Bio

Began: 2009-10 | Season: 2023-24 is his 15th season
Overall record at Milligan entering 2022-23 season: 209-195

Bill Robinson is entering his 15th season as head coach of the Milligan men's basketball program. Since Robinson’s arrival in 2009 his squad his finished in the top half of the Appalachian Athletic Conference nine times and has earned a trip to the NAIA national championship tournament twice.

Robinson guided the Buffs to national championship appearances in 2015 and 2018. The appearance in 2015 marked Milligan's first since 2001 and followed a regular season where the Buffs finished runner-up in the AAC. The Buffs, despite losing to No. 5 Dakota Wesleyan in the opening round of the NAIA Men's Basketball National Championship, won their first eight games of the 2014-15 campaign on the way to a 20-11 overall record and 12-6 conference record. They were runners-up in the regular season and conference tournament.

Robinson then led the Buffs in 2018 back to the NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship after a regular season runner-up finish. The Buffs entered the national tournament winning eight of their last 11 games but fell to No. 2 Cornerstone University in the opening round of the championship. Milligan finished the 2017-18 season with an overall record of 15-14 and a conference record of 13-7. The team featured 2019 NAIA All-America third team selection and AAC player of the year, Aaron Levarity. Levarity became the second student-athlete from one of Robinson's Milligan teams to be named as an All-American.

In his second season at Milligan, Robinson led the Buffaloes to their first AAC regular season championship in 10 years. The Buffs went 17-12 that season (2010-11), and Robinson earned his fourth Coach of the Year award (first at Milligan).

During Robinson’s first two years at Milligan, his players won a number of individual awards including an All-American honorable mention (Cordero Seymour), four All-AAC performers, the Defensive Player of the Year (Tim Harper, 2011) and Freshman of the Year (Kyle Grisby, 2011).

Robinson arrived at Milligan after 12 seasons at the helm of the Montreat College basketball program. On November 20, 2008, Montreat defeated Warren Wilson College for Coach Robinson’s 200th career head coaching win. The Cavs were also voted the AAC Men’s Basketball Champions of Character four years in a row from 2004-2008.

Robinson established a winning tradition at Montreat and transformed a program that struggled during its first few years at four-year status. When he was hired in 1997, Robinson inherited a group of players that was last in the conference the previous season. By 1999-00, Robinson had crafted a team that would win the AAC tournament and gain the program’s first invitation to the national tournament. During his last 10 years at Montreat, the Cavaliers won an average of 18 games per season, had four 20-win seasons, won an AAC regular season championship, two AAC tournament championships and made two appearances at the national tournament.

Along the way, Coach Robinson has acquired a reputation for recruiting and developing some of the finest student-athletes at the NAIA level. The senior class of 2006 represents perhaps Robinson’s strongest recruiting class to date and includes the AAC All-Conference front court of Noble Anthony and Tim Lewis, a 2014-15 Milligan assistant. Robinson’s athletes are not only distinguished by their achievements on the court, but by their commitment to academics, service and leadership.

Montreat is not the only basketball program to experience a reversal of fortunes under Coach Robinson’s charge. Prior to Montreat, Robinson served as the head men’s basketball coach at LeTourneau University in Texas. Upon his promotion from assistant to head coach in 1993, Robinson - at the age of 25 - became the youngest head coach in the nation. In three years, Coach Robinson turned around LeTourneau’s struggling basketball program, and in 1996-97 led them to a 14-13 record, their only winning season during the past 20 years.

Robinson earned a master's degree in health and kinesiology from the University of Texas at Tyler. His graduate work included a month-long internship with the Dallas Mavericks. Robinson’s responsibilities included assisting in the preparation for the 1996 NBA draft in which the Mavericks selected former NBA forward, Samaki Walker.

A 1991 graduate of The King’s College in New York, Robinson earned a B.A. in physical education. Robinson was highly decorated as a two-sport college athlete, competing in both basketball and baseball. He was named to the men’s basketball NCCAA All-American team both his junior and senior years. As a senior, he was named NAIA Conference MVP, All-American honorable mention, and received the Pete Maravich award as the NCCAA’s most outstanding player. Robinson led The King's College to an overall 99-35 record. He finished his career as the school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,696 points. His jersey (#13) was retired at his last home game. Robinson remained at his alma mater for a further two years serving as assistant basketball coach, head baseball coach, and admissions counselor.

A native of Ocean City, New Jersey, Robinson graduated from Atlantic Christian School. He competed at the varsity level in soccer, basketball and baseball, earning a total of 12 varsity letters. He served as team captain and was voted team MVP in all three sports. As a junior, Robinson led the nation in scoring with 39.8 points per game and was named USA Today All-American honorable mention in basketball.

Robinson and his wife, Barb, have three children – son, Will, and daughters, Sarah and Rachel. Will played for Robinson, graduated from Milligan in 2018 and is an assistant at Milligan. Sarah earned All-American status twice on Rich Aubrey's women's team and graduated from Milligan in 2020. Rachel graduated in May 2021.