Todd Franklin was introduced as the new head men's basketball coach and assistant director of athletics for Simpson University in May of 2017.
Inheriting a five-win team, Franklin more than doubled the win total of the previous year and led Simpson all the way to the Cal Pac Championship tournament. In just two years at Simpson, Franklin has built a program that continues to trend upward with a 17-12 record in the 2018-19 season. Not only that, Simpson men's basketball has become the hottest show in town recording the first sellout in the last 15 years.
Franklin's recruiting ability has helped land Simpson University some top recruits that have instantly made the Red Hawks a powerhouse on the West Coast in the NAIA.
Franklin returns to his alma mater to lead the Red Hawks after one of the most successful high school coaching careers in the state of California. In 21 seasons as the head coach at Liberty Christian High School in Redding, Franklin compiled a 481-136 record, good for a .780 winning percentage and an average of 23 wins per season. The Patriots never had a losing campaign under Franklin and earned nine NSCIF Northern Section championships and 15 conference titles.
“I am thrilled to see where Coach Franklin takes Simpson basketball with his wealth of experience, acumen, and energy,” Director of Athletics, Tom Galbraith said. “We had over 175 applicants for this position and his candidacy stood out among a very deep and talented pool of potential hires. Todd Franklin is our choice not because he is an alumnus or a known commodity as a local coach, but because throughout the evaluation process, he proved to the committee and all involved in the hiring that he was the best candidate.”
The Redding native played basketball for two years at Simpson from 1991-93 and completed his bachelor’s degree in business management in 2004. He earned a master’s degree in performance enhancement and injury prevention from California University of Pennsylvania in 2009.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity to be coaching at Simpson University,” Franklin stated. “My staff and I are dedicated to working with the current players and bringing in high character, Christian student-athletes who are looking to perform at a high level, not only on the court, but also in the classroom and the community.”
Along with his success at Liberty Christian, Franklin has amassed an impressive resume leading some of the most talented collegiate players through the EA Sports All-Star Team (2000-04) and elite level Adidas individual camps, including the All-American Camp in New York City in 2015 and the Uprising Camp in Chicago in 2014.
The Todd Franklin Basketball Camp has grown from just one camper in its inaugural summer of 1996 to over 300 participants currently, with camps in three different states (California, Oregon, Hawaii) and internationally in Honduras.
Franklin and his wife, Lynette, have three children; a daughter, Makena, and sons, Trey Kale and Kai.
