April 12, 2006
Release courtesy of Dave Blanchard, Luther College sports information director

DECORAH, IOWA . . . Joe Thompson, Luther College director of intercollegiate athletics, has named Mark Franzen the new head coach of the Luther men’s basketball program and assistant athletic director for resource development.

Franzen succeeds Jeff Olinger in the head coach and assistant athletic director position. Olinger, who served 15 years as head coach and administrator in the Luther athletic department, resigned in March to pursue other professional opportunities.

Franzen will immediately assume his duties at Luther. He has served as head men’s basketball coach and athletic fund raiser at Nebraska Wesleyan University since 2005.

Previously, he was assistant men’s basketball coach at Wartburg College 1998-2004 and assistant men’s basketball coach at Coe College 1996-98. He joined the Coe College staff after serving one year as head boy’s basketball coach at Savanna (Ill.) High School.

In his most recent season as head of the men’s basketball program at Nebraska Wesleyan, a NCAA Division III Independent institution, Franzen’s team posted a record of 7-2 in games with NCAA Division III schools. His overall record as a head coach is 23-29 as the head coach of the only DIII school in an NAIA conference.

As an assistant coach at Wartburg, Franzen contributed to the program’s four consecutive 20-win seasons en route to a record of 85-27. The 2000-01 Wartburg team won the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season and IIAC Conference Tournament championships to earn a bid to the NCAA Division III National Basketball Tournament where the Knights advanced to the second round.

As an assistant coach at Coe College he coordinated student-athlete recruiting efforts of two classes that went on to post an Iowa Conference record of 45-15.

Franzen, a native of Denver, Iowa, is a 1994 graduate of Wartburg College earning a degree in elementary education. He holds the master of arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa in physical education with an emphasis in teaching and coaching.

Franzen was a member of Wartburg’s 1992-93 Iowa Conference championship team that advanced to the NCAA III National Tournament. His senior year he was voted co-captain and set the school record for three-pointers in a single game with eight.

“I am very excited to be joining the Luther athletic department and the campus community,” Franzen said. “My family is looking forward to moving to Decorah.”

Franzen and his wife Kris are the parents of a son Matthew, age 3, and a daughter Annika, age 1.

“I know the Iowa Conference well and I am looking forward to leading the men's basketball program at Luther College for years to come,” Franzen said. “Our goal is to be one of the best programs in the Iowa Conference year in and year out.”

“We are proud and excited to have Mark serve as the next men’s basketball coach at Luther College,” stated Thompson. “Mark has a tremendous amount of successful coaching experience and expertise in resource development. We look forward to the leadership that he will provide to the men’s basketball program and the mentoring he will afford our student-athletes.”

-30-