A familiar face, Otzelberger hired as next Iowa State men’s basketball coach

AMES, Iowa — A familiar face is returning to Ames to lead the Iowa State University men’s basketball team.

Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard announced Thursday that T.J. Otzelberger—the former Cyclone assistant and South Dakota State and UNLV head coach— as the new head men’s basketball coach.

Otzelberger “had far more knowledge, was very prepared, and was the most ready to take our job,” AD Jamie Pollard said in a video release.

I couldn’t be more enthused about the opportunity that President (Wendy) Wintersteen and Jamie (Pollard) have given our family. It’s somewhat rare to get the chance to return home but Iowa State was my first stop as a Division I college coach and it is my wife’s (Australia native Alison Lacey, who played for ISU) adopted home. The resources are here to build and sustain a program that competes at a high level in the Big 12 and nationally. I’m familiar with the foundation of the school and basketball program and am eager and inspired to sell our vision and re-establish a championship culture.

The hire comes just three days after the Cyclones and former head coach Steve Prohm “agreed to part ways” after a 2-22 season without the team notching a win in Big 12 Conference play.

Otzelberger was an assistant at Iowa State from 2006-13 and 2015-16. Following that, he was the head coach at South Dakota State from 2016-19 and UNLV for the past two seasons.