Cleveland State Taps Rob Summers as New Head Basketball Coach
Cleveland State University hired Rob Summers as its next head men’s basketball coach. The university made the decision after Summers served as an assistant at Missouri last season. He now replaces Daniyal Robinson, who left for North Texas.
At Missouri, Summers helped the Tigers finish with a 22-12 record. The team earned a No. 6 seed in the 2024-25 NCAA Tournament. Before this, Summers worked on the Cleveland State staff from 2019 to 2022. He worked under Missouri head coach Dennis Gates there.
Coach Gates said on the Cleveland State website, “Coach Summers will be a Division I head coach. He shows true passion for basketball and has the love needed to help young players grow. His strong work ethic and skill at building close ties on campus and across the nation make him a star.”
Cleveland State has enjoyed success in recent years. They reached the NCAA Tournament in 2021 after winning the Horizon League Tournament. Since then, they win at least 20 games each season. Now, they are eager to return to the NCAA Tournament.
Summers comes from Columbus, Ohio and brings a range of coaching experiences. He has been an assistant at Miami (OH) and James Madison. He was also the head coach at Division II Urbana University from 2014 to 2017. His return marks a reunion with his home state. He plans to build on the program’s recent wins.
In addition to coaching, Summers had a standout playing career. He played as a center at Penn State (2002-2004) and West Virginia (2005-2007). At West Virginia, he helped the Mountaineers reach the Sweet Sixteen in his first season. He then served as team captain when they won the NIT championship. In 2006-07, he shot a 63.3% mark—now the second-best in West Virginia history. He earned a bachelor’s in sports management and a master’s in athletic coaching in 2012. He also played in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America.
Among the candidates for the head coaching job, Summers surpassed strong names like former West Virginia coach Bob Huggins. With Summers now at the helm, Cleveland State looks forward to a promising new chapter. Meanwhile, Missouri will seek a new assistant coach to fill the gap. They plan to keep building on their NCAA Tournament success under Coach Gates.
