CLEVELAND – Daniyal Robinson has been named as the 17th head coach of Cleveland State men’s basketball.
“After a very thorough national search for our next head coach, I am pleased to have Daniyal, his wife Kim and their three children Devyn, Reece and Reid, join our team,” shared Garrett. “Daniyal’s vision for CSU basketball fully aligns with our foundation of championship success in the classroom, in the community and on the court. We look forward to fully supporting Coach Robinson’s success and to continuing our accelerating momentum under his leadership.”
“Daniyal Robinson’s core values and lifelong commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court embody what we are all about at CSU,” Cleveland State President Harlan Sands added. “He is the right leader at the right time for us, and both Scott Garrett and I look forward to working with him on further advancing the upward trajectory of our men’s basketball program.”
Robinson, most recently an assistant coach at Iowa State University, will be introduced on Wednesday, April 6 at 2 PM ET inside the CSU Student Center. The introductory press conference will be carried live on the Cleveland State Athletics and CSUOhio.edu homepages.
Robinson joins the Vikings as a veteran of the coaching ranks with over 21 years of experience at the NCAA Division I level and multiple trips to the NCAA tournament, including a run with Iowa State to this year’s Sweet Sixteen.
“My family and I are very excited about this opportunity here at Cleveland State,” Robinson said. “When I met with President Sands and Scott, I knew that this was the place that we wanted to be. The shared values that President Sands and Scott have, the program where it is at, they have done it together the last three years and our goal here is to continue to build on the success that CSU has had and the foundation that was set. We want to build our young men on and off the court. We are very excited for the opportunity. Go Vikes!”
Respected as one of the nation’s top assistant coaches, Robinson concluded his second stint at Iowa State where he has seen the Cyclones win two Big 12 Tournaments and advance to the NCAA Tournament four times, which includes runs to the Sweet 16 in 2016 and 2021. Over his two stops with the Cyclones, Robinson has helped coach 12 student-athletes to the NBA, a list that includes lottery pick Tyrese Haliburton in 2020 and 2019 second-rounder and NBA Champion Talen Horton-Tucker.
The Cyclones have spent much of his tenure nationally ranked, reaching as high as No. 4 in the country, and finishing inside the top-25 three times, which includes a rank of No. 23 in the nation to close the 2021-22 campaign.
Robinson returned to Iowa State for the 2015-16 year after two seasons at Loyola (Chicago). There he helped lead the Ramblers to 24 wins and the College Basketball Invitational title in 2014-15.
During his first stint at Iowa State, Robinson was a key part in the development of three future NBA players, which includes Craig Brackins, an All-American student-athlete and the No. 21 pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Diante Garrett and Justin Hamilton.
Robinson, a Rock Island, Illinois native also had coaching stops at Houston, Illinois State and his alma mater, Arkansas-Little Rock.
Off the court, Robinson founded and currently chairs the Black Assistant Coaches Alliance (BACA) and he started the Ramblers for Education program, which linked Loyola student-athletes and the Chicago community. He also served on the Iowa State athletic department’s Cultural Humility Committee, a group of employees that participates in educational trainings with a goal of achieving cultural humility within the department.
Robinson was a student-athlete at Indian Hills Community College before transferring to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He was a Second Team All-Region honoree at Indian Hills, where he helped lead the Warriors to a 35-4 record during the 1995-96 season. Indian Hills finished the regular-season ranked as the No. 1 team in the NJCAA poll that year and advanced to the national championship tournament. He graduated from Arkansas-Little Rock in 1999 with a bachelor’s degree in health education.
Robinson is joined in Cleveland by his wife Kim and three children – Devyn, Reece and Reid. Devyn is currently a standout on the Wisconsin women’s volleyball team.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT HEAD COACH DANIYAL ROBINSON:
PORTER MOSER – HEAD COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
“Daniyal Robinson was with me from the beginning of my head coaching career and helped me build three different programs. He was integral in setting the foundation and building a championship program at Loyola. Daniyal is a hard-working, high-character, energetic coach who has an amazing impact on developing young men. He has an unbelievable gift in bringing people together on and off the court. He has the ability to combine love, trust and accountability as well as anyone that I have ever seen in this profession. Cleveland State is not only getting a great head basketball coach, but they are getting a great person, a great family man and an unbelievable family in the Robinsons.”
CRAIG ROBINSON – PRESIDENT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES
“I couldn’t be happier for both Daniyal and Cleveland St. The Vikings are getting an excellent up and coming young coach who will lead with character and integrity to go along with his passion for young people. While Daniyal has a great opportunity to start his career with a program that has been and will continue to be successful.”
TJ OTZELBERGER – HEAD COACH AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
“Daniyal is a proven leader, winner and man of character. He is elite at cultivating meaningful relationships that enhance each student-athletes college experience. This is a home run hire for Cleveland State and I look forward to following the future success of the Vikings men’s basketball program.”
JAMIE POLLARD – DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AT IOWA STATE
“Coach Robinson is a tremendous husband, father and coach, who has played an important role in Iowa State’s basketball success during the seven years he has been on our staff, and I am excited for him to have the opportunity to lead the Cleveland State program. I know how hard he has worked and prepared for this moment. I believe it speaks volumes to Daniyal’s character and abilities that he was able to work for three different head coaches during his time with the Cyclones, that’s rare in today’s world. Cleveland State will find Danyial to be a connector who fosters outstanding relationships not only with his players, but externally within the community as well. Coach Robinson and his family will be great additions to the Cleveland State family, and I look forward to cheering the Vikings on from Ames.”
SHAKA SMART – HEAD COACH AT MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
“Daniyal is a terrific hire. He’s got a great basketball mind, builds very close connections with players, and is a tireless recruiter. I’m very excited to root for the program he builds at Cleveland State!”
2022-23 SEASON TICKETS ON-SALE NOW
Season Tickets for the 2022-23 Cleveland State men’s basketball campaign are ON-SALE NOW! Join new head coach Daniyal Robinson and his squad in the stands with one of the best values in the city. Packages in the lower-level start as low as $60 for every home game on the CSU schedule! For more information, and to lock your seat in today, visit CSUVikings.com/BuyTicketsor call (216)-687-5440.
COURTESY CLEVELAND STATE ATHLETICS
