Wrobel Joins Cardinal as Assistant Coach

STANFORD, Calif. – Kyle Smith, the Anne and Tony Joseph Director of Men's Basketball, has announced the addition of Derrick Wrobel as assistant coach.

"Derrick is a veteran coach with a variety of experiences at the highest levels. He brings energy and enthusiasm to the program," said Smith. "His expertise lies in relationships with alums, coaches, and players.  His availability to provide support in any situation for anyone is valued. 

Wrobel joins the Cardinal after three seasons at Washington State – two as the team's recruiting coordinator and one as assistant coach. One of the top recruiters in the conference, Wrobel helped Washington State secure some of the highest-rated prospects in program history.

He helped guide the Cougars to a 25-10 mark and second-place finish in the Pac-12 in 2023-24. The Cougars received a No. No. 7 seed in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the round of 32 with a victory over Drake in the opening round. He was also a part of two NIT staffs with the Cougars in 2022 and 2023.

"Derrick understands winning having been a part of nine staffs that have participated in NCAA tournaments," continued Smith. "He has won in the Big East and Pac12 and will bring some great experience to attack the ACC. Much of his responsibilities will follow under the same guise as a general manager in a professional organization. He will manage alumni relationships, NIL education, and underclassmen recruiting."

Prior to his time in Pullman, Wrobel spent five seasons at Arizona State, his alma mater, as the team's director of operations under head coach Bobby Hurley. He was part of a staff that went to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2018 and 2019.

Spending time at major conference programs around the country, Wrobel was the assistant to the head coach for five seasons at St. John's under head coach Steve Lavin from 2010-15, helping the Red Storm to three 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Wrobel helped lead St. John's to a consensus top-10 recruiting class in 2011, rated as high as No. 2 in the country by ESPN.

Wrobel spent four seasons on staff at California under former Stanford legend Mike Montgomery and Ben Braun, assisting a program that went to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments in 2009 and 2010 and won the 2010 Pac-10 Championship.

Wrobel has had great fortune to work with a series of high-profile student athletes and NBA Draft selections, including Ryan Anderson (Cal), Lu Dort (Arizona State), JaKarr Sampson (St. John's) and Moe Harkless (St. John's), among others.

Originally from Phoenix, Wrobel graduated from Arizona State in 2001 from the Walter Cronkite School of Broadcasting with a B.A. in broadcast journalism. He was a four-year team manager as an undergraduate, and he began his professional career in intercollegiate athletics upon graduation, serving as the Sun Devils' Director of Men's Basketball Operations from 2001-02 to 2005-06.

Wrobel was born in Poland and is fluent in Polish. He and his wife Michelle have two children, Zachary, and Addison.