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Rob Lanier

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rob Lanier
Lanier in 2008
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamRice
ConferenceThe American
Record0–0 (–)
Biographical details
Born (1968-07-24) July 24, 1968 (age 56)
New York City, New York, U.S.
Playing career
1986–1990St. Bonaventure
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1990–1992Niagara (assistant)
1992–1997St. Bonaventure (assistant)
1997–1999Rutgers (assistant)
1999–2001Texas (assistant)
2001–2005Siena
2005–2007Virginia (assistant)
2007–2011Florida (assistant)
2011–2015Texas (assistant)
2015–2019Tennessee (assistant)
2019–2022Georgia State
2022–2024SMU
2024–presentRice
Head coaching record
Overall141–135 (.511)
Tournaments1–2 (NCAA Division I)
2–2 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships

Robert A. Lanier (born July 24, 1968) is an American college basketball coach who currently serves as the head coach for the Rice Owls. Previously, he was the head coach at Southern Methodist University. He also served as the head coach at Georgia State from 2019 to 2022 and Siena from 2001 to 2005.[1]

Playing career

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Lanier played his college basketball at St. Bonaventure, where he scored 868 career points and was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Freshman Team.[2][3]

Coaching career

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Lanier's first coaching stop was at Niagara as an assistant for two seasons before moving back to an assistant coaching spot at his alma mater. After a two-year stop at Rutgers, Lanier joined Rick Barnes's staff at Texas.[4] In 2001, he was hired for his first head coaching job at Siena College where in his first season at the helm, he guided the Saints to a MAAC conference tournament championship and spot in the 2002 NCAA tournament where they defeated Alcorn State in the opening round, and lost to eventual national champion Maryland in the first round.[5][6] He also led Siena to a 2003 NIT appearance where the Saints advanced to the third round with wins over Western Michigan and Villanova. After four seasons and a 58–70 record, Lanier was fired by Siena.[7]

Lanier joined the coaching staffs at Virginia and Florida before reuniting with Barnes at both Texas and Tennessee.[2] On April 5, 2019, Lanier was named the head coach at Georgia State University, replacing Ron Hunter who accepted the head coaching position at Tulane.[8][9]

Lanier went 53–30 in 3 seasons at Georgia State, until he accepted the head coach position at Southern Methodist University on March 27, 2022.[10]

On March 21, 2024, SMU fired Lanier.[11] Several days later, Lanier was hired by Rice University.[12]

Personal

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Lanier is the cousin of former NBA player and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Bob Lanier.[2] Lanier's son Emory played basketball for Southern Methodist University.[13]

Head coaching record

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Siena Saints (Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference) (2001–2005)
2001–02 Siena 17–19 9–9 7th NCAA Division I Round of 64
2002–03 Siena 21–11 12–6 3rd NIT Second Round
2003–04 Siena 14–16 9–9 6th
2004–05 Siena 6–24 4–14 10th
Siena: 58–70 (.453) 34–38 (.472)
Georgia State Panthers (Sun Belt Conference) (2019–2022)
2019–20 Georgia State 19–13 12–8 T–4th
2020–21 Georgia State 16–6 8–4 1st (East)
2021–22 Georgia State 18–11 9–5 3rd NCAA Division I Round of 64
Georgia State: 53–30 (.639) 29–17 (.630)
SMU Mustangs (American Athletic Conference) (2022–2024)
2022–23 SMU 10–22 5–13 10th
2023–24 SMU 20–13 11–7 T–5th NIT First Round
SMU: 30–35 (.462) 16–20 (.444)
Rice Owls (American Athletic Conference) (2024–present)
2024–25 Rice 0–0 0–0
Rice: 0–0 (–) 0–0 (–)
Total: 141–135 (.511)

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Footnotes

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References

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  1. ^ "Rob Lanier Coaching Record". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
  2. ^ a b c "Rob Lanier – Men's Basketball Coach". University of Tennessee Athletics.
  3. ^ "Rob Lanier College Stats". College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com.
  4. ^ "Rob Lanier – Men's Basketball Coach". University of Texas Athletics.
  5. ^ Amedio, Steve (25 January 2002). "Shaken Saints hoping to recover tonight against Griffins". The Daily Gazette. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  6. ^ "Rob Lanier". GeorgiaStateSports.com.
  7. ^ "Siena fires Coach Rob Lanier". UPI.
  8. ^ "Georgia State Names Tennessee Associate Head Coach Rob Lanier Head Coach". GeorgiaStateSports.com.
  9. ^ Mark Bradley, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Georgia State picks Rob Lanier. It's a solid hire". ajc.
  10. ^ "SMU names Rob Lanier, 53, 'a proven leader,' Mustangs' next men's basketball coach". ESPN. Mar 27, 2022. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  11. ^ "ACC-bound SMU fires coach Rob Lanier after 2 seasons". Associated Press. March 21, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  12. ^ "Rob Lanier Named 26th Head Men's Basketball Coach". Rice University. March 24, 2024. Retrieved April 8, 2024.
  13. ^ "Emory Lanier – Men's Basketball". Davidson College Athletics.