John Robic
Encyclopedia
John Robic is an assistant men's basketball coach at the University of Kentucky
. Prior to joining the Wildcats staff, he served as assistant coach at the University of Memphis
and head coach at Youngstown State University
.
, Robic attended Walsh College
in Canton, Ohio
, before transferring to Denison University
in Granville, Ohio
, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts
degree in speech communication and physical education in 1986.
At Denison, Robic garnered Division III All-America
accolades as a senior and was a two-time all-conference performer. He was one of 10 former players to be named to the 10th Anniversary All-Decade Team in the league in 1994. In the fall of 2006, he was inducted into the Denison Athletic Hall of Fame. Robic was inducted into the North Hills High School Hall of Fame in 2004.
's staff at the University of Kansas
for two years (1986–87, 1987–88). While in Lawrence
, he was a member of the coaching staff that led the Jayhawks to a 52-22 two-year mark and consecutive NCAA Tournaments
. The 1986-87 squad advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, and the 1987-88 team, dubbed "Danny Manning
and The Miracles," won the NCAA championship behind the spectacular performance of the Jayhawk All-American.
Robic served as an assistant for 11 years at UMass
for both John Calipari
and Bruiser Flint
. After a 10-18 mark his first season on staff, Robic helped lead the Minutemen
to nine consecutive winning campaigns. From 1990-96, the Minutemen averaged 26 wins per year and had six-straight 20-win seasons, including two 30-victory campaigns. UMass made the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 1992, Elite Eight in 1995 and Final Four in 1996. It was UMass' first appearance on college basketball's largest stage. After Calipari moved on to the NBA, Robic remained at UMass and was elevated to the associate head coach post under Flint from 1997-99. During his tenure at UMass, the Minutemen posted a 247-111 overall record (.690 winning percentage) and earned nine postseason tournament bids (seven NCAA, two NIT
).
Robic was the head coach for the Youngstown State University men's basketball team from 1999-2005. Prior to its move to the Horizon League
in 2001, Youngstown State put together a tremendous year in the Mid-Continent Conference in 2000-01, Robic's second year at the helm. The Penguins posted a 19-11 overall mark and an 11-5 conference record. The 19 overall wins were the second most in 16 seasons, and the 11 league victories tied the school record for most conference wins. In six seasons, Robic's record was 58 wins and 113 losses for a winning percentage of 0.339.
In 2005, Robic rejoined coach John Calipari as an assistant at the University of Memphis
. Robic helped lead Memphis to another storied era in his four seasons as an assistant (2006–09).
During these four years, the Tigers won an NCAA record 137 games (137-14 record), while advancing to the 2006 and 2007 NCAA Elite Eights, the 2008 NCAA title game and sweeping the 2006-09 Conference USA
regular season and tournament crowns. Memphis spent each week of the last four years in the national polls. In 2007-08, Robic was a part of the Tigers' "Dream Season," which lasted through the NCAA championship game. Memphis set an NCAA record for victories with 38 wins (38-2 mark) and held down the No. 1 spot in both national polls for a school-record five-straight weeks during the season.
When Calipari accepted the head coach position at the University of Kentucky in 2009, Robic went with him as an assistant coach. Robic helped the Wildcats
post a 35-3 mark in his inaugural season at Kentucky. The Cats made an appearance in the 2010 Elite Eight while claiming SEC
regular season and tournament championships along the way. He helped UK make history with five Wildcats were drafted in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft
. Robic has been Calipari's assistant coach for a total of 14 years.
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. Prior to joining the Wildcats staff, he served as assistant coach at the University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
and head coach at Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University
Youngstown State University, founded in 1908, is an urban research university located in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. As of fall 2010, there were 15,194 students and a student-faculty ratio of 19:1. It is recognized as being one of the premier schools in the country, comparable to Ivy League...
.
Playing career
After graduating from North Hills High School in Pittsburgh, PennsylvaniaPittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
, Robic attended Walsh College
Walsh University
Walsh University is a private non-profit, 4-year, Roman Catholic university in North Canton, Ohio, USA. It was founded in 1960 by the Brothers of Christian Instruction, initially as a liberal arts college. Walsh College became Walsh University in 1993. The University offers more than 50 majors,...
in Canton, Ohio
Canton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, before transferring to Denison University
Denison University
Denison University is private, coeducational, and residential college of liberal arts and sciences founded in 1831. It is located in Granville, Ohio, United States, approximately 30 miles east of Columbus, the state capital...
in Granville, Ohio
Granville, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 3,167 people, 1,309 households, and 888 families residing in the village. The population density was 790.4 people per square mile . There were 1,384 housing units at an average density of 345.4 per square mile...
, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degree in speech communication and physical education in 1986.
At Denison, Robic garnered Division III All-America
NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans
The NCAA Men's Basketball All-American teams are honorary teams made up of those NCAA basketball players voted the best in the country by a variety of organizations.-History:...
accolades as a senior and was a two-time all-conference performer. He was one of 10 former players to be named to the 10th Anniversary All-Decade Team in the league in 1994. In the fall of 2006, he was inducted into the Denison Athletic Hall of Fame. Robic was inducted into the North Hills High School Hall of Fame in 2004.
Coaching career
Robic served as a graduate assistant on Larry BrownLarry Brown (basketball)
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" Brown is an American basketball coach and former player. He most recently served as head coach of the National Basketball Association's Charlotte Bobcats....
's staff at the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
for two years (1986–87, 1987–88). While in Lawrence
Lawrence, Kansas
Lawrence is the sixth largest city in the U.S. State of Kansas and the county seat of Douglas County. Located in northeastern Kansas, Lawrence is the anchor city of the Lawrence, Kansas, Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Douglas County...
, he was a member of the coaching staff that led the Jayhawks to a 52-22 two-year mark and consecutive NCAA Tournaments
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
. The 1986-87 squad advanced to the NCAA Sweet 16, and the 1987-88 team, dubbed "Danny Manning
Danny Manning
Daniel Ricardo "Danny" Manning is a retired American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association. He is an assistant basketball coach at his alma mater, the University of Kansas Jayhawks. Manning won the National Championship with the Jayhawks in 1988 as a player, and...
and The Miracles," won the NCAA championship behind the spectacular performance of the Jayhawk All-American.
Robic served as an assistant for 11 years at UMass
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
for both John Calipari
John Calipari
John Calipari is an American basketball coach. Since April 2009, he has been the men's head coach at the University of Kentucky....
and Bruiser Flint
Bruiser Flint
James "Bruiser" Flint is an American men's basketball coach. He is currently the head coach at Drexel University, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he was born.-Collegiate playing career:...
. After a 10-18 mark his first season on staff, Robic helped lead the Minutemen
UMass Minutemen basketball
The UMass Minutemen basketball team, also known as the Massachusetts Minutemen, represents the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, Massachusetts, in NCAA Division I men's competition...
to nine consecutive winning campaigns. From 1990-96, the Minutemen averaged 26 wins per year and had six-straight 20-win seasons, including two 30-victory campaigns. UMass made the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 in 1992, Elite Eight in 1995 and Final Four in 1996. It was UMass' first appearance on college basketball's largest stage. After Calipari moved on to the NBA, Robic remained at UMass and was elevated to the associate head coach post under Flint from 1997-99. During his tenure at UMass, the Minutemen posted a 247-111 overall record (.690 winning percentage) and earned nine postseason tournament bids (seven NCAA, two NIT
National Invitation Tournament
The National Invitation Tournament is a men's college basketball tournament operated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. There are two NIT events each season. The first, played in November and known as the Dick's Sporting Goods NIT Season Tip-Off , was founded in 1985...
).
Robic was the head coach for the Youngstown State University men's basketball team from 1999-2005. Prior to its move to the Horizon League
Horizon League
The Horizon League is a ten school, NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located in five of the Midwestern United States....
in 2001, Youngstown State put together a tremendous year in the Mid-Continent Conference in 2000-01, Robic's second year at the helm. The Penguins posted a 19-11 overall mark and an 11-5 conference record. The 19 overall wins were the second most in 16 seasons, and the 11 league victories tied the school record for most conference wins. In six seasons, Robic's record was 58 wins and 113 losses for a winning percentage of 0.339.
In 2005, Robic rejoined coach John Calipari as an assistant at the University of Memphis
University of Memphis
The University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is the flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
. Robic helped lead Memphis to another storied era in his four seasons as an assistant (2006–09).
During these four years, the Tigers won an NCAA record 137 games (137-14 record), while advancing to the 2006 and 2007 NCAA Elite Eights, the 2008 NCAA title game and sweeping the 2006-09 Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
regular season and tournament crowns. Memphis spent each week of the last four years in the national polls. In 2007-08, Robic was a part of the Tigers' "Dream Season," which lasted through the NCAA championship game. Memphis set an NCAA record for victories with 38 wins (38-2 mark) and held down the No. 1 spot in both national polls for a school-record five-straight weeks during the season.
When Calipari accepted the head coach position at the University of Kentucky in 2009, Robic went with him as an assistant coach. Robic helped the Wildcats
Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball
The Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team, representing the University of Kentucky, is the winningest in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all-time winning percentage. Kentucky's all-time record currently stands at 2058–647...
post a 35-3 mark in his inaugural season at Kentucky. The Cats made an appearance in the 2010 Elite Eight while claiming SEC
Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
regular season and tournament championships along the way. He helped UK make history with five Wildcats were drafted in the first round of the 2010 NBA Draft
2010 NBA Draft
The 2010 NBA Draft was held on June 24, 2010 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. The draft, which started at 7:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time , was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur...
. Robic has been Calipari's assistant coach for a total of 14 years.