University of Alabama men’s basketball coach Nate Oats is once again a married man.
Oats, 51, and his girlfriend, former Crimson Tide staff member Alex Accetta, tied the knot last weekend, according to social media posts shared by attendees at the wedding, including Alabama assistant coach Brian Adams.
“Congrats @alex_accetta & @nateoats #RollTide,” Adams, 41, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, July 26, alongside a group photo from the wedding, with Oats and Accetta, 31, front and center.
Oats’ daughter, Jocelyn, also posted a slide from the wedding via her Instagram Story, which was shared by the Daily Mail. It showed three black-and-white photos of Nate and Alex with Jocelyn, 16, and her sister Lexie, 22. The words “Nate & Alex Oats, July 26, 2026,” are printed in the upper left corner.
“Most beautiful night 💍🥂,” Jocelyn wrote over the post.
Alex began working for the Alabama athletics department in 2015 and continued until 2022, when she took a job with the Dallas Mavericks. Nate came to Tuscaloosa from the University at Buffalo in 2019, keeping Alex on staff as the director of basketball operations.
The head coach and his ex-wife, Crystal, quietly divorced in 2023 after 26 years of marriage. In addition to Lexie and Jocelyn, they also share daughter Brielle, 13.
Crystal was diagnosed with double hit lymphoma in 2015. She was declared cancer-free the following year.
Nate first revealed his engagement to Alex during an April appearance on the Sirius XM college sports channel, where he casually dropped the word “fiancée” in conversation.
“Me and Alex — my fiancée now, she was my girlfriend at the time — we were at a Knicks playoff game, and I’m sitting there at [Madison Square] Garden,” he said. “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?”
Aside from his wedding, Nate has had a busy offseason. In addition to assembling another top 20-caliber roster for next season, he signed a six-year extension to stay with Alabama after seven years of unparalleled success for the program.
“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 after signing the deal. “President Mohler, Chancellor Trant, the entire Board of Trustees and our athletics director Greg Byrne have been tremendously supportive and provided us [with] 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.”
Nate has taken the Crimson Tide to the NCAA Tournament each of the past six seasons, including in 2024, when the program reached the Final Four for the first time ever. The Crimson Tide have advanced to at least the Sweet 16 four years in a row.
