Rob Lanier

Robert A. Lanier (born July 24, 1968) is an American college basketball coach who currently serves as the head coach for the Rice Owls. Previously, he was the head coach at Southern Methodist University. He also served as the head coach at Georgia State from 2019 to 2022 and Siena from 2001 to 2005.

Playing career
Lanier played his college basketball at St. Bonaventure, where he scored 868 career points and was named to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Freshman Team.

Coaching career
Lanier's first coaching stop was at Niagara as an assistant for two seasons before moving back to an assistant coaching spot at his alma mater. After a two-year stop at Rutgers, Lanier joined Rick Barnes's staff at Texas. In 2001, he was hired for his first head coaching job at Siena College where in his first season at the helm, he guided the Saints to a MAAC conference tournament championship and spot in the 2002 NCAA tournament where they defeated Alcorn State in the opening round, and lost to eventual national champion Maryland in the first round. He also led Siena to a 2003 NIT appearance where the Saints advanced to the third round with wins over Western Michigan and Villanova. After four seasons and a 58–70 record, Lanier was fired by Siena.

Lanier joined the coaching staffs at Virginia and Florida before reuniting with Barnes at both Texas and Tennessee. On April 5, 2019, Lanier was named the head coach at Georgia State University, replacing Ron Hunter who accepted the head coaching position at Tulane.

Lanier went 53–30 in 3 seasons at Georgia State, until he accepted the head coach position at Southern Methodist University on March 27, 2022.

On March 21, 2024, SMU fired Lanier. Several days later, Lanier was hired by Rice University.

Personal
Lanier is the cousin of former NBA player and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame member Bob Lanier. Lanier's son Emory played basketball for Southern Methodist University.