2022 Pacific Northwest Sports Top 10: Number 5 – Mark Few
Our ongoing Pacific Northwest Sports series moves to No. 5, Gonzaga Bulldogs Head Coach Mark Few.
The northwest corner of the country is “Mark Few country.” It’s where he has always been based. Few was born in Creswell, OR. He went to Creswell High, then to the University of Oregon, where he received a B.S. in Physical Education. After that, Few moved to Gonzaga University for his Master’s in Athletic Administration.
Upon earning his graduate degree, Few started coaching, first as an assistant and then onto the job that would gain him national attention, head coach of the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Why he’s Top Ten
For the past 23 seasons, Mark Few has been one of the best coaches, if not the best coach, in NCAA Division I college basketball. His hard work has yielded a team with an overall win/loss record of 657-129 for his career. Few is so highly regarded that he has been the Naismith Coach of the Year twice (2017 and 2021). In addition, Few took his team to the NCAA tournament 19 times and has been to the Championship game twice (2017 and 2021).
The National Championship is the only thing that has eluded Mark Few as a head coach.
This past season, the Gonzaga Bulldogs were the number one team in the country with a 28-4 record and a 13-1 West Coast Conference record. Unfortunately, the Zags lost to Arkansas in the 2022 Sweet Sixteen.
Ask anyone what team in college basketball is the most exciting to watch over the years, and they would probably say the Gonzaga Bulldogs. 22 of his players have gone to the NBA, including 10 who are currently playing. This year’s draftees included Chet Holmgren, who went No. 2 overall to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and 31st overall Andrew Nembhard, now a member of the Indiana Pacers.
Not just a coach
Mark isn’t just about basketball. Few and his wife Marcy are quite the philanthropists in the northwest area. They have raised over $25M dollars for the American Cancer Society through the Coaches vs. Cancer chapter they established.
He and others from the Spokane community also began the Community Cancer Fund. They help patients in the area and their families fight this dreadful disease.
Teresa Powe is a lifelong basketball fan and loves her Gonzaga Bulldogs.