Cleveland State's basketball program began in 1929 and the Vikings compete in the Horizon League. The program is best known for one of the greatest Cinderella runs in NCAA Tournament history in 1986 under Kevin Mackey. The Vikings have won multiple Horizon League titles.
The Vikings nickname was adopted in 1965 by student vote when Fenn College became Cleveland State University, replacing the old Fenn Foxes name and evoking the warrior spirit of Norse seafarers on the shores of Lake Erie.
The 1986 NCAA Tournament Cinderella run as a No. 14 seed, defeating Indiana and St. Joseph's before falling to Navy in the Sweet Sixteen.
Cleveland State's 1986 run remains one of the greatest underdog stories in March Madness history — coach Kevin Mackey's team was so unknown that CBS announcers initially mispronounced players' names.
The Cleveland State Vikings compete in the Horizon League and hold an all-time record of 808–801 (.502 winning percentage) across 53 recorded seasons dating back to 1972-73.
| Season | Record | Conference | Coach | AP peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | 11-22 | 6-14 (Horizon) | Rob Summers | |
| 2024-25 | 23-13 | 14-6 (Horizon) | Daniyal Robinson | |
| 2023-24 | 21-15 | 11-9 (Horizon) | Daniyal Robinson | |
| 2022-23 | 21-14 | 14-6 (Horizon) | Daniyal Robinson | |
| 2021-22 | 20-11 | 15-6 (Horizon) | Dennis Gates | |
| 2020-21 | 19-8 | 16-4 (Horizon) | Dennis Gates | |
| 2019-20 | 11-21 | 7-11 (Horizon) | Dennis Gates | |
| 2018-19 | 10-21 | 5-13 (Horizon) | Dennis Felton | |
| 2017-18 | 12-23 | 6-12 (Horizon) | Dennis Felton | |
| 2016-17 | 9-22 | 5-13 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2015-16 | 9-23 | 4-14 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2014-15 | 19-15 | 11-5 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2013-14 | 21-12 | 12-4 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2012-13 | 14-18 | 5-11 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2011-12 | 22-11 | 12-6 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2010-11 | 27-9 | 13-5 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2009-10 | 16-17 | 10-8 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2008-09 | 26-11 | 12-6 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2007-08 | 21-13 | 12-6 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2006-07 | 10-21 | 3-13 (Horizon) | Gary Waters | |
| 2005-06 | 10-18 | 5-11 (Horizon) | Mike Garland | |
| 2004-05 | 9-17 | 6-10 (Horizon) | Mike Garland | |
| 2003-04 | 4-25 | 0-16 (Horizon) | Mike Garland | |
| 2002-03 | 8-22 | 3-13 (Horizon) | Rollie Massimino | |
| 2001-02 | 12-16 | 6-10 (Horizon) | Rollie Massimino | |
| 2000-01 | 19-13 | 9-5 (MW Coll) | Rollie Massimino | |
| 1999-00 | 16-14 | 9-5 (MW Coll) | Rollie Massimino | |
| 1998-99 | 14-14 | 6-8 (MW Coll) | Rollie Massimino | |
| 1997-98 | 12-15 | 6-8 (MW Coll) | Rollie Massimino | |
| 1996-97 | 9-19 | 6-10 (MW Coll) | Rollie Massimino | |
| 1995-96 | 5-21 | 3-13 (MW Coll) | Mike Boyd | |
| 1994-95 | 10-17 | 3-11 (MW Coll) | Mike Boyd | |
| 1993-94 | 14-15 | 9-9 (Mid-Cont) | Mike Boyd | |
| 1992-93 | 22-6 | 15-1 (Mid-Cont) | Mike Boyd | |
| 1991-92 | 16-13 | 7-9 (Mid-Cont) | Mike Boyd | |
| 1990-91 | 12-16 | 8-8 (Mid-Cont) | Mike Boyd | |
| 1989-90 | 15-13 | Mid-Cont | Kevin Mackey | |
| 1988-89 | 16-12 | Mid-Cont | Kevin Mackey | |
| 1987-88 | 22-8 | 11-3 (Mid-Cont) | Kevin Mackey | |
| 1986-87 | 25-8 | 10-4 (Mid-Cont) | Kevin Mackey | AP #20 |
| 1985-86 | 29-4 | 13-1 (Mid-Cont) | Kevin Mackey | |
| 1984-85 | 21-8 | 11-3 (Mid-Cont) | Kevin Mackey | |
| 1983-84 | 14-16 | 4-10 (Mid-Cont) | Kevin Mackey | |
| 1982-83 | 8-20 | 1-4 (Mid-Cont) | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1981-82 | 17-10 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1980-81 | 18-9 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1979-80 | 18-8 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1978-79 | 15-10 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1977-78 | 12-13 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1975-76 | 6-19 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1974-75 | 13-11 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1973-74 | 6-20 | Ind | Ray Dieringer | |
| 1972-73 | 9-14 | Ind | Ray Dieringer |
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| Rank | Team | Conference | All-Time Wins |
|---|
Top 100 by all-time D1 wins. Verified against the NCAA record book — and tiered so you can argue properly.
| # | COACH | RECORD | WIN % | SCHOOL(S) | YEARS | BEST SEASON / LEGACY |
|---|