42 Mark Coury

Mark Coury was born on August 8, 1986, to Jerry and Maria Coury. The son of a former Wayne State basketball player, he attended Detroit Country Day School in Michigan, where he earned all-area and all-state honors as a senior. Coury averaged 8.9 points and 8.4 rebounds while helping the Yellowjackets finish 23-3 and reach the state semifinals. A versatile athlete, he also earned all-state recognition in the shot put and discus and lettered in football and baseball.

Unsatisfied with his scholarship opportunities, Coury stepped away from organized basketball for a year and worked to improve his strength and game. He eventually found an opportunity at Kentucky, joining the Wildcats as an unheralded walk-on. After appearing sparingly as a freshman, the hard-working 6-foot-9 forward unexpectedly earned a starting position as a sophomore and started 29 of Kentucky’s 31 games during the 2007-08 season. Known more for effort, defense and toughness than scoring, Coury became a dependable role player for an 18-13 team that reached the NCAA Tournament.

Coury produced the finest performance of his Kentucky career in his first collegiate start, scoring 13 points and grabbing 10 rebounds against Central Arkansas. He scored 10 of Kentucky’s first 12 points as the Wildcats opened the Billy Gillispie era with a 67-40 victory. Coury later contributed nine points and five rebounds as Kentucky defeated nationally ranked and previously unbeaten Vanderbilt. He was equally accomplished in the classroom, maintaining a 4.0 grade-point average in business management and earning first-team Academic All-District recognition.

After two seasons at Kentucky, Coury transferred to Cornell, where his toughness, rebounding and basketball intelligence complemented one of the most successful teams in Ivy League history. He played in all 33 games during the 2009-10 season and helped the Big Red win the Ivy League championship and advance to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet Sixteen—where his college journey came full circle with a regional semifinal matchup against Kentucky.