The 2016-17 season marks the eighth year for Robby Pridgen as an assistant coach at Robert Morris University.
During his seven seasons on the sidelines at Robert Morris, the Colonials have posted an overall record of 143-99 (.591), including a mark of 88-36 (.710) in the Northeast Conference.
In his first season at Robert Morris in 2009-10, Pridgen was instrumental in helping guide the Colonials to their second straight Northeast Conference Tournament championship with a 52-50 win over No. 1 seed Quinnipiac in Hamden, Conn. RMU finished with an overall record of 23-12 (.657), with Pridgen working closely with both the guards and the post players.
The Colonials extended their streak of consecutive winning seasons to 10 by finishing 18-14 (.563) in 2010-11 and tying a school record for victories in 2011-12 with an overall mark of 26-11 (.703). RMU advanced to the NEC Tournament championship game each season.
In 2012-13, Pridgen assisted in helping guide Robert Morris to an overall record of 24-11 (.686) and its 10th NEC regular-season championship thanks to a league ledger of 14-4 (.778). The Colonials earned an automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
Pridgen helped tutor a group in 2013-14 that allowed Robert Morris to again earn the NEC regular-season title with a 14-2 (.875) ledger against league foes. Overall the Colonials finished 22-14 (.611) and advanced to the NIT for the second straight year.
RMU came full circle from Pridgen’s first season in 2014-15, as the Colonials claimed their league-high eighth NEC Tournament title and subsequent bid to the NCAA Tournament. Robert Morris finished with an overall record of 20-15 (.571), including 12-6 (.667) in the NEC.
Prior to Robert Morris, Pridgen spent three seasons as an assistant coach at alma mater Roanoke College, where he helped guide the Division III Maroons to an overall record of 54-27 (.667).
In his first season as an assistant at Roanoke in 2006-07, the Maroons appeared in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament championship game, where they fell to Hamden-Sydney, 77-62. Roanoke posted an overall record of 17-11 (.607) that season, followed by marks of 18-9 (.667) in 2007-08 and 19-7 (731.) in 2008-09.
A native of Akron, Ohio, and a 2003 graduate of Roanoke with a Bachelor of Science degree in health and human performance, Pridgen was a three-time All-ODAC selection during his playing career with the Maroons, earning first team honors in 2002 and 2003 after being named to the All-ODAC Second Team in 2001.
Pridgen ranks sixth all-time on the career scoring list at Roanoke after compiling 1,586 points and also owns career school records for three-pointers (228), three-point field goal attempts (568) and free-throw percentage (.864). In the single-game record book for the Maroons, Pridgen owns the record for three-pointers with nine.
Pridgen started his coaching career as an assistant at Division III Mount Union during the 2003-04 campaign before spending two seasons at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) from 2004-06. He played his prep career at St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio, and was a teammate of Maverick Carter, the agent for Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Pridgen and his wife, Jessica, were married May 25, 2012. The couple resides in Robinson Township, Pa.
THE PRIDGEN FILE
Birthdate: Jan. 19, 1980
Year at RMU: eighth
Age: 36
Alma Mater / Year: Roanoke / 2003
Degree: Bachelor of Arts (health & human performance)
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Robert Morris University
(Moon Township, Pa.)
- Assistant Coach (2009 – present)
Roanoke College
(Roanoke, Va.)
- Assistant Coach (2006–2009)
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
(Indiana, Pa.)
- Assistant Coach (2004-06)
Mount Union College
(Alliance, Ohio)
- Assistant Coach (2003-04)
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Roanoke
(Roanoke, Va.)
- Guard (1999-2003)
St. Vincent-St. Mary’s High School
(Akron, Ohio)
- Guard (1993-1997)
