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Charged with the first rebuilding effort of his storied coaching career, Rob Edmisson has helped revive the tradition of winning for the Missouri Western Women’s Basketball program in five years.
The veteran head coach has built the program back up, engineering a dramatic 12-game improvement between his third and fourth seasons. Edmisson captured his first MIAA Championship in 2016 in a record breaking year for the Griffons. He coached the conference player of the year, four all-conference selections and moved the Griffons into the national spotlight for the first time since early in the 2000s.
AT MISSOURI WESTERN
Since becoming the eighth head coach in the history of the program, Edmisson has went 102-70. Sixteen of his players have earned All-MIAA status. In 2015-16, LaQuinta Jefferson was named MIAA Player of the Year along with picking up two All-American team selections and one All-Region selection. Missouri Western has reached the postseason in five of Edmisson's first six years, with the program’s first NCAA Regional bid since 2004 coming in 2015-16.
2017-18
A promising season turned unbelievably challenging when the Griffons were struck by the injury bug. Edmisson guided a healthy roster of nine players - including one recruited off the Griffon Soccer team in December - to the biggest upset in the history of the MIAA Women's Basketball Championships. After getting in as the 12th and final seed, the Griffons won at No. 5 seed Nebraska Kearney in the tournament's first round to become the first-ever No. 12 seed to win in the MIAA Women's Basketball Championships. The team then continued to make history with another upset victory over No. 4-seeded Central Oklahoma that send the Griffons into the conference semifinals where they fell to eventual tournament champion Lindenwood. Missouri Western ended the season 13-18 overall and 4-15 in MIAA play with Cera Ledbetter, Dossu Ndiaye and Melia Richardson all named honorable mention All-MIAA. Edmisosn hit two milestones in the season, earning his 500th collegiate coaching win on Dec. 2, 2017 against Northeastern State and his 100th win at Missouri Western on Feb. 3 against Lincoln.
2016-17
While Edmisson's fifth season may not have come with the national recognition or postseason accolades of the 2015-16 season, it may have been the more impressive coaching performance. Edmisson led four new starters to a 21-8 record, giving the program back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in 12 years. The Griffons went 3-2 against ranked teams and had three players named All-MIAA. All five starters experienced the most productive seasons of their careers in 2016-17, averaging a total of 22.7 more points per game than the five had averaged the previous season. Edmisson's signature defense shined, holding opponents to just 58.6 points per game, and leading the MIAA in turnover margin and steals. Chelsea Dewey was named first team All-MIAA. Sefulu Faavae was named to the MIAA All-Defensive team and honorable mention All-MIAA. Dwanisha Tate was also named honorable mention All-MIAA.
2015-16
Edmisson guided the Griffons to an MIAA regular season championship and the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Tournament in more than a decade. The Griffons went 27-4 overall and set an MIAA record with 20 conference wins along with spending much of the season in the top-10 of the WBCA Coaches Poll. The historic season began with an 18-0 start, a record for the program. The team’s dominance of the MIAA produced the program’s first regular season conference championship since 2002 and first appearance in the NCAA Tournament since 2004. LaQuinta Jefferson was named MIAA Player of the year and became the first Griffon since 1999 to be named to two All-American teams (First team WBCA and honorable mention D2CCA). Jefferson was one of four Griffons named All-MIAA that season.
2014-15
Edmisson led a team of mostly newcomers to a 15-12 overall record and the second round of the MIAA Tournament. One of those newcomers, LaQuinta Jefferson, was named first team All-MIAA and another, Sarafina Handy, honorable mention All-MIAA. Four Griffons were named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll.
2013-14
Despite his first-ever losing season in 18 years as a head coach, Edmisson saw two of his players earn All-MIAA status as well as Tiffanie Abrams being named to the All-MIAA Defensive Team. Three Griffons were also named to the MIAA Academic Honor Roll as the team went 10-16 overall.
2012-13
Edmisson led the Griffons to a 16-12 mark in his first season at Missouri Western. The Griffons advanced to the second round of the MIAA Tournament where two Griffons were named All-MIAA.
BEFORE MISSOURI WESTERN
Prior to coming to Missouri Western, Edmisson had stops as a head coach at Oklahoma City University and Hutchinson Community College. At OCU, he led the Stars to the 2011-12 NAIA National Championship. In seven years at OCU, Edmisson went 212-31, coaching 10 All-Americans and winning five Sooner Athletic Conference regular season championships and five conference tournament championships, picking up three conference Coach of the Year honors along the way. He guided OCU to the NAIA Division I Tournament in each of his seven seasons.
Before taking over at Oklahoma City, Edmisson went 192-89 in nine years at Hutchinson Community College. There he produced nine All-Americans, 10 All-Region picks, 25 All-Conference selections and two conference Freshmen of the Year. Under his direction, the Blue Dragons finished in the top four in the conference each season and were ranked among the NJCAA top 25 six times. Edmisson’s squads reached the Region VI playoffs seven times. Statistically, Edmisson’s teams ranked in the top-10 in defense six times.
Between head coaching stops at Hutchinson and Oklahoma City, Edmisson served as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University for three seasons. He has also coached on two international touring teams. He was assistant coach for the U.S. Jones Cup team in 2012. He served as an assistant for the NJCAA-USA All-Star Team that won the gold medal during its tour of Taiwan.
As a high school head coach, Edmisson went 110-30 in six seasons at Ellinwood, Kansas, and Fairfield, Kansas. Edmisson directed Ellinwood High School from 1989-92, finishing as 1992 sub-state runner-up and winning the conference championship in 1991-92. At Fairfield High School, Edmisson guided the program to its first conference championship.
Edmisson started his coaching career at Doane College (Neb.), serving as an assistant in 1986-87.
Edmisson played at Pratt Community College (Kan.) and was team captain each season. He was named the squad’s Most Inspirational Player. Edmisson’s alma mater is Bethany (Kan.).
He and his wife Gina reside in St. Joseph. They have two children, Corbin and Cierra and a grandson, Kingston.
Rob Edmisson
Year-by-Year Coaching Record
Season School W-L Pct.
1993-94 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 18-13 .581
1994-95 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 20-11 .645
1995-96 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 22-9 .710
1996-97 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 19-11 .633
1997-98 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 24-8 .750
1998-99 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 20-12 .625
1999-00 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 24-8 .750
2000-01 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 18-12 .600
2001-02 Hutchison (Kan.) ……………… 27-5 .844
2005-06 Oklahoma City ……………… 32-3 .914
2006-07 Oklahoma City ……………… 27-8 .771
2007-08 Oklahoma City ……………… 28-5 .848
2008-09 Oklahoma City ……………… 31-6 .838
2009-10 Oklahoma City ……………… 32-4 .889
2010-11 Oklahoma City ……………… 27-4 .871
2011-12 Oklahoma City ……………… 35-1 .972
2012-13 Missouri Western .................. 16-12 .571
2013-14 Missouri Western .................. 10-16 .385
2014-15 Missouri Western................... 15-12 .555
2015-16 Missouri Western................... 27-4 .871
2016-17 Missouri Western................... 21-8 .724
2017-18 Missouri Western................... 13-18 .419
MWSU Totals: 102-70 - .593
MIAA Totals: 59-57 - .508
OCU Totals: 212-31 - .872
HCC Totals: 192-89 - .683
Head Coaching Totals: 506-178- .740
