From the moment he stepped onto a collegiate basketball court in 2006 to the present, Lance Robinson has never been part of a sub .500 team as a player or coach. He took over the Chiefs’ program in 2019 from Hall of Fame coach Dave Heiss, bringing his successful up-tempo and energetic style of play to Waubonsee. The Chiefs went 19-13 overall his first season, finishing third nationally among all NJCAA Division II teams in three-pointers and in the top-20 in points, assists and free throw percentage. Robinson’s 2021-22 crew fell by one point in a heartbreaking loss to undefeated, top-ranked and eventual National Champion South Suburban College in the Region 4 Division II title game. Throughout the season the Chiefs overcame several Covid related disruptions en route to finishing 20-8 overall and tied for second in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference (ISCC) standings. The following year his unranked squad captured the Region 4 Championship and reached the quarterfinals at the National Tournament by knocking off three straight nationally-ranked opponents to finish 26-10 overall. Subsequently, Robinson was honored by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association as a Co-Coach of the Year. His 2023-2024 squad reached the Region 4 title game once more, finishing with a sparkling 28-5 record overall and grabbing a share of the ISCC title. His 2024-25 squad followed that up by again earning a share of the ISCC crown and winning 28 games. For most of the season the CHiefs' were in the top 10 nationally among all NJCAA Division II teams in free throws made, free throw percentage, three-point baskets made, assists, defensive rebounds and points per game. During his tenure at Waubonsee, Coach Robinson's Chiefs have won over 85 percent of their games.

Robinson is a native of Danville, Indiana where he played on the varsity basketball team all four years at Danville Community High School. He was named All-State his junior and senior seasons, was a three-time All-Metro and All-Conference selection, and was the Warriors’ Team MVP his last two years. Robinson then played collegiately at nearby Aurora University where he displayed an all-around game and outstanding court awareness as the Spartans’ point guard, helping lead them to four NCAA Tournament berths, three NACC Championships and 82 wins overall. In his career, Robinson had 787 points, 589 rebounds, 489 assists and 203 steals. In his senior season, Robinson averaged 13.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.8 steals per game while being named the 2009-2010 NACC Men's Basketball Player of the Year. He had an almost three-to-one assist to turnover ratio, and shot 48.8 percent from the field (163-of-334). Additionally, he was named to the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-Midwest Region First Team, the D3hoops.com All-Midwest Region Third Team and First-Team All-Conference by the NACC.

Coach Robinson then served as the Spartans’ assistant coach for six years before taking over Aurora’s program in 2016 from another legendary coach, James Lancaster, the Spartans’ all-time winningest coach who is now one of Robinson's assistants. After leading the Spartans to a 20-win season in 2017-2018, Robinson was named the NACC Coach of the Year, becoming the first person to earn both that honor and the NACC Player of the Year Award. Robinson led the unranked Spartans to an NCAA Tournament berth that March where they upset third-ranked Washington (MO.) University in St. Louis on a memorable last-second shot which was featured nationally on ESPN. He also led the Spartans to a return trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2018 after Aurora once again won the NACC Tournament. During his tenure at Aurora, the Spartans won 72 percent of their conference games and 64 percent (54-30) of the contests they played overall. 

Robinson earned a bachelor's and master's degree from Aurora University in Business. He and his wife Jacqueline currently reside in Sugar Grove. 

Coach Robinson's Record at Waubonsee

2019-20          19-13                                        8-6     4th place in ISCC

2020-21            5-1         ** Exhibition season due to Covid pandemic

2021-22          20-8                                         9-5      2nd place tie in ISCC     Reached Region 4 title game

2022-23          26-10                                       9-5      3rd place in ISCC           ***Region 4 Champions        ***9th place at Nationals

2023-24          28-5                                         12-2     ***ISCC Co-Champions

2024-25          28-4                                         12-2     ***ISCC Co-Champions

6 seasons       (126-41)   85.7%                     (50-20)    71.4%