Rob Lanier

For other people with similar names, see Robert Lanier.

Rob Lanier

Lanier in 2008
Current position
Title	Head coach
Team	Rice
Conference	The American
Record	4–1 (.800)
Biographical details
Born	(1968-07-24) July 24, 1968 New York City, New York, U.S.
Playing career
1986–1990	St. Bonaventure
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1990–1992	Niagara (assistant)
1992–1997	St. Bonaventure (assistant)
1997–1999	Rutgers (assistant)
1999–2001	Texas (assistant)
2001–2005	Siena
2005–2007	Virginia (assistant)
2007–2011	Florida (assistant)
2011–2015	Texas (assistant)
2015–2019	Tennessee (assistant)
2019–2022	Georgia State
2022–2024	SMU
2024–present	Rice
Head coaching record
Overall	145–136 (.516)
Tournaments	1–2 (NCAA Division I) 2–2 (NIT)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
Sun Belt tournament (2022) Sun Belt East division (2021) MAAC tournament (2002)

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.

Playing career

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.

Coaching career

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. 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. 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.

Lanier joined the coaching staffs at Virginia and Florida before reuniting with Barnes at both Texas and Tennessee. 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.

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.

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

Personal

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

Head coaching record

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	5–1	0–0
Rice:		5–1 (.833)	0–0 (–)
Total:		146–136 (.518)
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