Mark Marquess, one of college baseball’s legendary head coaches and a man whose name is synonymous with Stanford baseball, passed away on Friday, Jan. 30. Affectionately known as “9” for the jersey number he wore that was retired following his final game in 2017, Marquess led the Cardinal to back-to-back NCAA titles in 1987-88 as part of a 41-season tenure overseeing the program that began in 1977.

“This man was Stanford baseball,” said David Esquer, Stanford’s Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball. “He was my coach and like a father to me. I wouldn’t be where I am today without him. This is a great loss for the Stanford community, the Stanford baseball family, and myself. I love that man.”

Since arriving on the Farm as a two-sport athlete in baseball and football in the fall of 1965, Marquess’ impact on Stanford baseball – and as a Team USA Olympic gold medal-winning coach – was beyond measure, even by the benchmark of his long list of on-field accomplishments.

“We are deeply saddened and mourn the passing of Mark Marquess,” said John Donahoe, Stanford’s Jaquish & Kenninger Director and Chair of Athletics. “9 was a true icon in every sense and an ambassador for Stanford University. His contributions to developing young men both on and off the field was always at the forefront. 9 impacted countless lives in so many ways and we express our sincerest condolences to his family.”

Perhaps more important than any of the wins or championships his club produced was the nature of the program he developed, both on and off the field. In his four decades associated with the school, Marquess was the architect of a Stanford program that became nationally recognized as one of winning baseball and producing quality student-athletes.

Inducted into the National College Baseball Hall of Fame in 2021, Marquess finished as the fourth-winningest coach in Division I history with a career record of 1,627-878-7 (.649). A member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame, Marquess was also enshrined in the American Baseball Coaches’ Association Hall of Fame in 1997 and the San Jose Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.

A three-time NCAA Coach of the Year recipient (1985, 1987-88) and nine-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year honoree (1983, 1985, 1987, 1990, 1994, 1997-99, 2003), Marquess guided his Stanford clubs to a pair of NCAA College World Series championships, 30 NCAA Tournament appearances, six NCAA Super Regional titles, 18 NCAA Regional crowns and 11 conference regular-season championships.

Stanford reached the College World Series a total of 14 times under Marquess, and advanced to the final on five occasions including a stretch where the Cardinal finished as national runner-up three times during a school-record string of five consecutive trips to Rosenblatt Stadium from 1999-2003. The visits to Omaha were just two shy of Oklahoma State’s NCAA-record run of seven in a row from 1981-87. Even more impressive, each of the 14 teams Marquess skippered to the College World Series won at least one game.

Marquess finished with a career 133-66 record in postseason play, including an 84-29 mark in the NCAA Regionals, a 13-10 ledger in the NCAA Super Regionals, and a 36-25 record at the College World Series.

Over 200 Cardinal players were chosen in the MLB draft during his tenure, including 26 first-round or compensation picks since Jack McDowell became the first in 1987 along with Ruben Amaro Jr. Others to reach the majors include A. J Hinch, Mike Aldrete, Steve Buechele, Mike Mussina, David McCarty, Jeffrey Hammonds, Ed Sprague, Rick Telling, Jeremy Guthrie, Jed Lowrie, Jason Lowrie, Jason Castro and Stephen Piscotty.

Marquess was also a well-known coach on the international level. In 1988, he won International Coach of the Year honors after leading the United States Olympic team to a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Marquess guided his club to a 4-1 record, defeating Japan 5-3, to capture the first gold medal in baseball for the United States.

Prior to arriving in Seoul, Marquess led the national team to the silver medal at the World Amateur Baseball Championships in Italy. As head coach of the USA National Team, Marquess skippered the club to a silver medal at the 1987 Intercontinental Cup Tournament in Cuba. Serving as head coach of USA Baseball in 1981, Marquess guided the U.S. collegiate team to a gold medal at the World Games in Santa Clara.

From 1989-98, Marquess served as president of USA Baseball, an organization that handles all aspects of amateur baseball – from the youth level through the college-aged player and the Olympic squad.

Marquess’ success as a coach can be traced to his days as a player. A three-year starter at first base for Stanford (1967-69), he earned first-team All-America honors in 1967 and garnered second-team All-America recognition in 1968. He was also named first-team All-Pac-8 and All-District-8 in 1967-68. Marquess’ name is still etched in the school’s record book, as his .404 batting average in 1967 ranks fifth all-time on the school’s single-season list, and his 15 career triples are tied for fifth.

Marquess competed on the 1967 USA Pan American Games team that captured the gold medal. One of the greatest two-sport athletes ever on The Farm, he completed his collegiate baseball career with three seasons on the Stanford football squad as a quarterback, split end, defensive back, and punt returner.

After graduation, Marquess signed with the Chicago White Sox organization in 1969 and spent four seasons as a professional baseball player before getting a taste of coaching as a player and coach with Des Moines’ Triple-A team in 1973.

Prior to his appointment as head coach at Stanford in 1977, Marquess spent five seasons (1972-76) as an assistant under Ray Young on The Farm. Marquess was named the inaugural Clarke and Elizabeth Nelson Director of Baseball, when the Nelsons, through a large gift to the baseball program, endowed the position in 1987.

After winning the College World Series and Olympic gold medal in 1988, he was asked to throw out the first pitch before Game 4 of the 1988 World Series on Oct. 19 at the Oakland Coliseum. President Ronald Reagan later honored Marquess and the Olympic championship squad at a White House reception.

A relationship-builder in every aspect, Marquess believed in recognizing the efforts of those associated with his program and the broader athletics department. Marquess was a driving force behind the creation of the Kathy Wolff Award, named after the passing of his longtime administrative assistant and designed to annually recognize any department staff member who displays a passion for Stanford and ongoing desire to help and support their colleagues.

Following his Stanford tenure, Marquess had served as special assistant to the director of athletics at Santa Clara since October 2018.

Marquess earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from Stanford in 1969. He completed his master’s degree in political science at San Jose State in 1976.

Marquess is survived by his loving wife, Susan, and their three daughters, Bridget, Anne, and Maureen.

The photo and information provided by Stanford Athletics

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