Regular Season Record

During the 2018–19 regular season, Nate Oats led the Bulls to a 28–3 record.

2018: NCAA Tournament

In the 2020-21 season, The Alabama Tide made the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2018.

March 14, 2019: Contract Extension with University at Buffalo

On March 14, 2019, Nate Oats signed a contract extension with the University at Buffalo to remain head basketball coach through the 2024 season.

March 27, 2019: Named Head Coach of Alabama Crimson Tide

On March 27, 2019, Nate Oats was named the head coach of the Alabama Crimson Tide.

2019: ESPN Story on Oats

In a 2019 ESPN story, Danny White recalled the strong connections Nate Oats had with the players and his reputation as a high school coach.

2019: Oats Discusses Coaching Philosophy

In a 2019 ESPN story, Nate Oats briefly described his coaching philosophy, highlighting core values such as max effort, continuous growth, and selfless love.

2020: Oats Wins SEC Coach of the Year

At the conclusion of the 2020–21 regular season, Nate Oats won the SEC Coach of the Year award.

February 2021: Contract Extension with Alabama

In February 2021, Nate Oats signed a 3-year contract extension to remain at Alabama through the 2027 season.

2022: School-Record Wins

In 2022–23, Nate Oats led the Tide to a school-record 31 wins and the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament.

2023: Contract Extension

As of March 8, 2018, Nate Oats signed a contract extension with the University at Buffalo to remain head basketball coach through 2023.

March 30, 2024: First Final Four Appearance

On March 30, 2024, Nate Oats led the Crimson Tide to a victory over the Clemson Tigers, securing Alabama's first Final Four appearance in the program’s history.