SUU Names New Men’s Basketball Coach

Southern Utah University has announced their new coach for the men's basketball team. Rob Jeter will join the Thunderbird family from Western Illinois University, where he spent the last three years as the head coach. Jeter inherited a team that won just five games the year prior and in his previous two seasons, had the Leathernecks over .500 both years. Jeter carries over 25 years of coaching experience and seven NCAA Tournament appearances. His previous stops included the University of Minnesota, the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, and a head coaching stint at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. In 11 years with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was awarded Coach of the Year three times and had five, 20+ win seasons. Jeter led the Panthers to two NCAA tournament appearances, including a first-round win over 6-seeded Oklahoma in 2006. Jeter left Milwaukee as its all-time winningest Division I era coach with an overall record of 185-170. The Panthers claimed the Horizon League's regular-season titles in 2006 and 2011 and tournament titles in 2006 and 2014. Jeter's most recent trip to the NCAAs occurred in 2019 as an assistant at Minnesota. The Gophers ended their season in the second round but earned their first tournament win in six years to go alongside another 20-win season. Prior to Minnesota, Jeter was on staff at UNLV from 2016-18. The Runnin' Rebels doubled their wins in year two to produce a 20-win season, and Jeter had a hand in recruiting the 12th-best class in the country that included McDonald's High School All-American Brandon McCoy and National Junior College Player of the Year Shakur Juiston. From 2001-05 Jeter was an assistant at the University of Wisconsin under Hall of Fame head coach Bo Ryan. The Badgers had much success during this run, including four-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including berths in the Sweet 16 in 2003 and the Elite Eight in 2005. Jeter played college basketball for Ryan at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and captained his team to the NCAA Division III title in 1991. He earned his bachelor's degree in 1991 and a master's from UWP in 2001. Jeter comes to Cedar City with his wife, Deanna, and their four children.