Beginning his third season with Bobby Cremins and his sixth overall at the College of Charleston is Assistant Head Coach Mark Byington.

Byington coached with Tom Herrion for three seasons, (2002-04 and 2005-06). The Salem, Va., native served as the director of basketball operations at Virginia during the 2004-05 season.

Under Byington's guidance, the Cougars have compiled an overall record of 100-56, won the 2002 Great Alaska Shootout championship, claimed a pair of Southern Conference South Division titles and added an opening round win over Kent State in the 2003 National Invitation Tournament (NIT).

Byington spent the 2001-02 season as an assistant coach on the Hargrave Military Academy postgraduate basketball staff. He earned his master’s degree in sports psychology from Virginia in December of 2003. He spent the 1999-2000 and 2000-01 basketball seasons as a graduate student manager at Virginia.

Byington earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from UNC-Wilmington in 1998. He was a three-year starter on the men’s basketball team at UNC Wilmington, earning second-team All-Colonial Athletic Association and All-CAA Defensive Team honors his senior year. Byington averaged 14 points a game that season and helped lead the Seahawks to the first round of the NIT against Wake Forest. A two-time CAA All-Academic selection, he scored more than 1,000 points during his career.

Byington was a high school basketball standout at Salem High School. He was named Player of the Year in the state of Virginia as a high school senior, leading Salem to the state title. He also earned honorable mention All-America recognition and was a two time first-team All-State selection. Following his senior season, he was chosen Most Valuable Player of the Virginia High School League All-Star game.

Byington married the former Christy Masters on May 18, 2007.  The couple's first son, Hunter Chase, was born on October 11, 2007. The couple resides in Mount Pleasant.