Alabama basketball head coach Nate Oats, 51, married Alex Accetta, 31, on Sunday, according to reports. Accetta is a former assistant on Oats' staff. The wedding follows Oats' quiet divorce from his wife of 26 years, Crystal, finalized in 2023. Crystal Oats had previously undergone treatment for lymphoma.
Oats, one of the top five highest-paid coaches in college basketball with an annual salary of $7.25 million, confirmed his relationship with Accetta, who is 20 years his junior, in an April radio interview. The couple's marriage was noted on social media, with posts from Oats' assistant coach Brian Adams and Oats' daughter Jocelyn.
Accetta worked for the Alabama men's basketball program from 2015, starting as a student assistant and later becoming director of basketball operations. She held this role until October 2022, when she left to join the Dallas Mavericks organization. During their time together on staff, Oats led the Crimson Tide to an SEC tournament championship in 2021 and was named SEC Coach of the Year for the 2020-21 season.
In April, Oats signed a six-year contract extension with the University of Alabama, securing his position as head coach and his substantial salary.