Nick Marks - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - Bucknell University Athletics

Staff Directory

Nick Marks

Title:
Assistant Coach

Former Bison men's lacrosse standout Nick Marks returned to his alma mater in 2012 as an assistant coach on Frank Fedorjaka's staff, and in 2014 he began serving as the team's defensive coordinator. A four-year starting midfielder at Bucknell, Marks has remained very active in the sport of lacrosse since graduating in 2008 with a degree in classics and history.

Under Marks' watch, the 2015 Bison had several individuals honored for their defensive work, the team ranked in the top 20 nationally in caused turnovers for the second year in a row, and the entire unit held strong in victories over Brown and Loyola, which featured two of the most powerful offenses in the country. Defenseman Ben Kellar and long-stick defensive midfielder Alex Spring were both First Team All-Patriot League selections, and goalie Sam Grinberg won a Patriot League Goalie of the Week Award in addition to Patriot League Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.

Marks also mentors the Bison faceoff specialists, and the team showed significant improvement in that area in 2015, and faceoff success was a major factor in key Patriot League wins over Loyola and Navy.

In 2014 the Bison defense ranked seventh nationally in caused turnovers per game (9.47) and 14th in scoring defense (8.67). That year, Marks helped senior Jackson Place become a Major League Lacrosse draft selection after earning All-America and All-Patriot League honors while ranking second in the nation in caused turnovers at 2.71 per game.

Grinberg in 2014 ranked eighth nationally in save percentage (.563) and 10th in goals-against average (8.52) in his first season as the full-time starter.

In his first two seasons back with the Bison, Marks worked closely with the goalies and faceoff men, and he mentored all-conference players at both positions. Ryan Gutowski graduated in 2013 ranked third in program history in faceoff wins and sixth in ground balls. He was a Second Team All-Patriot League selection in 2013. Kyle Feeney '13 ranked fourth in team history in saves and goals-against average. He was a First Team All-Patriot League pick in 2012, and he was an eighth-round draft pick by the MLL's Charlotte Hounds. In addition, Marks helped prep Grinberg to come off the bench for big relief wins over Drexel in 2012 and Colgate in 2013, and then he helped Grinberg transition into the starting role in 2014.

Prior to returning to Bucknell, Marks served as head varsity lacrosse coach and assistant varsity football coach at Lake Zurich (Ill.) High School. The football team reached the Class 7A state championship game in 2011. While coaching, Marks also worked as a sales consultant for Harrow Sports and served as director of lacrosse operations for Team One Lacrosse, where he helped identify and recruit players for Illinois elite teams.In 2008-09 he was program director for Lacrosse America.

Marks enjoyed a terrific playing career at Bucknell. He played in 57 career games over four seasons and finished with 37 goals and nine assists for 46 points. He captained the 2008 team that finished 10-5 and reached the Patriot League championship game for the first time. Bucknell compiled a 21-9 record during his junior and season seasons and went 36-21 over his four-year career, making him part of the program's winningest class at the time.

In 2006, Marks was named Bucknell's Most Improved Player, and he also earned the team's Iron Bison Award. In the classroom Marks was a Dean's List student and a member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll. He was later a 2008 supplemental draft pick of Major League Lacrosse's Chicago Machine, a 2012 supplemental draft pick by the Ohio Machine and was also member of the Chicago Shamrox of the National Lacrosse League.