Mark Price begins his second season as an assistant coach for Belmont Basketball in 2012-13.

Like Strong, Price brought tremendous energy, insight and coaching acumen to the Bruin program last season. From scouting reports, on-court instruction, and practice regimens to recruiting, scheduling, academic progress and camps, Coach Price proved to be a perfect fit and an instrumental part of Belmont’s fifth NCAA Tournament appearance in seven years.

“Mark’s passion, integrity and commitment to student-athletes are well matched to what we value at Belmont,” Coach Byrd said.

Price spent the previous two seasons as head coach at Ouachita Baptist University, an NCAA Division II member institution located in Arkadelphia, Ark.

Prior to Ouachita Baptist, Price spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Furman University where he was a member of the same staff as fellow Belmont assistant coach James Strong. Among the Paladins’ highlights during Price’s time was a victory at Vanderbilt in Nov. 2006.

Price also spent five seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, helping UAH to the 2002-03 Gulf South Conference championship and NCAA Tournament appearances in 2003 and 2006.

In 2001, Price was a key piece in Faulkner (AL) University finishing with a 34-5 record en route to the 2001 NAIA National Championship.

Price began his coaching career in 1998 as an assistant at the University of Mobile. The Rams won five NAIA national tournament games in Price’s two campaigns.

A native of Brandenburg, Ky., Price has also served as head coach of two Athletes in Action (AIA) teams overseas. He has a 17-3 record in AIA games, including a perfect 10-0 mark in Mexico City.

Price earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Samford University in 1998.

He is married to the former Kara Pearson of Oak Ridge, Tenn. The couple has two daughters, Kate and Kallie.