Langston University officially introduced Hall of Famer Crystal Robinson as the 12th head coach of the Lady Lions women’s basketball program during a press conference Thursday morning inside the Student Success Center.
Robinson arrives at Langston with an extensive basketball résumé that includes success as a player, coach, and administrator at nearly every level of the sport.
“I am honored to join Langston University, an institution with great heritage on and off the court,” Robinson said. “Very few people get the opportunity to pursue their dreams in multiple eras. I missed an NAIA championship twice as a player; now I am excited to chase that dream alongside our student-athletes and my new Langston family.”
Langston Athletic Director Donnita Rogers said Robinson’s credentials made her a standout candidate to lead the Lady Lions program.
“It’s not every day you have the opportunity to hire a first-round WNBA draft pick and four-time Hall of Famer, but here we are welcoming one of Oklahoma’s and the NAIA’s greatest basketball players to Langston University,” Rogers said. “We believe she has what it takes to provide the missing pieces needed on our quest to acquire the elusive NAIA Championship Red Banner.”
An Oklahoma native, Robinson was a standout at Atoka High School, where she earned WBCA High School All-American honors in 1992. She later starred at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, becoming a three-time NAIA First-Team All-American and the 1996 NAIA Women’s Basketball National Player of the Year. Robinson helped lead Southeastern to consecutive appearances in the NAIA National Championship game in 1995 and 1996.
Her accomplishments earned her induction into multiple halls of fame, including the NAIA Hall of Fame, Atoka Hall of Fame, Southeastern Oklahoma State University Hall of Fame, and the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame.
Langston President Ruth Ray Jackson said Robinson’s ties to Oklahoma and extensive experience make her an ideal fit for the program.
“Coach Crystal Robinson is one of Oklahoma’s most accomplished basketball figures, and we are thrilled to welcome her home to lead Langston University’s women’s basketball program,” Jackson said. “She embodies the excellence, determination and leadership we strive to cultivate in our student-athletes.”
Following her collegiate career, Robinson was selected sixth overall by the New York Liberty in the 1999 WNBA Draft. She enjoyed a professional career that included stops with the Liberty, Washington Mystics, Colorado Xplosion, Elitzur Ramla, and Spartak Moscow before retiring in 2007.
Robinson transitioned into coaching with the Washington Mystics before returning to Oklahoma, where she guided McAlester High School to a Class 5A state championship in her lone season as head coach. She also served as head coach at Murray State College and held assistant coaching positions at Utah State and TCU.
Most recently, Robinson worked at the professional level with the Seattle Storm, Dallas Wings, Phoenix Mercury, and Chicago Sky. She was a member of Seattle’s coaching staff when the Storm captured the 2018 WNBA championship.
Robinson now takes over a Langston program seeking its first NAIA national championship and hopes to build upon the university’s proud basketball tradition.
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