Former Missouri head coach Cuonzo Martin is set to return to Missouri State (MSU), where he initially launched his head coaching career. Martin’s contract with the Bears spans five years, extending through the 2028-2029 season, and includes a base salary of $600,000. He previously served as the head coach of MSU from 2008 to 2011. At 52 years old, Martin’s most recent coaching stint was with Missouri, where the Tigers compiled a 78-77 record during his tenure in Columbia, including two appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
Photo Cred: Spectrum News
In their most recent tournament appearance, as an eighth seed, MU was defeated by Florida State in the opening round. During his third season, Martin guided Missouri to the NCAA Tournament with a 16-10 (8-8 SEC) record, only to lose a closely contested match against Oklahoma 72-68 in the Round of 64. The Tigers faced a challenging season in Martin’s final year, finishing with a 12-21 overall record, which ultimately led to his dismissal.
Martin enjoyed success during his time with the Bears. In his second season back at MSU, the team secured a spot in the CIT Tournament and emerged as the champions, concluding the season with a 24-12 record. The following season, Martin guided Missouri State to an impressive 26-9 overall record. The Bears clinched their first regular-season Missouri Valley Conference title and reached the Arch Madness championship, falling to Indiana State. Although they fell short of an NCAA Tournament bid, MSU accepted an NIT invitation, advancing to the second round. Martin’s achievements during the 2010-2011 season earned him both the MVC Coach of the Year and the Ben Jobe Award.
Photo Cred: 93.3 KWTO
Throughout his tenure in Springfield, Missouri, Martin amassed a 61-41 record. After his time with the Bears, Martin spent three seasons in Knoxville, Tennessee, leading the Volunteers. During his tenure at UT, he guided Tennessee to two NIT appearances and an NCAA Tournament berth. The Volunteers reached the Sweet 16 in Martin’s final season, narrowly losing to Michigan 73-71. Following the conclusion of UT’s season, the East St. Louis native accepted the head coaching position at the University of California, Berkeley.
Prior to his time in Columbia, Martin spent three seasons at Cal, where the Bears amassed a 62-39 record under his guidance. In his final two seasons at California, Martin led the team to both an NCAA Tournament and an NIT appearance. The Bears’ 2015-2016 squad, led by Jaylen Brown, secured 23 victories during the regular season and earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, their tournament run was cut short in the Round of 64 with a surprising loss to Hawaii. Martin’s last year with Cal ended with a first-round exit in the NIT tournament.
