Washington State University Athletics
Bobby Lee Profile - The Washington State University Official Athletic Site
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In Bobby Lee, the Cougars landed an assistant coach who knows the school and tradition and has the coaching background needed to recruit the West Coast.
Lee learned first hand that “Once a Coug, Always a Coug” is not just a phrase, but also a lifetime commitment, even after just one season’s association with WSU.
Following two years at Taft Community College and a season at Eastern Washington, the Montana native transferred to WSU in 1990 after the Eagles dropped the sport. The next spring found Lee patrolling center field for the Cougars while hitting a robust .363, the third best average on the club. He started 44 games, collected 11 doubles and led the team with three triples.
His exploits were good enough to earn him All-Pacific-10 Conference North second team honors.
At EWU Lee was used both as an outfielder and pitcher for Jim Wasem’s Eagles. During his junior year he started all but one of EWU’s 50 games and also made 12 trips to the mound while collecting four saves.
In his year with the Cougars, Lee came to understand the successes and tradition of Cougar baseball, so the jump back to the WSU program last summer was an easy one.
Lee’s responsibilities include recruiting and coaching the Cougar catchers and outfielders. He also assists head coach Tim Mooney with the hitting portion of WSU’s offensive plans.
The former All-State football player and wrestler from Capital High in Helena, Mont., has been a member of the college coaching ranks since leaving WSU in 1991.
His first stint was at Spokane Falls Community College, where he was a member of the school’s adjunct faculty in physical education while helping coach the school’s baseball team.
After three years at SFCC, 1991-94, Lee was named an assistant coach at Azusa Pacific, where he spent four years working with infielders and coordinating the club’s recruiting efforts.
Then came his first opportunity of guiding a college baseball program and he made the most of it as the head coach for two years at the University of La Verne in southern California.
In 1998 Lee took over a program that was 9-31 the previous season and in his first year guided the Leopards to a 25-15 mark and second place in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. La Verne’s turnaround in one season was the best in the nation. Lee also guided the club to second place finishes in both 1999 and 2000 before quickly saying yes to the chance to return to WSU.
Lee, in addition to receiving his bachelor’s degree in physical education and health education from EWU, earned his master’s degree from Azusa Pacific in 1996 in physical education.
The Lee family includes wife Lisa and daughters Charley (7) and Madison (1).
