Craig Robinson ’83 accepted the head coaching position at Oregon State on Monday. Robinson, one of the most talented players in Princeton basketball history and the brother-in-law of presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), is forgoing a third year as head coach at Brown to lead Oregon State’s slumping squad.
As Robinson pointed out at the press conference introducing him, this wasn’t his first time visiting Oregon State. In 1983 ? Robinson’s senior season ? he helped the Tigers reach the second round of the NCAA tournament, held at Oregon State.
“My last college basketball games were right here in Gill [Coliseum],” Robinson said. “This is where my playing career ended, and how nice to be back.”
The administrators at Oregon State are optimistic that Robinson can rejuvenate its basketball program. The Beavers have historically been strong and currently rank ninth on the list of all-time winningest NCAA Division I teams, four spots above Princeton. The Beavers have appeared in the NCAA tournament 16 times, twice reaching the Final Four. This past season, however, the Beavers finished a depressing 0-18 in the Pac-10. Robinson will replace interim head coach John Mouton, who took over when coach Jay John was fired midseason.
“This is a rich basketball history,” Robinson said. “I can’t wait to get back to where we were.”
Robinson has experience with turning teams around. This past season, the Bears garnered a school-record 19 victories and finished 11-3 in the Ivy League, second only to Cornell’s 14-0 squad. Basketball U named him the Ivy League Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year for the 2006-07 season, and he was named the Rhode Island Coach of the Year for 2007-08.
At Princeton, Robinson became the first-ever two-time Ivy League Player of the Year, winning in 1982 and 1983. Under his leadership, the Tigers reached two NCAA tournaments, and he currently ranks fourth on the all-time scoring list.
Robinson hopes to translate his success in the Ivy League into Pac-10 glory. At the press conference, he discussed his goals for the team and the need for hard work and commitment.
“This will be an extremely hard-nosed, well-coached and disciplined team that is going to be fun to watch,” Robinson said. “I guarantee you that.”
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