Bernsen Resigns as Men's Basketball Coach

Bernsen to be Assistant Coach at Southeast Missouri State

St. Louis, Mo. – University of Missouri-St. Louis men’s basketball head coach Mark Bernsen has announced his resignation to take a position as an assistant coach at Southeast Missouri State. Bernsen has been the men’s basketball head coach for the past four seasons, recording a 41-67 record during that span.

Bernsen came to UMSL beginning in the 1999-2000 season, returning to his alma mater to help bring the program up to a competitive level in the toughest Division II basketball conference in the country. His first year he led the team to a 12-15 record and qualified for the school’s first ever trip to the GLVC Tournament. In that tournament, the Rivermen nearly pulled off an upset, losing to top-ranked Kentucky Wesleyan by just eight points in an opening round game.

The following year, Bernsen guided the team to a 14-13 record, the first winning season for the program in five seasons. The team again qualified for the GLVC Tournament that season, and qualified for the third straight year during the 2001-02 season. That year, the team finished at 10-17 despite being hampered by injuries that left three players out for the season. Last season, the team started off at 5-3 before suffering a 19-game losing streak to end the season at 5-22.

“In the college coaching profession, the NCAA has three different levels; Division I, Division II and Division III. At each of these levels the athlete, attitude and atmosphere that surrounds that particular level is distinctly different,” said Bernsen. “I am looking forward to getting back to the Division I level and working for coach Gary Garner at Southeast Missouri State.”

In his four seasons at UMSL, Bernsen finished with a 41-67 overall record and a 29-58 record in the Great Lakes Valley Conference. Bernsen was just the fourth head coach in UMSL history and he is third on that list for most career wins. As a player, Bernsen was a three-year starter for the Rivermen and co-captain of the team that finished with a 21-6 record a earned bid to the 1971-72 NCAA Tournament team.

“As a former student-athlete at the UMSL, Mark took great pride in working hard to build the men’s basketball program around its rich history and tradition,” said UMSL Athletic Director Pat Dolan. “We thank him for all his efforts over the past four years with the men’s basketball program and the Athletic Department. We wish him the best of luck in his future coaching endeavors and we will begin looking forward to carry on UMSL's winning tradition.”

Dolan stated that the search for a successor to Bernsen will begin immediately.