Daniyal Robinson has been named as the 17th head coach of Cleveland State men's basketball, Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Garrett announced on Wednesday, April 6.
"After a very thorough national search for our next head coach, I am pleased to have Daniyal, his wife Kim and their three children Devyn, Reece and Reid, join our team," shared Garrett. "Daniyal's vision for CSU basketball fully aligns with our foundation of championship success in the classroom, in the community and on the court. We look forward to fully supporting Coach Robinson's success and to continuing our accelerating momentum under his leadership."
"Daniyal Robinson's core values and lifelong commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court embody what we are all about at CSU," Cleveland State President Harlan Sands added. "He is the right leader at the right time for us, and both Scott Garrett and I look forward to working with him on further advancing the upward trajectory of our men's basketball program."
Robinson, most recently an assistant coach at Iowa State University, will be introduced on Wednesday, April 6 at 2 PM ET inside the CSU Student Center. The introductory press conference will be carried live on the Cleveland State Athletics and CSUOhio.edu homepages.
Robinson joins the Vikings as a veteran of the coaching ranks with over 21 years of experience at the NCAA Division I level and multiple trips to the NCAA tournament, including a run with Iowa State to this year's Sweet Sixteen.
"My family and I are very excited about this opportunity here at Cleveland State," Robinson said. "When I met with President Sands and Scott, I knew that this was the place that we wanted to be. The shared values that President Sands and Scott have, the program where it is at, they have done it together the last three years and our goal here is to continue to build on the success that CSU has had and the foundation that was set. We want to build our young men on and off the court. We are very excited for the opportunity. Go Vikes!"
Respected as one of the nation's top assistant coaches, Robinson concluded his second stint at Iowa State where he has seen the Cyclones win two Big 12 Tournaments and advance to the NCAA Tournament four times, which includes runs to the Sweet 16 in 2016 and 2021. Over his two stops with the Cyclones, Robinson has helped coach 12 student-athletes to the NBA, a list that includes lottery pick Tyrese Haliburton in 2020 and 2019 second-rounder and NBA Champion Talen Horton-Tucker.
The Cyclones have spent much of his tenure nationally ranked, reaching as high as No. 4 in the country, and finishing inside the top-25 three times, which includes a rank of No. 23 in the nation to close the 2021-22 campaign.
Robinson returned to Iowa State for the 2015-16 year after two seasons at Loyola (Chicago). There he helped lead the Ramblers to 24 wins and the College Basketball Invitational title in 2014-15.
During his first stint at Iowa State, Robinson was a key part in the development of three future NBA players, which includes Craig Brackins, an All-American student-athlete and the No. 21 pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Diante Garrett and Justin Hamilton.
Robinson, a Rock Island, Illinois native also had coaching stops at Houston, Illinois State and his alma mater, Arkansas-Little Rock.
Off the court, Robinson founded and currently chairs the Black Assistant Coaches Alliance (BACA) and he started the Ramblers for Education program, which linked Loyola student-athletes and the Chicago community. He also served on the Iowa State athletic department's Cultural Humility Committee, a group of employees that participates in educational trainings with a goal of achieving cultural humility within the department.
Robinson was a student-athlete at Indian Hills Community College before transferring to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He was a Second Team All-Region honoree at Indian Hills, where he helped lead the Warriors to a 35-4 record during the 1995-96 season. Indian Hills finished the regular-season ranked as the No. 1 team in the NJCAA poll that year and advanced to the national championship tournament. He graduated from Arkansas-Little Rock in 1999 with a bachelor's degree in health education.
Robinson is joined in Cleveland by his wife Kim and three children – Devyn, Reece and Reid. Devyn is currently a standout on the Wisconsin women's volleyball team.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT HEAD COACH DANIYAL ROBINSON:
PORTER MOSER – HEAD COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
"Daniyal Robinson was with me from the beginning of my head coaching career and helped me build three different programs. He was integral in setting the foundation and building a championship program at Loyola. Daniyal is a hard-working, high-character, energetic coach who has an amazing impact on developing young men. He has an unbelievable gift in bringing people together on and off the court. He has the ability to combine love, trust and accountability as well as anyone that I have ever seen in this profession. Cleveland State is not only getting a great head basketball coach, but they are getting a great person, a great family man and an unbelievable family in the Robinsons."
CRAIG ROBINSON – PRESIDENT NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BASKETBALL COACHES
"I couldn't be happier for both Daniyal and Cleveland St. The Vikings are getting an excellent up and coming young coach who will lead with character and integrity to go along with his passion for young people. While Daniyal has a great opportunity to start his career with a program that has been and will continue to be successful."
TJ OTZELBERGER – HEAD COACH AT IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY
"Daniyal is a proven leader, winner and man of character. He is elite at cultivating meaningful relationships that enhance each student-athletes college experience. This is a home run hire for Cleveland State and I look forward to following the future success of the Vikings men's basketball program."
JAMIE POLLARD – DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS AT IOWA STATE
"Coach Robinson is a tremendous husband, father and coach, who has played an important role in Iowa State's basketball success during the seven years he has been on our staff, and I am excited for him to have the opportunity to lead the Cleveland State program. I know how hard he has worked and prepared for this moment. I believe it speaks volumes to Daniyal's character and abilities that he was able to work for three different head coaches during his time with the Cyclones, that's rare in today's world. Cleveland State will find Danyial to be a connector who fosters outstanding relationships not only with his players, but externally within the community as well. Coach Robinson and his family will be great additions to the Cleveland State family, and I look forward to cheering the Vikings on from Ames."
SHAKA SMART – HEAD COACH AT MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY
"Daniyal is a terrific hire. He's got a great basketball mind, builds very close connections with players, and is a tireless recruiter. I'm very excited to root for the program he builds at Cleveland State!"
Kwanza Johnson has been named to an assistant coach position on the Cleveland State men’s basketball staff for the 2023-24 season.
Johnson brings over twenty years of college coaching experience to Cleveland State and shares a strong connection to Coach Robinson after the two worked together at Arkansas Little-Rock.
“I am extremely excited to welcome Kwanza Johnson and his family to Cleveland,” said Coach Robinson. “Coach Johnson’s experience speaks for itself, having dedicated over 25 years of his life to this game as both a player and coach. Kwanza takes great pride in developing and serving student-athletes on and off the court, building long lasting genuine relationships, while maintaining a relentless work ethic on the recruiting trail. I look forward to seeing him continue to do all those things here at Cleveland State. Please join myself and our entire staff in welcoming Coach Kwanza Johnson, his wife Kim, his daughters Kaitlyn and Kendall, and his son Kalli, to the Viking Family!”
Johnson comes to Cleveland following a one-year stint at The University of California-Berkley this past season. He served as the Golden Bears’ Coordinator of Video and Recruiting Operations in 2022-23.
“Cleveland State is a special university and I am blessed to be a part of this vibrant community,” Coach Johnson said. “Coach Robinson did an excellent job coaching last year’s team. I am both excited and grateful to be afforded the opportunity to be a part of his remarkable program. I look forward to working with this exceptional staff and being a part of developing these young men as student-athletes. Together we will strive for success off the court and championships on it!”
Prior to his time at Cal, Johnson spent four seasons at Tulsa, his alma mater, as an assistant coach. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from Tulsa in 1995. He got his start as an administrative assistant under Bill Self from 1997-99, and then completed two separate stints as an assistant coach on the Golden Hurricane staff.
He served as an assistant from 2001-05 and returned for his most recent stint from 2019-22. He helped coach Tulsa to an American Athletic Conference regular season championship in 2020, as the Golden Hurricane finished with a 13-5 record in conference play.
In addition to his time at Little Rock, Johnson’s career also includes stops at Nevada, TCU, Georgia, and Eastern Illinois.
Johnson spent two seasons as the associate head coach at Little Rock from 2016-18. He spent the previous three seasons as an assistant coach at TCU from 2013-16. During his stint with the Horned Frogs, TCU ran off a run of 13 consecutive victories to start the season in 2014-15, which remains a program record.
Prior to that, Johnson spent eight seasons as an assistant coach under Mark Fox at Georgia (2009-13) and Nevada (2006-09).
Johnson mentored several key players during his time with Georgia and Nevada. At Georgia, he mentored Trey Tompkins and Travis Leslie, both of whom went on to earn All-SEC honors before being selected in the 2011 NBA Draft. He also worked with 2013 SEC Player of the Year Kentavious Caldwell-Pope who went eighth overall to the Detroit Pistons in the 2013 NBA Draft.
At Nevada, Johnson mentored Nick Fazekas, who earned First Team All-America honors in 2007 in addition to winning the WAC Player of the Year award. JaVale McGee also exceled under Johnson’s watch and was selected 18th overall in 2008 by the Washington Wizards.
As a player, Johnson led Tulsa to back-to-back Missouri Valley Conference titles and two Sweet 16 appearances during his time with the Golden Hurricane. He also played two seasons for Rose State College before transferring to Tulsa.
Johnson earned his bachelor’s degree from Tulsa in 1995 and later added a Juris Doctor degree from the Tulsa College of Law in 1999.
He and his wife Kim have three children; daughters Kaitlyn and Kendall and son Kalli.
Cleveland State men's basketball head coach Daniyal Robinson announced the retaining of Travis Lewis as an Assistant Coach on this year's staff.
Coach Lewis is in his second season with the program, after serving as Video Coordinator under the previous staff last season.
Lewis comes to Cleveland State after having most recently served as head coach at St. Francis De Sales High School in Toledo, Ohio, where he owned an overall record of 108-77, which included eight state tournament appearances. Over his nine seasons in Toledo, Lewis coached 17 All-Conference student-athletes and 11 student-athletes who played at the collegiate level. During the 2019-20 season, St. Francis De Sales finished second place in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference – the highest conference finish in program history.
Prior to his time at St. Francis De Sales, Lewis spent three seasons as the associate head coach of the men's basketball program at Owens Community College in Toledo, Ohio, in addition to serving as assistant director of athletics. During his time at Owens Community College, the newest Cleveland State Viking assisted in the daily development of practice plans, on-court coaching, recruiting, and scouting. Off the floor, Lewis advised 19 Academic All-Americans, provided academic advising and support for 124 student-athletes and maintained all NJCAA compliance for the college's eight sports.
Lewis received his first opportunity in basketball during the 2008-09 season, serving as Eastern Michigan men's basketball's director of video operations and player development.
Throughout the course of his career, Lewis has won numerous coaching awards, including AP Ohio All-Northwest District Coach of the Year (2017), Ohio TRAC Coach of the Year (2017) and BCSN District All-Star Head Coach (2016-18).
A 2007 graduate of EMU, Lewis was a two-sport athlete, playing basketball and football. A three-time team captain of the Eagles men's basketball program, Lewis was named Defensive Player of the Year in the 2007 and 2008 seasons. On the football field, Lewis played wide receiver and served as the offensive team captain during the 2007 season.
Jay Shunnar has been named an assistant coach for the Cleveland State men's basketball program.
"We are thrilled to add Jay Shunnar to our staff," Robinson said. "Jay has great basketball pedigree for such a young coach, having worked in the NBA as well as the Big East and Big Ten conferences. His enthusiasm for teaching and coaching will greatly assist our student-athletes and be very impactful to our success. He is a perfect fit for Cleveland State and our basketball program."
Shunnar spent the past two seasons as the Director of Basketball Operations at Butler University. The Ann Arbor, Mich. native also had stops with the Cleveland Cavilers and the University of Michigan.
"I am thrilled to join Coach Robinson at Cleveland State University," Shunnar said. "Coach Robinson is a proven leader, winner and man of character. I look forward to working with our student-athletes, staff and administration to continue building on the success CSU has built. I want to thank Coach Beilein, Coach Jordan and the Cleveland Cavaliers organization for their influence in my career. I am grateful to be back in Cleveland and look forward to competing for Horizon League Championships."
Prior to arriving at Butler, Shunnar served as special assistant to head coaches John Beilein and J.B. Bickerstaff as part of the Cleveland Cavaliers organization.
During his time in the NBA, Shunnar responsibilities included analyzing film, preparing scouts for assistant coaches, assisting in practice planning and game planning. Shunnar worked closely with the development of guards Collin Sexton and Darius Garland.
Shunnar made the move from Michigan to the Cavaliers alongside Beilein after serving as a graduate assistant with the Wolverines during the 2018-19 season.
Before joining the Wolverines, Shunnar spent two seasons (2016-18) as the head coach at Ann Arbor Huron High School, compiling a 34-11 record. Before assuming the head coaching duties, he was an assistant with Huron for one season (2015-16) after spending three seasons at nearby Ann Arbor Skyline High School (2012-15).
In addition to his prep coaching, he was also the head coach of Common Bond, an AAU program for U15-U17 throughout southeast Michigan, for three years (2012-15). There he coached nine athletes to college scholarships.
Shunner played three seasons at Toledo, arriving as a walk-on in 2008. He transferred to Michigan as a senior to complete his undergraduate degree in Material Sciences from U-M's College of Engineering.
Shunnar earned his undergraduate degree from Michigan in 2014. He completed a master's degree in higher education and post-secondary education in 2019.
With the addition of Shunnar, Robinson has almost fully completed his staff. He will still look to add a special assistant and video coordinator.
Danny Karliak has been named Director of Basketball Operations at Cleveland State University.
Karliak enters his second season on the Cleveland State staff after serving as Assistant Director of Basketball Operations last season. Karliak played a vital role in the success of the program, helping to lead the Vikings to a third straight season of 20 or more victories in 2022-23. Prior to Cleveland State he served in a variety of operations and coaching roles at IMG Academy and the International Sports Academy among others.
“I’m thrilled to announce Danny’s promotion,” Coach Robinson said. “He is highly organized and was crucial in assisting with all of our operational needs this past season. His enthusiasm for CSU and positive attitude will impact the program in a number of ways and he has hit the ground running in his new role.”
In his new role as Director of Basketball Operations, he will work hand-in-hand with Coach Robinson to oversee all aspects of the program. Some of those areas include team travel, academics, budget management, and the day-to-day schedule. Karliak also serves as the liaison from the program to athletic administration and campus groups.
Karliak is a 2018 graduate of Ohio State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree as a Sport Management Major.
Khyle Diaz has been named the Assistant Director of Basketball Operations at Cleveland State University.
Diaz is in his second year on staff with the Vikings and has been promoted to the Assistant Director of Basketball Operations position after serving as a graduate assistant for the 2022-23 season. Diaz played collegiately at Keystone College, earning a spot as a captain his senior year, and played professionally for the London Greenhouse Pioneers in England for one season. He later returned to Keystone as an assistant coach for the 2021-22 season.
“I am excited to announce Khyle’s promotion,” Head Coach Daniyal Robinson said. “He brings great energy and an eagerness to learn. His work ethic and investment in our student-athletes will be a huge asset to our staff.”
In his role, Diaz will assist with all aspects of the day-to-day management of the program, including on-campus recruiting visits, camps, and team travel among others. Diaz will work closely with the team’s graduate assistants during practice and workouts.
Diaz is a 2017 graduate of Keystone College with a Bachelor of Science degree as a Sport and Recreation Management major. He later earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Westminster in 2018.
Nate Michael enters his second season at Cleveland State as the program's Director of Player Development and Video Operations. In his role, Michael oversees the capturing and editing of all film and assists with developing scouting reports for all opponents.
In his first season, Michael helped the Vikings to a third consecutive season of 20 wins or more and a third straight trip to the postseason. The team earned a spot in the College Basketball Invitational, marking the first appearance in that tournament in school history.
Prior to his arrival at Cleveland State, Michael spent the previous three seasons at Kansas State. He served as a graduate student manager in his first two seasons and as Video Coordinator in his final season with the Wildcats in 2021-22.
Michael concluded his playing career in 2019 at McKendree College in Lebanon, Illinois, where he finished 22nd on the Bearcats’ all-time scoring list with 1,528 points. One of the school’s best all-around shooters, he drained 226 three-pointers in his career, which ranks sixth on the program’s career chart, while he connected on 86.2 percent (344 of 399) from the free throw line, which ranks fifth all-time at the school.
As a junior in 2017-18, Michael poured in a school-record 51 points in the school’s regular-season finale at Quincy on February 24, 2018, to break the 62-year-old school mark of 47 by Rich Herrin.
As a fifth-year senior in 2018-19, Michael led the Bearcats in multiple categories, including scoring (13.8 ppg.), 3-point field goals (66), free throw percentage (91.3), to go along with averages of 4.1 rebounds and 2.3 assists in 31.3 minutes per game. He also set the single season free throw percentage record, hitting on 91.3 percent (84-of-92) from the line.
A native of St. Joseph, Illinois, Michael finished as the career leader in 3-point field goals (192) at St. Joseph-Ogden High School with 1,244 points. He was a first team All-State selection as a senior in 2013-14, averaging 18 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists per game.
Michael’s father, Tom, who is currently the director of athletics at Eastern Illinois, played basketball at Illinois (1991-94) before spending 12 years (2001-14) in various roles at his alma mater.
Michael earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in May 2018 and an MBA in May 2019 from McKendree College. He received a Master’s degree in College Student Personnel and Intercollegiate Athletics in May 2021.