One of the nation's top young coaches and an elite recruiter, Rob Ehsan (pronounced EE-sahn) is in his second season as UIC men's basketball head coach after being named to the post in April 2024.
It didn't take long for Ehsan to make an impact at UIC. During his first season (2024-25), the Flames finished with a 17-14 record and tied for fifth place in the Missouri Valley Conference (the program's first winning record and highest conference finish since 2019-20, prior to joining the MVC). UIC also registered its best regular-season winning percentage (.567) since 2004 and picked up four Quad 1 & 2 wins (second-best in the Valley). What's more, the Flames posted five wins over teams that competed in the postseason, including victories over Drake, Yale, Bradley and Illinois State, and produced the program's second-highest scoring offense (76.0 ppg. – fourth in the MVC) in the past 30 years.
On the defensive side of the ball, UIC was equally strong, ranking in the top five in the MVC in virtually every category, including field-goal percentage defense (.446), three-point defense (.336), blocked shots (3.13 bpg.), rebounding margin (+2.45), defensive rebounding (25.52 drpg.) and steals (6.77 spg.).
Throughout his first two decades on the sidelines, Ehsan has earned a reputation as a superb offensive tactician with a keen eye for talent. During his career, which included stops at three 'power conference' programs (Maryland, Virginia Tech, and Stanford), Ehsan led his teams to three conference titles, eight postseason appearances (four NCAA Tournaments), and recruited numerous All-Americans and future NBA Draft picks, including Greivis Vasquez (2010 ACC Player of the Year) and Alex Len (No. 5 overall pick in 2012 NBA Draft).
Prior to his arrival at UIC, Ehsan was an assistant coach and lead recruiter at Stanford for three seasons (2021-24). He was the architect of a Stanford offense that ranked among the top 35 nationally and reached 20-year highs for offensive efficiency. In his final season, the Cardinal defeated No. 5 Arizona by 18 points, the largest-win ever for Stanford against a top-five opponent.
Ehsan also signed a pair of McDonald's All-Americans during his three-year tenure with the Cardinal. In addition, Stanford's 2023 incoming class featured two top-40 recruits for the first time since 2006.
Under Ehsan's tutelage, Harrison Ingram was named the 2022 Pac-12 Freshman of the Year – Stanford's first since 2000 – while Spencer Jones blossomed into an All-Pac-12 forward in 2023 and Sam Beskind was named Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year following the 2021-22 season.
Ehsan made his way to Stanford following a four-year tenure as the head coach at UAB, where his teams posted 76 wins (19 per season) and registered a winning record each year. His 2020 squad was on its way to a third straight 20-win campaign when COVID-19 prematurely ended the season. He developed several All-Conference USA selections, including Chris Cokley, Jalen Benjamin, and two-time C-USA Defensive Player of the Year William Lee. At the time of his hire in Birmingham, Ehsan was one of the five youngest Division I coaches in the country.
In the classroom, Ehsan's UAB teams garnered consecutive NCAA Public Recognition Awards for exemplary Academic Progress Rates, marking the only times in school history that such honors have been bestowed. Off the court and in the community, the program partnered with the Mike Slive Foundation to promote the #BlockCancer campaign, which raised money for prostate cancer research.
Ehsan's tenure as head coach at UAB included numerous marquee victories, including a win over Memphis, 71-56, on Nov. 30, 2017 and a win at Stephen F. Austin on Dec. 7, 2016, which snapped its 31-game home win streak. Ehsan also won 62.5 percent of his games in the C-USA Tournament, which ranks second-best all-time at UAB.
Before taking the helm of the Blazers' program, Ehsan spent four years as an assistant coach in Birmingham under Jerod Haase, including the final two as associate head coach. He was a member of the coaching staff for a team that advanced to the second round of the 2015 NCAA Tournament with a landmark first-round win against third-seeded Iowa State.
Overall, UAB made four trips to the postseason in Ehsan's eight years as a Blazer. Additional highlights during his time in Birmingham included a 26-win campaign in 2016-17 (the winningest season in program history), a victory over then-No. 16 North Carolina in 2013, and the signing of William Lee, the highest-rated recruit in UAB history.
Prior to UAB, Ehsan spent six seasons as an assistant at Maryland (2006-11) under legendary Hall of Fame coach Gary Williams and another season at Virginia Tech (2011-12) under current ESPN college basketball analyst Seth Greenberg. At the time of his arrival at Maryland, Ehsan was the youngest assistant coach in the ACC (26). He helped the Terrapins to three NCAA Tournaments and two NIT berths, as well as the 2010 ACC regular season championship. Ehsan recruited and coached five future NBA Draft picks while in College Park, including Vasquez, who went on to win the 2010 Bob Cousy Award as the nation's top point guard and was selected 23rd overall in the 2010 NBA Draft.
Between his time at UAB and Stanford, Ehsan founded the TopConnect Leadership Academy, an exclusive program for the top graduate assistant coaches (men's and women's) in college basketball which teaches skills to prepare them for careers in coaching. He also worked for the Pac-12 Network as a color and studio analyst.
Ehsan is a 2005 graduate of UC Davis, where he was a four-year basketball letterwinner, ranked in the top 25 nationally in free throw percentage his junior year and served as team captain his senior season. After completing work on his bachelor's degree in economics at UC Davis, he earned his MBA from Maryland in 2008.
A native of Sacramento, Calif., Ehsan is married to the former Lindsey Rattray. They have one daughter, Katelyn, and two sons, Davis and Robert Ryder.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT ROB EHSAN
Gary Williams
Maryland Head Coach (1989-2011); Special Assistant to the Director of Athletics (2011-present)
2002 NCAA Champion
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2014)
College Basketball Hall of Fame Inductee (2014)
"Rob was the backbone of the assistant coaches on my staff at Maryland. He is one of those people you immediately like, and once you get to know him, you also appreciate the toughness he has that you need to be a great head coach. He's one of the hardest working people in the game and will do whatever it takes. This is a great hire and I wish Rob and his family nothing but success at UIC."
Seth Greenberg
Virginia Tech Head Coach (2003-12)
ESPN College Basketball Analyst (2012-present)
"Rob Ehsan is a tremendous hire for UIC. Rob's work ethic is second to none. He understands the business of college basketball and is a proven head coach and a relentless recruiter. Rob is a terrific teacher whose goals for his players will be higher than 10 feet. He will help build a bridge for his players to cross and be successful in the game of life, and as a result, they will be better for having played for him."
Jeremy Foley
University of Florida Director of Athletics (1992-2016); Emeritus (2016-present)
"UIC really hit a home run with Rob. He's an incredible leader with tremendous insights about culture and how to motivate people. In working with him through the TopConnect Leadership Academy, I know he made me better. He has an unbelievable personality and is one of the good guys in this business, someone who is all about doing things the right way."
Greivis Vasquez
University of Maryland Guard (2007-10)
2010 ACC Player of the Year/Second-Team All-American/Bob Cousy Award Winner
2010 NBA Draft First-Round Pick (No. 28 overall, Memphis Grizzlies)
"I'm really excited about this opportunity for Coach Ehsan. He was a very hard worker when we were at Maryland and one of the main things I loved about him was how he cared about his players. He was always in my corner through the good and bad times. He is also a great recruiter, someone who loves the game and is great with X's and O's, but also someone who knows how to connect with players and get involved with developing them. This is an amazing hire and I'm definitely going to be watching him and his UIC teams. He's truly a winner."
Jon Rothstein
College Basketball Insider, CBS Sports
"Rob Ehsan is a tremendous hire for UIC. He did outstanding things at UAB and I have no doubt that he will do the same at UIC. The Windy City is getting one heck of a coach and an even better person."
Joe Henricksen
Editor/Publisher, City/Suburban Hoops Report
Contributing writer, Chicago Sun-Times
"UIC with a home run hire in landing Rob Ehsan, who brings valued head coaching experience and the type of energy, spirit and personality that puts a charge into a program. The self-aware Ehsan will build connections and relationships that will resonate with families, coaches and recruits."
ROB EHSAN BY THE NUMBERS
Head Coaching Year-by-Year Record
Season School Overall Conf. Postseason
2024-25 UIC 17-14 10-10
UIC Total 1 season 17-14 10-10
(.548) (.500)
Season School Overall Conf. Postseason
2016-17 UAB 17-16 9-9
2017-18 UAB 20-13 10-8
2018-19 UAB 20-15 10-8 CBI First Round
2019-20 UAB 19-13 9-9
UAB Total 4 seasons 76-57 38-34
(.571) (.528)
Assistant Coaching Year-by-Year Record
Season School Overall Conf. Postseason
2005-06 Maryland 19-13 8-8 NIT First Round
2006-07 Maryland 25-9 10-6 NCAA Second Round
2007-08 Maryland 19-15 8-8 NIT Second Round
2008-09 Maryland 21-14 7-9 NCAA Second Round
2009-10 Maryland 24-9 13-3 ACC Champion; NCAA Second Round
2010-11 Maryland 19-14 7-9 ___
MD Total 6 seasons 127-74 53-43
(.632) (.552)
Season School Overall Conf. Postseason
2011-12 Virginia Tech 16-17 4-12
VT Total 1 season 16-17 4-12
(.485) (.250)
Season School Overall Conf. Postseason
2012-13 UAB 16-17 7-9
2013-14 UAB 18-13 7-9
2014-15 UAB 20-16 12-6 C-USA Tourn. Champion; NCAA Second Round
2015-16 UAB 26-7 16-2 C-USA Champion; NIT First Round
UAB Total 4 seasons 80-53 42-26
(.602) (.618)
Season School Overall Conf. Postseason
2021-22 Stanford 16-16 8-12
2022-23 Stanford 14-19 7-12
2023-24 Stanford 14-18 8-12
STAN Total 3 seasons 44-53 23-36
(.454) (.390)
Asst. Coach 14 seasons 267-197 122-117 3 conference titles
Total (.575) (.510) 7 postseason berths (4 NCAA, 3 NIT)
Head Coach 5 seasons 93-71 48-44 1 postseason berth (1 CBI)
Total (.567) (.522)
Career Total 19 seasons 360-268 170-161 3 conference titles
(.573) (.514) 8 postseason berths (4 NCAA, 3 NIT, 1 CBI)
