Lorenzo Romar (born November 13, 1958) is an American basketball coach and former player. He currently serves as an assistant coach for the Loyola Marymount Lions, a position he has held since 2024. He previously was the head men's basketball coach at Pepperdine University, a position he held from 1996 to 1999 and resumed from 2018 to 2024. Romar also served as the head men's basketball coach at Saint Louis University from 1999 to 2002 and the University of Washington from 2002 to 2017.
Romar was credited with turning around the University of Washington basketball program and generating new enthusiasm for the program. In 2004, Washington qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in five years. In 2005, Washington won the Pac-10 tournament and received a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Huskies made their way to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 1998, but were ousted by Louisville. In 2006, Washington earned a third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen for the second consecutive year.
After failing to make the NCAA Tournament the next two years, Romar was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year for leading the Huskies to their first outright conference title since 1953. They earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA tournament, but lost in the Second Round. The Huskies returned to the Sweet Sixteen the following year, but again lost. In 2011, the Huskies earned their third consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament. The trip marked the Huskies' last trip to the Tournament under Romar.[2]
With a season-opening win over South Carolina State on November 14, 2014, Romar passed Marv Harshman to become the second-winningest coach in UW history.[3]
After four years of near .500 seasons and five years without an NCAA Tournament appearance, Romar recruited his long-time friend Michael Porter Sr. to join the Huskies as an assistant coach in 2016.[4] Michael Porter Sr. was expected to bring his two sons, Michael Porter Jr. and Jontay Porter, as commits to Washington. Michael Porter Jr. was widely considered the No. 1 recruit in the 2017 class.[5] However, on March 15, 2017, following a dismal 9–22 season with future #1 pick Markelle Fultz leading the team, Romar was fired as head coach at Washington after 15 years.[6] Romar ended his tenure at Washington with a record of 298–195. He made six NCAA Tournaments and three NITs, but had not made the NCAA Tournament in six straight years prior to his firing.[7]
Arizona assistant coach
On April 16, 2017, it was announced that Romar had joined Sean Miller's staff at Arizona as associate head coach.[8] On February 24, 2018, Romar was the interim head coach for one game after news broke the previous day that the FBI had reportedly intercepted phone conversations about Miller talking about paying Deandre Ayton to come to Arizona.[9] Ayton would be the second straight #1 pick to be coached by Romar for at least one game.
Pepperdine (second stint)
Romar was announced as the new head men's basketball coach at Pepperdine on March 12, 2018, returning for his second stint with the school.[10] On March 24, 2021, Romar's Waves beat Coastal Carolina 84–61 to win the 2021 College Basketball Invitational, securing the program's first-ever postseason championship. Romar was fired on March 4, 2024.[11]
Romar is known by his fellow coaches as one of the top basketball recruiters in the country.[citation needed] Additionally, he is respected as a genuine and optimistic person[citation needed] and was once voted "the opposing coach players would most like to play for" in a Pac-10 poll.[13] In March 2006, Romar was given the prestigious Coach Wooden "Keys to Life" award for outstanding character.
Personal life
Romar is married to Leona Romar, with whom he has three daughters—Terra, Tavia and Taylor.[14] In 2006, he and his wife founded the Lorenzo Romar Foundation for the prevention of domestic violence and educational assistance for disadvantaged youth as well as other charitable causes.[15]
National champion
Postseason invitational champion
Conference regular season champion
Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
Division regular season champion
Division regular season and conference tournament champion
Conference tournament champion
^Kolloen, Seth (March 15, 2017). "The Rise and Fall of Lorenzo Romar". www.seattleweekly.com. Seattle Weekly and Sound Publishing, Inc. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
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