Tars Mourn the Loss of Former Coach, Hall of Famer Mark Freidinger

The Rollins men's basketball program mourns the loss of former player and coach, Mark Freidinger, who passed away at the age of 76.

Freidinger was a two-sport athlete for Rollins, suiting up for both the baseball and basketball teams from 1967-71. As a freshman in 1967-68, he finished third on the team in scoring with 226 points. As a third baseman for the baseball team, he led the Tars in doubles and was named the team MVP as a senior in the spring of 1971. 

In 1977, Freidinger was named the head coach of Tars basketball, posting a 17-12 record in his first year at the helm. In his second season, Freidinger led the Tars to an impressive 15-8 record while scheduling teams like Georgia, Wake Forest, and Dayton. In his final campaign, the 1979-80 season, the Tars went 19-9, giving Freidinger a career record of 51-29. 

In 1982, Freidinger was elected to the Rollins Sports Hall of Fame.

Rollins was but the first stop on a storied career in college basketball. "Dinger" joined the coaching staff at Wake Forest from 1981-85 under Demon Deacons Hall of Fame coach Carl Tracy. After posting three 20-win seasons at Wake Forest, he moved on to the University of Kansas, where he assisted legend Larry Brown from 1985-87.

He also spent time as a scout for the San Antonio Spurs. "It was an honor to call Mark Freidinger a friend and colleague for four decades," said former Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich in a statement released by the team. "Dinger's excellence in scouting played a significant role in the success the Spurs have enjoyed over the years."

For all his accomplishments, however, Freidinger made his biggest impact on the radio. For 35 years, starting in 1990, he was on the mic for nearly every Wake Forest basketball game, calling for All-Americans like Tim Duncan, Chris Paul, and Randolph Childress. He announced his retirement from the radio in October 2025.