Following a national search that fielded immense interest and a large pool of impressive candidates, Cal State University, Bakersfield President Dr. Vernon B. Harper Jr. and Acting Director of Athletics Dr. Sarah Tuohy are excited to announce the hiring of Todd Lee as the 10th head coach of the Roadrunner men’s basketball team.
Lee is making a return to Cal State Bakersfield, where he helped lead the `Runners to an NCAA Division II National Championship as an assistant coach. He brings nearly 40 years of coaching experience across both professional and multiple divisions of NCAA basketball.
“I am thrilled to announce that CSUB has selected the visionary leader and proven winner who will guide the Roadrunner men’s basketball team to a new era of excellence, integrity and pride,” President Harper said of Lee. “This is a proud day for our Athletics Program, the university and our community of supporters. Please join me in welcoming back Coach Lee and reminding him of the hospitality that makes Kern County the heart of California.”
In the roughly 30 years since Lee helped then-Head Coach Pat Douglass guide CSUB to the 1997 NCAA national title, he has enjoyed successful stints as a head coach at both the Division I and Division II ranks. Lee also spent the last four seasons coaching Power 4 squads under Eric Musselman, most recently for two years at University of Southern California.
“Throughout the process,” Tuohy said, “Coach Lee consistently stood out not only for his high-level basketball knowledge and proven success as a head coach, but for how clearly his vision aligned with the future of this athletic department. His genuine commitment to the Bakersfield community and passion for restoring pride in our program made him a natural fit to lead us forward.”
“I have always wanted to be the Head Coach at CSUB,” said Lee. “I am very proud of the success the program has had in the past and all the great players and coaches that have been part of the program. I want our alumni, the university, the city of Bakersfield and all of Kern County to be proud of our program. I loved living in Bakersfield and can’t wait for our family to be part of the community again.”
Lee’s previous two head coaching stints included four seasons at South Dakota and nearly a decade at Kentucky Wesleyan. In just his second year in Vermillion, S.D, Lee led the Yotes to a 20-12 record and he moved on from South Dakota with a winning record (66-52). During his tenure at KWC, Lee guided the Panthers to a 154-81 record and five straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearances, including a Sweet 16 run in 2012 for which he earned recognition as a finalist for National Coach of the Year.
As a member of The Big West with a unique geographic advantage, Lee said that Cal State Bakersfield’s program has one big advantage: its local community.
I believe in the potential of the program and a lot of that has to do with the community of Bakersfield. There is no other program in The Big West that has a city like Bakersfield that can create the support we can create. With our community support, I believe we should be competing for Big West Championships in the very near future.
– Todd Lee
With decades of experience at multiple levels and success at every stop, Lee said he looks to build a culture of competitiveness and intensity with his return to Bakersfield.
“When you watch our team play, you should feel their competitiveness, toughness and that they are a connected team that cheers for each other. We will play an up-tempo style, we will be unselfish and very aggressive attacking the rim. We want to put pressure on the rim and create open 3s. Defensively we will be a very tough and aggressive man-to-man team that takes great pride in being really good defensively. You cannot be a championship team without being a great defensive team. I want our fans to feel our team’s intensity on both ends of the floor, which is what fans want to cheer for.”
CSUB Athletics looks forward to officially welcoming Lee and his family back to Bakersfield with an introductory press conference on Friday, March 27, at 11:30 a.m. (PT) in the Icardo Center. The celebration will be open to the public; free parking will be available in Lot I. Those unable to attend the press conference in person can watch live or on demand via the CSUB Athletics YouTube channel, linked below.
