Mark Borgeson Jr. joined the Lions as a Graduate Assistant in June of 2022. Borgeson completed his second season with the Lions in 2023-24
In Borgeson's first season at LMU, the Lions beat Gonzaga, Saint Mary's, and BYU all in the same season, with two of those wins coming with the Zags and Gaels holding top-15 rankings. The Lions earned the highest ranked win in program history on Jan. 19, 2023, by defeating the sixth-ranked Gonzaga Bulldogs in Spokane and ending GU's 75-game home win streak, run of 93 straight wins over unranked teams, and 25 consecutive wins over the Lions. The Lions beat their second nationally ranked team on Feb. 9, 2023, as LMU defended home court and beat 15th-ranked Saint Mary's at Gersten Pavilion becoming the first LMU basketball team with multiple wins over top-15 programs and multiple wins over ranked teams for the first time in over a decade. In total, LMU beat four NCAA Tournament teams in 2022-23, with LMU defeating both Nevada and Grand Canyon in consecutive games in the non-conference. The Lions also won the Jamaica Classic in November of 2022 with wins over Georgetown and Wake Forest in Montego Bay.
LMU won 19 games in Borgeson's first year, the third-most since 1990. By the numbers, 2022-23 saw achievements that few LMU team had done in over three decades. The Lions won 10 non-conference games for just the third time since 1988 and won nine WCC contests for the second time since 1991. The success in conference play resulted in a fourth-place finish and LMU's first double-bye into the WCC Tournament in 11 seasons.
Cam Shelton was named to the All-WCC First Team after leading the WCC in overall scoring at 21.23 ppg and scoring in conference games at 23.31 ppg. Shelton had the most 30-point games in the WCC in 2022-23 and became the first LMU player since Terrell Lowery in 1992 to score 40-points in a game. Shelton was WCC Player of the Week three times, named as a Lou Henson Award National Player of the Year finalist, and was named the Lou Henson Award National Player of the Week after leading LMU to the win over Gonzaga in Spokane.
Keli Leaupepe was named to the WCC Honorable Mention Team, and both of LMU’s captains, Shelton and Leaupepe, were named to the WCC All-Academic Team. The Lions set another new program-record team GPA in Winter of 2022 and had four players make the Dean's List that semester.
Prior to coming to LMU, Mark worked for the University of Kentucky Athletic Department administration during the 2021-22 school year. He played an active role in with the renewing, servicing, and retaining season ticket accounts and working in the box office for all home football men’s basketball, and men’s baseball games. He was assisted in facilitating the Coach John Calipari “Father-Son Basketball camp.” While in Lexington, he represented the McClendon Minority Leadership Initiative program.
Additionally, Mark served as the Athletic Department Assistant at his alma mater, Warner Pacific University, prior to arriving at the University of Kentucky. There, he co-managed social media accounts, including the creation, scheduling, and posting of gameday graphics. Mark was also in charge of gameday operations of all home sporting events, while managing all student workers on gamedays.
Borgeson, also, played collegiate basketball at Warner Pacific, where he lettered two seasons. Previously, he played at Chaffey College in Rancho Cucamonga, CA.
He completed his undergrad degree from Warner Pacific University, where he received his Bachelor of Science in Sports and Recreational Management. Currently, he is enrolled in LMU's School of Education and working towards his master's degree.
Mark has four siblings: Tage, Andrew, Makayla, and Tristian. Mark’s parents, Mark Sr., and Kimberley both attended and lettered at Azusa Pacific University.
