Saturday, Oct. 24, 2009

Former Georgia basketball captain Mark Slonaker will join Scott Howard on radio broadcast team

Associated Press

ATHENS, Ga. — Former Georgia captain Mark Slonaker will continue his association with the Bulldog basketball program in the 2009-10 season. He will join Scott Howard on the broadcast team that will carry every game on the Georgia Bulldog Radio Network by ISP Sports.

“We’re excited to have a former letter winner and assistant coach return to be a part of our basketball broadcast. He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will no doubt add to the Georgia Bulldog Radio Network,’’ said Alan Thomas, associate athletic director for external affairs.

A native of New Jersey, Slonaker lettered four seasons for the Bulldogs (1976-79) and was co-captain of coach Hugh Durham’s first team at Georgia in 1979. He returned for six seasons as an assistant coach under Durham.

Slonaker went straight into the coaching profession upon graduation from UGA, landing first at The Lovett School in Atlanta for three seasons. He ascended into the collegiate ranks, for six years as an assistant at Georgia State and then for six more at his alma mater. He then became head coach at Pensacola Junior College before taking an identical post at Mercer in 1997.

At Mercer, Slonaker was named National Coach of the Year in 2003 after the Bears enjoyed the biggest turnaround of any team in the country, from 6-23 to 23-6. Since July of 2008, Slonaker has served as a Regional Director on the staff of the UGA Development Office.

The Bulldogs open the 2009-10 season Nov. 13 as they host New Orleans in Stegeman Coliseum at 7 p.m.