Robinson’s Return to the Game
Steve Robinson, a 68‑year‑old veteran of college basketball, has been announced as a special assistant to the head coach at Elon University, marking his return to the sidelines after a brief retirement announced in April 2025.
A Storied Career
Robinson’s journey spans decades and multiple powerhouse programs. He began his coaching career at Tulsa, where he served as head coach from 1995 to 1997, before taking the helm at Florida State from 1997 to 2002. His reputation grew during stints as an assistant at Kansas, where he contributed to two national championship teams, and later at the University of Arizona, where he was part of three championship staffs in 2005, 2009 and 2017.
At Arizona, Robinson worked alongside Tommy Lloyd, who publicly praised the veteran’s impact on the program, noting that his experience helped shape a competitive roster that finished near the bottom of the Coastal Athletic Association the previous season.
Following his retirement announcement, Robinson was succeeded on the Arizona staff by Brandon Chappelle, a move that reflects the program’s desire to blend youthful energy with seasoned insight. The transition comes as Elon’s basketball team, which posted a 14‑18 record last year, looks to climb out of the lower tier of the Coastal Athletic Association.
Elon University, a private institution in North Carolina, has never before reached the NCAA Tournament at the Division I level, making Robinson’s arrival a potentially pivotal moment for a program seeking its first taste of March Madness.