Mark Davis held the Cal Poly career interceptions record of 17 for over 25 years until the mark was broken in 2006 and is tied for No. 2 in the record book for interceptions in a season with eight (1973). He was a four-year letterman and three-year starter for the Mustangs at safety.

Davis currently is a professor and director of the Exercise Biochemistry Lab in the Department of Exercise Science, School of Public Health at the University of South Carolina at Columbia. He has been with the University of South Carolina for more than 18 years. Before joining the university, he was a post-doctoral research fellow at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in the department of medicine, division of endocrinology in New York City.

Davis received his bachelor's degree in physical education at Cal Poly and later received his doctorate in exercise physiology/neural science from Purdue University. Davis has been actively involved in the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) at national and regional levels. He is an ACSM fellow and current member of the Program Committee.

The University of South Carolina awarded Davis the 1994 Outstanding Research Award from the School of Public Health.