Men's Basketball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- rsendero@kent.edu
- Phone:
- 330-672-8437
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THE ROB SENDEROFF PROFILE |
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Birthdate: July 25, 1973 |
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Coaching Experience |
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Senderoff’s Coaching Highlights • 2022 MAC Coach of the Year; Led Flashes to 14-game win streak and MAC Championship appearance • Defeated Albany to become the winningest coach in program history during the 2018-19 season • Led Kent State to its first MAC Tournament title and NCAA Tournament bid since 2008. Coached the 2016-17 team to 2,722 points scored, a program record |
Rob Senderoff just completed his 14th season as Kent State's head coach and ranks as the all-time winningest coach in program history with 288 wins. With 288 victories, Senderoff is 7th all-time in wins in MAC History.
Senderoff has a total of nine seasons with 20+ wins. He led the Golden Flashes to the 2024-2025 National Invitation Tournament Quarterfinal posting a record of 24-12. This postseason run saw Kent State defeat Stanford marking Senderoff’s seventh victory over a traditional power conference opponent.
Senderoff led the Golden Flashes to the 2023-24 MAC Tournament Championship game after coming in as a No.8 seed and beating the No.1 in the first round. In the 2022-23 season, Senderoff led the team to a 22-game win streak at home, the second-longest in MAC history.
In the 2022-23 season led by Senderoff, point guard Sincere Carry had one of the most successful seasons in Kent State history. The MAC Player of the Year averaged more than 20 points per game in conference play and almost five assists per game. Carry was named to the MAC All-Defensive team as well as a member of the All-MAC First Team. Carry was aided by fellow MAC All-Defensive team member, Malique Jacobs, during the historic season. Jacobs, under Senderoff's tutelage, posted the first triple-double in program history. The junior college transfer was the first guard to lead the Flashes in rebounding since Demetric Shaw did so in 2001.
Senderoff took over the program in April 2011 after spending seven previous years on the Golden Flashes’ coaching staff. In addition to leading the Golden Flashes, Senderoff serves as the MAC representative to the National Basketball Coaches Association Congress and is a member of the ERACISM committee.
Senderoff was a finalist for the 2021, 2022, and 2023 Skip Prosser Man of the Year Award, presented annually to the coach who has success on the court and displays moral integrity off the court. In the 2020-21 season, Senderoff guided the Golden Flashes to a 15-8 overall record and a 12-6 mark in the Mid-American Conference. The Golden Flashes were the four-seed in the MAC Tournament.
Off the court, Coach Senderoff and his men's basketball program have been a part of several social initiatives. In the 2020-21 pre-season, Coach Senderoff partnered with Akron Head Coach John Groce to produce a message that promoted voter registration entitled, “Rivals Unite for Social Change”. The two rival programs also joined together for the "This Game is No Secret" and ERACISM movement through the National Basketball Coaches Association. The programs pushed the movement during their nationally televised game on ESPNU.
Senderoff wasted no time putting his stamp on the program and has led Kent State to eight post-season appearances. His Golden Flashes have participated in the NCAA Tournament in 2017 and 2023, the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) in 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2019, and The Basketball Classic in 2022. Most recently Senderoff led Kent State to the 2025 National Invitationa Tournament.
In his 14 seasons as head coach, the 30-year coaching veteran has continued the success of the storied program that he helped build by leading the Golden Flashes to nine 20-win campaigns, the most by any coach in Kent State history. Senderoff has led Kent State to the MAC Tournament semifinals nine times, and to championship game five times. In the 2015-16 season, Senderoff led the Flashes to a 23-13 season and was dubbed MAC Regular Season and East Division Champions.
Mentoring a total of 26 All-MAC honorees, 10 MAC All-Tournament team selections, three MAC Sixth Man of the Year honors, and two MAC Defensive Player of the Year awards has highlighted his time at Kent State. Also, during his watch he coached eight players have been added to the school’s 1,000-point scorers list (Jaylin Walker-1,804, Jimmy Hall-1,683, Justin Greene-1,550, Jalen Sullinger-1,486, Randal Holt- 1,417, VonCameron Davis-1,347, Danny Pippen-1,183, and Kris Brewer- 1,128, ).
NATIONAL EXPOSURE
The program has not been afraid to compete against teams from the Power 5 opponents. Kent State has claimed seven wins over traditional power conference members under Senderoff from the ACC (Stanford in 2024-2025), Big 12 (West Virginia in 2011-12 and Texas in 2016-17), Pac-12 (Oregon State in 2017-18 and 2018-19, SEC (Vanderbilt in 2018-19, and the Big 10 (Nebraska in 2012-13).
In 2016-17, the Flashes returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008. Kent State claimed the program's first Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship under Rob Senderoff, defeating the top three seeds in the tournament in succession. The Flashes advanced to the first round of the NCAA Tournament and played against UCLA.
Senderoff began with one of the most memorable debuts in the coaching profession. Kent State recorded a monumental 70-60 win over West Virginia and Hall of Fame Head Coach Bob Huggins, snapping the Mountaineers’ 36-game non-conference home winning streak. The victory, which was part of ESPN’s 24-hour College Basketball Tip-Off Marathon, also marked the first true road win over a BCS school for Kent State in 41 years.
In 2022-23, the Flashes faced off against two top 10 teams early in the season. Although Kent State lost to both Gonzaga and Houston, the Flashes lost by less than eight points for each game.
THE SENDEROFF ERA HIGHLIGHTS
In his first season as head coach, Senderoff guided the Flashes to winning 21 games, advanced to the semifinals of the MAC Tournament, and earned an invitation to play in the CIT in each of his first two seasons. Senderoff earned the first postseason victory of his head coaching career in 2013, as the Golden Flashes defeated Fairfield in a CIT first-round matchup. The program finished the 2012-13 campaign with a 21-14 mark, the second-straight 20-plus win season.
The 2014-15 season marked the second-highest winning percentage under Senderoff, finishing the campaign with a 23-12 record. Kent State was named the MAC Regular Season Champions and East Division Champions. The Flashes defeated Middle Tennessee in a CIT first-round matchup and claimed a victory in the second round against Texas A&M- Corpus Christi.
In the 2015-16 season, Senderoff led the Golden Flashes to 19 wins in a campaign that was highlighted by All-District honors for junior Jimmy Hall and MAC Defensive Player of the Year honors for Khaliq Spicer.
In Senderoff's sixth season, in 2016-17, the Flashes returned to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2008. Kent State claimed the program's first Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship under Rob Senderoff, defeating the top three seeds in the tournament in succession. The Flashes scored the most points in program history at 2,722, beating the previous record by 40 points. Senderoff led his squad to the postseason despite almost a dozen newcomers to the program.
In 2017-18, Senderoff guided the team to its second straight appearance in the Mid-American Conference Tournament Semifinals. Dating back to the 2016-17 season, KSU had a six-game winning streak in the conference tournament. Sophomore Mitch Peterson was named to the Academic All-MAC Team. Junior Jaylin Walker was named All-MAC Third Team and NABC All-District Second Team. The Golden Flashes also defeated a "Power Five" conference school for the second straight season with a home victory over Oregon State.
The 2018-19 season marked a historic year for the program in more ways than one. The team completed the regular season 22-9 overall and 11-7 in league play. The 22 wins marks the most regular season wins since the 2009-10 season. Senderoff became the program’s most winningest coach as the Golden Flashes took down the University at Albany, 70-68. The victory, Senderoff’s 149th, moved him ahead of Jim McDonald, who coached the Golden Flashes from 1983 to 1992.
Senior Jaylin Walker became the program’s most prolific 3-point shooter leading the program with 295 made field goals, while also becoming the 2nd-leading scorer in program history with 1, 804 points. Walker was named to the All-MAC First Team and NABC All-District First Team. Freshman Anthony Roberts was named to the All-MAC Freshman Team. The Golden Flashes also defeated two "Power Five" conference schools marking the third-straight season the team has defeated a power-five school. The Flashes defeated Vanderbilt and Oregon State on the road.
In 2019-20, the Flashes finished 20-12 overall and 9-9 in MAC play. The nine conference wins made Senderoff the program’s all-time leader in MAC wins with 87 total. Kent State finished the non-conference schedule with the highest scoring margin during the non-conference schedule (+12.5) through 20 seasons. The last time the Flashes finished above +12, was during the 2003-04 season with a +12.3 margin. Senior Philip Whittington was added to the 1,000-career point club, as he finished with 1,113 points. Senior Antonio Williams was named to the All-MAC Second Team and All-Defensive Team, while junior Danny Pippen was named All-MAC Honorable Mention.
During the 2021-22 season, the Golden Flashes rode a 14-game win streak into the MAC Championship game. The Golden Flashes knocked off every team in the MAC during the win streak including multiple nationally televised wins over top MAC opponents. The Flashes posted a 23-11 record, including a 16-4 record in MAC play. Kent State earned the MAC Coach of the Year, Player of the Year and Sixth Man of the Year for th first time since 2011.
For the 2022-23 season, Senderoff led the Golden Flashes to victory at the MAC Championship Tournament. The team made their second appearance in the NCAA Tournament under Senderoff. In conference play, the Flashes went 15-3 after finishing 28-7 overall. In addition to Defensive Player of the Year, Kent State takes the Sixth Man of the Year award for the second year in a row.
In 2023-2024, Senderoff led the Flashes to a 17-17 record in the 2023-24 season and an 8-10 record in the Mid-American Conference. Senderoff led the Flashes to their third consecutive MAC Tournament Championship game after upsetting the No. 1 and No. 5 seeds.
Most recently, He led the Golden Flashes to the 2025 National Invitation Tournament Quarterfinal posting a record of 24-12 for the 2024-2025 season.
SENDEROFF IN ELITE COMPANY
Head Coach Rob Senderoff is in elite company that includes Tom Izzo (Michigan State), Mark Few (Gonzaga), and John Becker (Vermont) as head coaches who have not had a losing season during their head coaching career (minimum of 10 seasons coached).
THE SENDEROFF ERA
Overall Wins-288
20+ Win Season-9
Power Conference Wins-7
MAC Wins-148
NCAA Appearances-2
Losing Record-0
Losing Record (MAC)- 1
MAC Winning % (as HC)- .621
Post Season Appearances-8
MAC Tournament Wins-17
COACHING TREE CONTINUES TO BLOOM
Coach Senderoff and Kent State have had a tremendous impact on the basketball coaching landscape as 13 former players have started their own coaching careers, that list includes:
Head Coaches
Jordan Mincy
Assistant Coaches
Jalen Avery
Jon Fleming
Armon Gates
Eric Haut
DeAndre Haynes
Randal Holt
Mike McKee
Michael Porrini
Julian Sullinger
Anthony Wilkins
Kevin Zabo
*Played at Kent State (1992-96)
PERSONAL
Senderoff earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University at Albany in 1995 and a master’s in sports studies from Miami University (OH) in 1997. He is married to the former Lauren Edelstein, and the couple has two daughters, Samantha and Rachel.
