Alabama’s $7m-a-year head coach marries ex-staffer 20 years his junior

Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats is attracting attention online after quietly marrying his much-younger former ᴀssistant in the wake of a whirlwind romance.

Oats, 51, is among the top five best-paid coaches in college basketball with an annual salary of $7.25 million, and he tied the knot with Alex Accetta, 31, on Sunday.

The news was first shared online by Oats’ ᴀssistant coach Brian Adams, who posted a group sH๏τ on Instagram that included the likes of Alabama athletics director Greg Byrne and several other current and former university staff members.

Oats’ daughter Jocelyn also shared a series of pH๏τobooth images of herself, her father, his new bride, and her sister Lexie from the reception.

Accetta was previously a staffer working under Oats at Alabama while he was married to his ex-wife, before she left to join the Dallas Mavericks organization in 2022.

Oats was married to his first wife Crystal from 1997 until they discreetly divorced in 2023, with the pair sharing three daughters: Lexie, Jocelyn and Brielle.

Crystal underwent a cancer battle in 2015, when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lymphoma before eventually being given the all-clear.

Nate Oats poses with his new wife and daughters Lexie and Jocelyn on his wedding night

Oats’ ᴀssistant coach Brian Adams posted a group sH๏τ that included Oats and Alex Accetta

Back in April, Oats publicly confirmed his new romance with Accetta – a Dallas native 20 years his junior – when he spoke out on a SiriusXM radio interview. 

While talking about coaching Alabama in a series against St John’s at Madison Square Garden, he said: ‘Me and Alex, my fiancee now, she was my girlfriend at the time, we were at a Knicks playoff game, and I’m sitting there at the Garden.

‘I’m like, “Hold on.” I’m a high school coach and I got an opportunity to coach in here, and I’m gonna say no?’

Accetta began working as a student ᴀssistant in the Alabama men’s basketball office in 2015, alongside earning her degree in business management – for which she graduated two years later.

After leaving the student body, she became director of basketball operations – and she held that role when Oats was named head coach in March 2019.

Accetta then worked under Oats until her departure in October 2022, handling budgets and scheduling for the team’s coaches. 

During their time on the team together, Oats was named the Southeastern Conference (SEC) Coach of the Year in 2020-21, and the Crimson Tide won the SEC tournament in 2021.

Oats earns $7.25m a year and is in the top five best-paid coaches in college basketball

The basketball coach was previously married to Crystal for 26 years, and they have three kids

Oats previously worked with his new wife Alex when she was a staffer on his Alabama team

This April, Oats signed a huge six-year extension to continue as the head coach of the program, also earning himself a mᴀssive pay rise up to $7.25m a year. 

‘I am blessed and honored for the opportunity to continue as the head coach of the men’s basketball program at the University of Alabama,’ he said in a statement.

‘President Mohler, Chancellor Trant, the entire Board of Trustees and our athletics director Greg Byrne have been tremendously supportive and provided us the resources to compete for championships each and every year. 

‘We have enjoyed tremendous success during our seven years at Alabama, and we look forward to building on that for many years to come.’