Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman has turned a lot of heads in a short amount of time. He took over as the head man for the Fighting Irish in 2021 after serving as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach.
Freeman was an interim coach for the 2021 Fiesta Bowl after Brian Kelley left for LSU, and he was given the full-time job in the offseason, much to the delight of the team. Since he took over, Notre Dame has gone 33-10.
Freeman became the first Black and Asian American head coach to lead a team to the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2025, where he and Notre Dame fell to Ohio State 34-23. It was the Fighting Irish's first appearance in the national championship since 2013.
Here is everything you need to know about Freeman's family tree.
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Where is Marcus Freeman from?
Freeman was born in Fairborn, Ohio in 1986. He was born at the Wright-Patterson Air Force base. Freeman's father served in the Air Force and met Freeman's mother when he was serving in South Korea. He lived in Ohio all through his childhood and eventually attended Ohio State. He played five years with the Buckeyes before spending one year in the NFL.
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Is Marcus Freeman married?
Yes. Freeman met his now-wife Joanna in college. They got married in 2010 and have six children together.
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Marcus Freeman family tree
Marcus Freeman parents
Freeman's father Michael grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He worked as an usher at Ohio Stadium where the Buckeyes play. Michael joined the Air Force soon after graduating high school. In the 1970s, he was stationed at Osan Air Base in South Korea. While there, he met Marcus' mom, Chong. She is from Daegu City, South Korea. The couple married in 1977 and moved to Texas in 1979.
Marcus Freeman wife
Joanna is also from Ohio, growing up in Massillon. The city is about an hour south of Cleveland and two hours northeast of Columbus. Marcus was a student at Ohio State, playing linebacker for the Buckeyes. She went to Otterbein University. They were introduced to each other by a mutual friend, and they got married on Feb. 20, 2010.
Joana previously worked as a news reporter at WBNS-Channel 10 in Columbus but has since become a stay-at-home mom with the expanding family.
How many kids does Marcus Freeman have?
Marcus and Joanna have six kids together: Vinny, Siena, Gino, Nico, Capri and Rocco. Vinny is the oldest at 17. He has followed in his dad's footsteps, playing football in high school. He's also on the wrestling team.
Sienna is 12, Gino is 11, Nico is 9, Capri is 7, and Rocco is 6. Freeman also has another daughter, Bria, who is 18 and from a previous relationship, per U.S. Weekly.
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