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Rob Gardiner comes to Small College Basketball with 15 years of College Basketball Experience as both a player and a coach across multiple levels of College Basketball (D1, D2 & D3). Most recently as an Assistant Coach at Division 2 perennial power Lincoln Memorial under Josh Schertz. There, Gardiner helped lead the Railsplitters to the 2021 NCAA Final Four, Southeast Regional Championship, SAC Regular Season Championship and overall record of 19-4 (Reduced Game Covid Season)
Prior to Lincoln Memorial, Gardiner spent eight years helping to mold a successful Ashland University program, under Head Coach John Ellenwood, and was named associate head coach prior to the 2019-20 season. During Gardiner’s time there Ashland won no fewer than 19 games for six-straight seasons and posted three 20+ win campaigns and two NCAA Midwest Regional Championship appearances (2016 & 2019) and Ashland’s first GLIAC Conference Championship in 2016.
During his time at Ashland, the Eagles compiled 147 wins and posted 99 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victories. Gardiner helped lead the Eagles to top-10 rankings in 2015-16 and 2018-19 with impressive 25-6 and 23-7 records, respectively. Charged with coordinating a staunch Ashland defense, Gardiner oversaw an Eagles squad that ranked in the top 30 nationally in scoring defense five of the last six seasons. Ashland ranked 24th in that category in 2019-20 (67.6 PPG) and fourth in 2018-19 (63.0 PPG).
Prior to Ashland, Gardiner was a graduate assistant at Division I Wright State out of the Horizon League from 2010-12.
A four-year letter winner and two-year team captain at Ohio Wesleyan, Gardiner helped the Battling Bishops to the 2008 NCAA Division III Men’s Basketball Championship Sweet 16.
A 2010 graduate of Ohio Wesleyan, Gardiner received his bachelor’s degree in history and education before obtaining a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree from Wright State in 2012. He attended Dublin Coffman High School where he was a three-year starter, two-time first-team all-conference selection and a two-time team MVP.
