LOOK BACK AT A MAGICAL SEASON

In nine seasons as Sam Houston State University head men’s basketball season, Bob Marlin has directed the Bearkats to an overall record of 159 victories and 103 losses.

In those nine seasons, Sam Houston State has won more games than any other Southland Conference member.

Since 2000, Sam Houston State has won more games than any of the 20 NCAA Division I men's basketball team in the state of Texas except the Texas Longhorns. Texas has won 197 games, followed by Sam Houston 149, Texas Tech 147, UTEP 138, SMU 124, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 121, Texas A&M 118, Rice, 117, and TCU 115.

Inheriting a program that had not finished higher than sixth in the league and posted only two double digit victory seasons in more than a decade, Marlin has directed Sam Houston State to four 20-plus victory seaons (22-7 in 2000, 23-7 in 2003, 22-9 in 2006, and 21-10 in 2007) and double digit wins in each of his nine years as head coach..

Twice he has earned Southland Conference “Coach of the Year” honors - in 2000 after directing the Bearkats to their first Southland Conference championship and in 2003 after Sam Houston’s second title in four years.

In 14 seasons as a head coach, Marlin has produced a record of 281 victories and 138 losses. He rolled up a 123-35 record as head coach at Pensacola Junior College. In 1993, he was National Junior College “Coach of the Year” after directing Pensacola to the NJCAA National Championship. Marlin has served as an assistant coach at Alabama, Marshall, Houston Baptist, and Louisiana-Monroe.

Since Marlin took over the Bearkat program, the Bearkats have produced more non-conference intersectional victories than any other Southland Conference team. Sam Houston stands 57-44 in non-league play under Marlin. Sam Houston State's 9-3 non-conference record during the 2005-06 season not only was the university's best NCAA Division I non-conference record but also stands as the most regular season non-conference wins for a Southland Conference team since 1991.

Marlin received National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) "Coach of the Year" honors in 1993 following Pensacola's national title (the first ever for a Florida junior college). In five seasons as head coach at Pensacola, Marlin compiled a 123-35 record. Marlin won 100 games at Pensacola faster than any coach in school history. Twenty-seven of his players at Pensacola received scholarships to play at four-year schools.

Marlin was inducted into the Florida Junior College Hall of Fame in March, 2007.

As a head coach, Marlin has coached an NBA draft pick, one NJCAA National Player of the Year, one NJCAA Student-Athlete of the Year, two Southland Conference "Players of the Year," two SLC "Newcomers of the Year," one SLC "Freshman of the Year," one Southland Conference "Student Athlete of the Year", two NJCAA All-Americans, 31 All-Conference selections, three Academic All-Americans, and 18 Academic All-Conference student-athletes.

As an assistant coach, Marlin helped guide the Alabama Crimson Tide to the 1996 National Invitational Final Four.

Prior to becoming head coach at Pensacola, Marlin was an assistant at Marshall in 1989-90, helping direct the Thundering Herd to a runner-up finish in the Southern Conference. From 1984 to 1989, Marlin served as assistant coach at Houston Baptist. The Huskies earned an NCAA Division I tournament berth in 1984 and finished among the top three teams in the TransAmerica Conference four times. While serving as a graduate assistant at Northeast Louisiana (now Louisiana-Monroe) under current Indian Head Coach Mike Vining, Marlin coached the junior varsity and was scouting director for an NLU squad that won the TransAmerica Conference championship and earned an NCAA post-season tournament berth in 1982.

Born in Tupelo, MS, Marlin received his Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education from Mississippi State in 1981. He earned his Masters in Health and Physical Education (with a minor in guidance and counseling) from Northeast Louisiana in 1983. He has a son, Matt (15).

MARLIN'S BASKETBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
AT SAM HOUSTON STATE

  * First Southland Conference Championship (1999-2000)
  * Second Southland Conference Championship (2002-2003)
  * First NCAA Division I national tournament appearance (2002-2003)
  * First NCAA Division I Preseason National Invitational Tournament appearance (2005-2006)
  * Most NCAA Division I victories in one season - 23 (2002-2003)
  * Most Southland Conference victories - 17 (2000-2003)
  * Most NCAA Division I road victories - 11 (1999-2000)
  * Only 6 Southland Conference Post-Season Tournament wins (2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2006)
  * Highest RPI ranking - 28 (December 20, 2001)
  * Highest Final RPI ranking - 91 (March 25, 2003)
  * Best NCAA Division I non-league record - 9-3 (2005-06)
  * Longest SHSU NCAA Division I winning streak - 10 games (2002-2003)
  * Second most improved program in NCAA (ranked by winning percentage) (1999-2000)
  * Only NCAA Division I team in Texas to win two conference championships the past six years
  * Fourth best RPI of the 20 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams in Texas (2000, 2003)
  * Fifth best RPI of the 20 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams in Texas (2006)
  * Sixth best RPI of the 20 NCAA Division I men's basketball teams in Texas (2007)
  * Teams have broken 30 NCAA Division I school records (12 game & 18 season)
  * Players have broken 23 school records (seven individual game, eight individual season, eight career)

MARLIN'S BASKETBALL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
DURING HIS COACHING CAREER

  * Coached NJCAA "Player of the Year"
  * Coached two NJCAA All-Americans
  * Coached 31 All-Conference players
  * Coached NJCAA "Student-Athlete of the Year"
  * Coached three Academic All-Americans
  * Coached 24 Academic All-Conference players
  * Coached SHSU's first NCAA Division I All-American
  * Coached two Southland Conference "Players of the Year"
  * Coached two Southland Conference "Newcomers of the Year"
  * Coached one Southland Conference "Student Athlete of the Year "
  * Coached one Southland Conference "Freshman of the Year"

  * 2006 CollegeInsider.com Hugh Durham Award national finalist
  * 2003 Southland Conference Champions
  * 2003 Southland Conference Tournament Champions
  * 2003 NCAA Division I Tournament participant
  * 2003 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
  * 2005 Preseason NIT quarterfinals
  * 2000 Southland Conference Champions
  * 2000 Southland Conference Coach of the Year
  * 1993 NJCAA National Champions
  * 1993 NJCAA National Coach of the Year
  * 1993 Kodak / NABC National Coach of the Year
  * 1993 FCCAA / Region VIII Coach of the Year
  * 1993 Basketball Times Coach of the Year
  * 1993 Basketball Weekly Coach of the Year

BOB MARLIN'S HEAD COACHING RECORD

THE SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE SINCE
BOB MARLIN BECAME SAM HOUSTON HEAD COACH

"WINNINGEST" COACHES IN SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE
HISTORY RANKED BY WON-LOSS PCT.