Roadrunners

CSU Bakersfield Roadrunners
General Information
- Founded: 1971
- Conference: Big West Conference
- Past Conferences: Western Athletic Conference (WAC), Independent
- Arena: Icardo Center
- City: Bakersfield, California
Championships and Titles
- Conference regular season championship
- Conference tournament championship
Team History
While the Cal State (CSU) Bakersfield are fledglings in NCAA Division I men’s basketball, it was a giant in Division II. The Roadrunners won three D-II titles in 33 years. It compiled a 41-20 record during the NCAA D-II Tournament. Being so good only meant the Roadrunners “graduated” to playing in Division I.
And it was a tough first few NCAAB seasons for the Roadrunners. While the team started with a winning record as an independent program in 2006-07 (15-14), the wheels quickly came off and it did not record double-digit victories until the 2011-12 season.
Rod Barnes, the current coach as of the 2022-23 season, took over the team and made it a winning one. Stephon Carter blossomed into the school’s top player as he led the Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners’ team stats, especially in scoring.
Around 2015-17 is when CSU Bakersfield began to grow in prominence. Damiyne Durham and Brent Wrapp led the Roadrunners’ team stats as they won 24 and 25 NCAAB games in the two seasons. They won the WAC tournament in 2016 and the regular season in 2017.
The team also dominated the NCAAB odds in 2016 and while it did not make the NCAA Tournament in 2017, it finished in the semifinals of the National Invitation Tournament (NIT).
The 2015-16 season culminated in the school’s first berth in the NCAA Tournament. It lost to 2-seed Oklahoma in the first round but served as a springboard for the program’s confidence.
However, following the graduation or departure of their top players, CSU Bakersfield grew inconsistent. It alternated winning and losing seasons even when it moved to the Big West. It started its tenure in the conference with a winning record: 11-7 conference and 15-11 overall. But things quickly went south and the program now has the worst cover rate since 2020.
While Barnes is still in charge, the program will find ways to get competitive. But it will be difficult playing in a hyper-competitive conference. If things don’t turn around, new leadership may be required.
All-Time Cal State Bakersfield Roadrunners Records
Points Scored
Stephon Carter: 1,628
Damiyne Durham: 1,442
Trent Blakely: 1,104
Rebounds
Aly Ahmed: 588
Justin Edler-Davis: 561
Kevin Mays: 520
Assists
Brent Wrapp: 520
Stephon Carter: 330
Donavan Bragg: 316