Tarrell Robinson enters his third season as an assistantunder head women’s basketball coach Beth Cunningham. Robinson was promoted to associate head coach in May after servingas the program’s recruiting coordinator in 2010-11. Duringhis two seasons in Richmond, the Rams have made back-to-backpostseason appearances including a run to the third round of theWNIT in 2010. He will continue to help oversee opponent scouting,while providing a valuable in-game coaching presence.
"Tarrell is an outstanding basketball coach and we're veryfortunate to have him a part of our program," Cunninghamsaid. "He has been instrumental to our success during thelast two years, both on and off the court, and I'm very excited tohave him remain a part of our program. He has played a keyrole in terms of individual player development and his knowledgeduring practice and games, while his knack for recruiting hasallowed us to sign two of the top classes in program history. Tarrell has made a tremendous impact on our program and this iscertainly a well-deserved promotion.”
Robinson assumed the role of recruiting coordinator after just hisfirst season with the Rams, helping land back-to-back classes thathave ranked among the best in the Colonial Athletic Association.Robinson helped land 2011 second team All-CAA performerAndrea Barbour, a one-time McDonalds High SchoolAll-American Semifinalist and 2008 All-Atlantic Coast ConferenceRookie selection at Virginia Tech, while also signing four playersranked among the top-30 at their position in the country. This year's class includes perhaps the Rams' most heavily recruitedhigh school player during Cunningham's tenure in 6-3 centerAprill McRae, graded as the 22nd-ranked postplayer in the nation, according to ESPN.
Prior to joining the women's basketball program at VCU, Robinsonspent five years as an assistant at North Carolina A&T with hisfinal season as the associate head coach under head coach PatriciaCage-Bibbs. From 2007-2009, he helped guide the Aggies to a51-15 record, back-to-back regular season MEAC championships, theirfirst MEAC Tournament title since 1994, and the league's automaticberth into the NCAA Tournament, where N.C. A&T drew a 14-seed,the highest-ever for a MEAC women's team at the time. Robinson wasinstrumental in the Aggies being one of the most high-poweredoffensive teams in the country ranking 13th and seventh,respectively, in scoring offense. The Aggies were also proficienton the defensive side, ranking second and fifth nationally insteals per game during their championship runs.
Robinson was also responsible for recruiting during his time atN.C. A&T. He helped sign the most highly touted recruitin the program's history in Jaleesa Sams, who was ranked as high asNo. 31 nationally by Scouts.com, and secured Ta'Wuana Cook, whobecame the first N.C. A&T player to receive MEAC Rookie of theYear honors. Robinson also helped lure transfer BrittanieTaylor-James to the Aggies, who garnered league MVP honors as asenior. During Robinson’s tenure, N.C. A&T had 13all-conference selections.
Robinson began his coaching career during the 2001-02 seasonwhen he held the graduate assistant post for the N.C. A&T men'sbasketball team under head coach Curtis Hunter. There, heassisted with individual skill development, served as the filmexchange coordinator and helped organize the summer basketballcamp. The following year, Robinson began his first stint withthe Aggies' women's basketball program when he was named assistantcoach and recruiting coordinator.
During his four-year playing career at N.C. A&T from1997-2001, Robinson scored 934 points, hauled in more than 700rebounds and blocked 35 shots, while averaging 11.5 points and 7.4rebounds per game during his junior and senior seasons. TheFayetteville, N.C. native attended E.E. Smith High School, where asa senior he was an all-conference and all-region performer, whilehelping lead the Golden Bulls to a conference championship andregional runner-up finish in the state playoffs.
Robinson and his wife, Kelli, currently reside in Midlothian,Va., and have three children, Jordan (8), Jada (4) and Lauren(2).
