Mark Cook is entering his ninth season as the co-head coach at the University of Arkansas, and he has built the Razorback gymnastics program into one of the most well-respected national title contenders in the nation.

In 2003, the first year Arkansas fielded a team, the Razorbacks finished No. 41 in the final national rankings. In 2004, Arkansas finished in the top 20 and has been a national power since.

Arkansas is coming off its fifth straight top 15 national ranking and a spot in the NCAA Championship for the fourth time in five years.

In Cook's eight seasons with the Razorbacks, Arkansas has competed in an NCAA Regional seven straight times, won a 2009 NCAA Regional, advanced to the 2009 Super Six, had individuals win four NCAA regional titles, advanced to the NCAA Championship four times in eight years, had seven individuals advance to the NCAA Championship and had five All-Americans earn 21 honors.
In the gym, Cook focuses on the vault and bars events. Arkansas has ranked in the top 20 in both each of the last four years, including No. 11 on vault and No. 13 on bars in 2010.

Last year, Arkansas was ranked seventh at the end of the regular season and finished  No. 11 overall in the nation after the NCAA nationals. Arkansas also finished second in the NCAA West Regional, advanced to the NCAA Championship for the third consecutive season, placed No. 11 in the nation in average attendance for its eighth straight top 15 ranking, led the SEC in team grade point average and ranked No. 16 in the country, set school records for overall team score and on bars, recorded five of the top eight overall team scores in program history and had wins over eight top 25 ranked opponents.

Cook helped guide departed senior Casey Jo Magee and sophomore Jaime Pisani to All-America status at the 2010 National Championship. The pair combined for six appearances in the NCAA individual event finals. Magee was second in the nation in the all-around, the highest finish ever for a Razorback, and fourth on beam, tied for fifth on bars and 12th on floor. Pisani was 10th on floor and 12th on vault.

In 2009, Arkansas advanced to the NCAA Super Six for the first time, had a national fifth-place finish and a final ranking of No. 5, and recorded wins over No. 1 Florida, No. 2 Utah, No. 4 Stanford, No. 6 LSU, No. 6 Oregon State, No. 7 UCLA, No. 7 Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama. Arkansas' No. 5 final team ranking included a No. 6 ranking on vault and a No. 10 finish on bars.

Michelle Stout was a first-team All-American on vault and bars, and Magee and Pisani were second-team All-Americans on vault.
In 2008, Arkansas had wins over No. 6 Alabama, No. 8 Oregon State, No. 9 UCLA, No. 12 Penn State and No. 14 Auburn. Arkansas finished second in the NCAA North Central Regional and advanced to the NCAA Championship. Arkansas finished the year ranked No. 10 in the nation, including No. 11 on vault and No. 14 on bars.

Stout was a first-team All-American on vault, and Magee a second-team All-American on vault and bars.

Cook has coached five All-Southeastern Conference selections, seven SEC gymnasts of the week picks, six SEC Community Service Team members, 60 SEC academic team selections, 54 NACGC/W Academic Scholar Athletes and five All-Americans to 21 honors.

STARTING A PROGRAM
Cook came to Arkansas in May 2001 to build the Razorback program from scratch.

He was consulted on the construction of one of the top practice facilities in the nation. He selected, ordered and assembled equipment; and he helped Razorback fans and Northwest Arkansas quickly accept and learn about his sport. He was also scouting, recruiting and signing the first recruiting class in school history.

Arkansas' first team, an all-freshman lineup in 2003, finished its inaugural season ranked No. 41 in the nation with No. 37 and No. 43 rankings on bars and vault, respectively.

In 2004, Arkansas earned an NCAA Regional appearance and a top 20 national ranking (No. 20) in just the second season in program history. In addition, the Razorbacks had their first all-conference athlete in Melissa Leigh on bars. Arkansas was No. 24 in the nation on bars and No. 32 on vault.

The 2005 team also advanced to a regional and finished with an overall ranking of No. 26. The Razorbacks were No. 18 on bars and No. 27 on vault.

In 2006, the first recruiting class in school history helped Arkansas upset No. 9 UCLA in the NCAA South Central Regional, took the Razorbacks to their first NCAA Championship and ended the year ranked No. 12. Arkansas was No. 20 on both vault and bars.

PRIOR TO ARKANSAS
Cook was the head coach at Stanford University for four seasons (1998-2001), leading the Cardinal to two Pac-10 titles, four NCAA Regional appearances, and two NCAA top 10 finishes, and produced several individual and team records which still stand. He coached the program's first individual national champion, Larissa Fontaine on vault. During his tenure, Stanford finished as high as eighth in the nation (2001).

Prior to Stanford, Cook helped build NCAA and Pac-10 champions at UCLA as an assistant coach from 1995-97. During Cook's three years at UCLA, the Bruins won two Pac-10 titles, three NCAA Regional championships and their first NCAA Championship (1997). Cook's work led to UCLA moving from fourth at NCAAs the season he arrived in 1995 to national runner-up in 1996 before taking the team title in 1997.

Before moving into the collegiate coaching ranks, Cook was considered one of the top club coaches in the country. Serving as the head coach for Clovis (Calif.) Academy of Gymnastics from 1980-94, Cook helped build Clovis into a 900-student club. He produced numerous level 10 gymnasts, had athletes qualify for the USA Junior Olympic National Team and produced several elite gymnasts who competed at US Classics and USA Championships. In his final two years at Clovis, Cook also served as the academy director. Cook was named the Elite Coach of the Year by the United States Elite Coaches Association in 1989.

Individual honors include induction into the Diablo Valley (Pleasant Hill, Calif.) College Hall of Fame, where he competed as a gymnast from 1972-74, in 2010; 2009 NCAA South Central Region co-Head Coach of the Year, 2008 SEC co-Head Coach of the Year, and 2001 Pac-10 and NCAA West Region Head Coach of the Year awards.

Mark and René Cook were married in 1999 and make their home in Fayetteville.