Following some incredible success in Ames over the past few seasons, the Iowa State Cyclones have elected to extend head coach T.J. Otzelberger’s contract through the 2032 season.
Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen and Athletic Director Jamie Pollard shared the news of Otzelberger’s contract with glowing words about the continued successes of the program.
“In just four years, Coach Otzelberger has transformed our Iowa State men’s basketball program into one of the nation’s best,” Wintersteen said. “Since his return to Ames, Cyclone fans everywhere are enjoying the many successes that his teams have produced. His commitment to academic and athletic achievement is very strong, and we are excited that he will continue to lead our program for many years to come.”
“The complete reimagining of our program under Coach Otzelberger’s leadership is a testament to his vision and the plan that he and his staff have successfully implemented,” Pollard said. “His continued emphasis on the program’s daily habits has not only reshaped our program but has allowed the Cyclones to quickly pull off one of the greatest turnarounds in college basketball history.
The turnaround in Ames brings in an incredibly successful era of collegiate basketball, with Otzelberger taking over for a team fresh off of a 2-22 season in 2020. He then shocked the world and led the Cyclones to the NCAA Tournament the following year with a 22-13 finish.
During his tenure with the program, Otz holds a career record of 79-36 and a conference record of 29-25. The .687 overall winning percentage marks the best in program history, while his .537 in conference play ranks second-best all-time.
Otzelberger commented on the news, saying, “I’m thankful for the support of our President, Dr. Wintersteen, and our Athletics Director, Jamie Pollard. My family and I love Iowa State University and the community and are happy to continue calling it home. Our fan base is second to none, and we value their continued support as we continue this journey together.”
Iowa State currently sits as a Top 10 team in the country, a group that should have a good chance at winning the Big 12 Conference and will hope to play in a Final Four come March.
