Robbie Laing was named an assistant coach for UCF Men’s Basketball in April 2016 under head coach Johnny Dawkins. He was promoted to associate head coach in September 2024.
In 10 seasons on staff, Laing has helped the Knights to a 189-132 overall record. During his tenure, UCF has earned multiple postseason appearances, including the program’s first at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament and its first NCAA Tournament victory, a 73-58 first-round win over VCU in 2018-19. The Knights earned a No. 9 seed in the tournament, their highest seed in five NCAA Tournament appearances.
Laing was a key contributor to the Knights’ 2026 NCAA Tournament berth. UCF finished the 2025-26 season with a 21-12 overall record and a 9-9 mark in Big 12 play, its best conference record since joining the league ahead of the 2023-24 season. The Black and Gold also recorded three wins over ranked opponents, defeating No. 17 Kansas, No. 11 Texas Tech and No. 19 BYU.
Laing led the charge in the recruitment of Taylor and Tyler Hendricks, both of whom joined the Knights for the 2022-23 season. He developed a strong relationship with the twins and their family dating back to their high school careers. Taylor went on to lead UCF in scoring, blocks and numerous other categories during a phenomenal freshman campaign. He became the program’s first one-and-done player and first lottery pick in the NBA Draft when the Utah Jazz selected him ninth overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, making him the second UCF player selected in the modern draft era.
The Knights found success in their first season in the Big 12 Conference in 2023-24. UCF tallied seven conference victories, with all seven wins coming against legacy league opponents. The Black and Gold earned three ranked wins during the season, the most in a single season in program history, defeating No. 3 Kansas, No. 23 Oklahoma and No. 23 Texas Tech while holding each opponent to fewer than 65 points.
The Knights earned the No. 12 seed at their inaugural Big 12 Conference Championship and faced No. 13 Oklahoma State. After erasing a 12-point deficit to win at Stillwater during the regular season, UCF dominated the Cowboys in the opening game of the league tournament, winning 77-62. The Knights earned their second straight postseason appearance and fourth in the last eight seasons by receiving a No. 4 seed in the NIT. Ibrahima Diallo, Darius Johnson and Jaylin Sellers were named All-Big 12 honorable mention following the conclusion of the regular season.
The Knights had several remarkable moments during their 2022-23 run to the NIT. UCF won the Baha Mar Hoops Bahamas Championship by defeating Oklahoma State, 60-56, in overtime, earning the program’s first win over a Big 12 opponent before defeating Santa Clara, 57-50, in the title game. The Knights also earned a double-overtime victory over Memphis, topping the Tigers, 107-104.
UCF set the program record for 3-pointers in a single game, sinking 17 against Tulsa in a 96-52 home victory. The Black and Gold went on to set the program’s single-season record with 295 made 3-pointers. The Knights then faced fourth-seeded Florida in the first round of the NIT, traveling to Gainesville and returning to Orlando with a remarkable 67-49 victory. UCF finished the season with a 19-15 record before its run came to an end in the second round of the NIT against top-seeded Oregon.
In 2021-22, the Knights posted an 18-12 overall record, including a 9-9 mark in The American. UCF earned several impressive victories during the season, defeating Michigan, Miami, Memphis and Wichita State for the first time during the regular season. The Knights also defeated rival South Florida in the first round of the conference tournament to end the Bulls’ season. Junior Darin Green Jr. was named third-team All-American Athletic Conference, while freshman Darius Johnson earned a spot on the conference’s All-Freshman Team.
The 2020-21 season, which was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, saw the Knights play one of the nation’s most difficult non-conference schedules, including games against Oklahoma, Auburn, Michigan and Florida State. UCF defeated Auburn at home and won at No. 15 Florida State, earning the program’s first victory over the Seminoles.
The COVID-19 pandemic halted the 2019-20 season before The American Athletic Conference Tournament could begin, with the Knights finishing the year 16-14. UCF earned wins over rival South Florida, Tulsa and SMU, as well as a road victory at Cincinnati for the first time in program history.
UCF earned its first at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament in 2018-19, winning 23 regular-season games to match a program record in the Division I era. The team’s 24 wins overall were the fourth most in school history. The season was highlighted by the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory, a 73-58 win over VCU in the first round. The Knights’ season came to an end against top-seeded Duke, falling 77-76 in the final seconds.
UCF cracked the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2011 after winning back-to-back games against ranked opponents late in the season. The Knights defeated No. 6/8 Houston to snap the Cougars’ 33-game home winning streak before taking down No. 19/20 Cincinnati in Orlando. At the time, it marked the first season in program history in which UCF earned multiple victories over ranked opponents.
Laing helped mentor three Knights to all-conference honors, with BJ Taylor earning first-team honors, Aubrey Dawkins earning second-team honors and Tacko Fall earning third-team honors from The American. Fall was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, while Matt Williams set UCF and American Athletic Conference records for 3-pointers made in a game, a season and a career.
Despite dealing with major injuries in 2017-18, the Knights still managed to earn 19 wins, including the program’s first home victory over UConn, first road victory over Memphis and first win over a ranked opponent in a true road game, defeating No. 24 Alabama.
The Knights had immediate success with Laing on Dawkins’ staff, going 24-12 in 2016-17 and doubling the team’s win total from the previous season. UCF earned a bid to the NIT and advanced to the NIT semifinals in New York City. The Knights led the nation in defensive field-goal percentage, holding opponents to 36.5 percent shooting from the floor, and ranked sixth nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 61.2 points per game.
From 2003-13, Laing served as the head coach at Campbell University in Buies Creek, North Carolina, for 10 seasons. His most successful season came in 2009-10, when he guided the Camels to an Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season title and a school-record 19 wins. He was named the league’s Coach of the Year and recognized as the District 3 Coach of the Year by the National Basketball Coaches Association. In 2010-11, Laing and the Camels were ranked in the mid-major college top 25 for the first time in school history.
During his coaching career, Laing has served as an assistant coach at several Division I programs, including Florida Atlantic (2014-16), Kansas State (2000-03), Southern Mississippi (1999-2000), Auburn (1994-96), Clemson (1993-94), Georgia Southern (1984-86, 1987-93), Western Kentucky (1986-87) and Troy (1982-84). He earned his first collegiate head coaching position in 1996 at Jones County Junior College in Ellisville, Mississippi, where he spent three seasons.
Laing graduated from Lakeside High School in Eufaula, Alabama, where he was a standout in basketball and football. Following high school, he played football at Vanderbilt for one season before transferring to Northwest Florida State to play basketball. The squad posted a 22-11 record before the school discontinued the program, sending Laing to Seminole State Community College, where he earned All-America honors. Laing then transferred to Troy, where he earned a degree in biology and physical education in 1982. The following year, he attended Georgia Southern, earning a master’s degree in physical education.
Laing and his wife, Dana, are the parents of five children: Ansley, Christian, Earl, Madison and Nathan, who played for UCF from 2016-18.