Lee Cummard

Lee Cummard was introduced as the eighth head coach of BYU women’s basketball on March 31, 2025, by former BYU Athletics Director Tom Holmoe.

Historic Debut Season – 2025-26

The former All-American with the Cougars wasted no time making his mark, leading BYU to a 26-12 record, two wins in the Big 12 Tournament, and an appearance in the WBIT championship game during the 2025-26 season.

In his first season at the helm, Cummard led the Cougars to 26 victories—the second-most wins in a season in program history. He also set the program record for home wins at the Marriott Center with 15 and notched the school's best conference record (9-9) since BYU entered the Big 12 in 2023. Cummard’s squad opened the year by posting an 11-1 non-conference record, good for a .917 winning percentage, the highest ever for a BYU team. Early in the Big 12 slate, Cummard coached the Cougars to their first ranked win of the year, a 73-61 victory over No. 19 Texas Tech.

After encountering a stretch of mid-season adversity, Cummard galvanized his team, sparking a three-game winning streak to conclude the regular season with road wins at Utah and Arizona State, followed by a senior night victory over Colorado. He then guided BYU to its first-ever Big 12 Tournament wins as the Cougars defeated Houston and Utah to reach the quarterfinals. The victory over the Utes capped a 3-0 season sweep against the rival Utes.

Despite being the first team left out of the NCAA Tournament field, Cummard’s squad carried its momentum into the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament. The Cougars opened the tournament with a 72-47 victory over Alabama A&M. They then defeated fourth-seeded Missouri 93-75, marking the most points BYU has scored in a win over a Power-4 opponent since 2001. BYU advanced to the WBIT Final Four with a 76-61 win over No. 2 seed Stanford. With that victory, the Cougars earned a semifinal rematch with Kansas, avenging an earlier regular-season defeat with a 70-67 win to advance to the program's first postseason tournament title game. The victory over the Jayhawks marked BYU's fourth win of the postseason, the most ever by a Cougar team.

Cummard coached two Cougars to All-Big 12 honors in 2025-26. Delaney Gibb was named to the All-Big 12 First Team, making her one of just three underclassmen selected to the 10-player team. Olivia Hamlin received All-Big 12 Honorable Mention honors, finishing as one of only two freshmen to earn all-conference accolades this season.

The first-year head coach placed a premium on defense, helping BYU improve from 141st nationally in opponent field goal percentage (.399) in 2024-25 to 22nd-best in the country (.369) in 2025-26. The Cougars also locked down the perimeter, jumping from 322nd a year ago (34.2%) to 25th in 3-point field goal defense, holding opponents to 27.4% from beyond the arc. On the glass, BYU rose from 116th in total rebounding (37.7 per game) to 35th, pulling down 40.7 boards per contest.

Cummard's Coaching Climb

Associate Head Coach (2022-25): Serving under former head coach Amber Whiting, Cummard helped secure back-to-back postseason bids to the WNIT in 2023 and the WBIT in 2024. He helped coach Lauren Gustin, BYU's all-time leading rebounder and a two-time All-America Honorable Mention selection. He was also instrumental in the recruiting and development of All-Big 12 selections Delaney Gibb and Kailey Woolston. Cummard also helped lead the Cougars to marquee wins over No. 18 Baylor in 2024 and No. 20 Oklahoma State in 2025.

Assistant Coach (2019-22): Working alongside Jeff Judkins, the winningest coach in BYU basketball history, Cummard helped the women's team secure consecutive NCAA Tournament trips in 2021 and 2022. During the historic 2021-22 season, BYU spent a school-record 16 consecutive weeks in the AP Top 25, reached a peak ranking of No. 20, won the West Coast Conference regular-season championship, and logged five wins against Power Five opponents.

When Judkins was sidelined due to COVID-19, Cummard stepped in as acting head coach and led the Cougars to a 3-0 record, including ranked wins over No. 17 Florida State and No. 22 West Virginia to win the St. Pete Showcase. In three seasons, Cummard tutored six all-conference players who combined for 12 yearly conference honors, including two-time WCC Player of the Year Shaylee Gonzales, three-time All-WCC First Team selection and current assistant coach Paisley Johnson Harding, and WCC Defensive Player of the Year Sara Hamson.

Men's Basketball Staff (2016–19): Cummard began his coaching career under his former collegiate coach, Dave Rose. As an assistant coach in 2018-19, he helped guide the men's team to a 19-13 record. As a graduate assistant from 2016 to 2018, he contributed to consecutive 20-win seasons and back-to-back NIT berths while coaching Cougar stars Yoeli Childs, TJ Haws, Eric Mika, and NBA champion Elijah Bryant. 

Before transitioning into coaching, Cummard played professionally for seven years, with stints in France (2009–11), Japan (2011–12), and Belgium (2012–16).

A Decorated Cougar Career

Cummard has excelled at practicing what he preaches. He spent his own collegiate career on the Marriott Center hardwood, starring for BYU from 2005 to 2009.

He earned All-America honors as a junior and senior, receiving an AP All-America Honorable Mention nod in 2008 and a Fourth Team All-America selection from FOXSports.com in 2009. Cummard was named the 2008 Mountain West Conference Player of the Year and was a three-time All-MWC honoree, earning third-team honors as a sophomore in 2007 before receiving first-team selection in 2008 and 2009.

At the conclusion of his four-year BYU career, Cummard ranked in the top 20 of 28 different school statistical categories. He ranks second in effective field goal percentage (.608), third in consecutive games played (131), fifth in 3-point field goal percentage (.431), and fifth in free-throw percentage (.842). He also sits sixth in consecutive games started (102); 10th in offensive rebounds (202), blocks (106), total victories (97), and five-steal games; and 12th in games played (131), games started (116), and three-block games.

Additionally, he ranks 13th in 3-pointers made (153), steals (129), minutes played (3,602), and points per field-goal attempt (1.49); 14th in blocks per game (0.81); 15th in field goals made (561) and double-figure scoring games (77); 16th in total points (1,569); 17th in field-goal percentage (.535); and 20th in rebounds (686).

Cummard and his wife, Sarah, have three sons. He served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Tennessee.