AMES, Iowa – In the midst of one of the most successful runs in the program’s 118-year history is Iowa State’s head men’s basketball coach TJ Ötzelberger has agreed to a new contract that will keep him on the Cyclone bench until June 30, 2032, ISU President Dr. Wendy Wintersteen and Athletics Director Jamie Pollard announced today.

“In just four years, Coach Otzelberger has built our Iowa State men’s basketball program into one of the best in the country. Since his return to Ames, Cyclone fans around the world have rejoiced at the many successes his teams have produced,” said Wintersteen. “His commitment to academic and athletic success is very strong and we look forward to him leading our program for many years to come.”

Otzelberger was introduced on March 18, 2021 as the 21st head coach in program history. He inherited a program that was coming off a 2-22 season and has since led it to three consecutive NCAA Tournament bids, including two Sweet 16s and the 2024 Phillips 66th Big 12 Tournament title. In his fourth year at ISU, he holds a record of 79-36 (.687), including a mark of 29-25 (.537) in Big 12 play. His overall winning percentage of .687 is considered the best in program history, while his conference winning percentage of .537 is the second best.

Otzelberger was no stranger to the Cyclone program when he returned to Ames as head coach after serving as an assistant coach at Ames for eight seasons, working under Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm before three years as head coach at South Dakota State and spent two leading the storied UNLV program before being tapped by Pollard to lead the ISU program. In two stints as an assistant coach and his time as head coach, Iowa State has compiled a 223-155 record with Otzelberger as a team, which includes six trips to the NCAA Tournament and three Sweet 16 berths.

“The complete redesign 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 not only transformed our program, but also enabled the Cyclones to quickly execute one of the greatest turnarounds in college basketball history.”

“As college athletics continues to undergo massive change, we felt it was critical to our continued success to retain Coach Otzelberger and Coach (Matt) Campbell for the foreseeable future. Retaining both head coaches through 2032 provides our department with leadership continuity and financial security during these changing times,” he added.

Otzelberger became the only coach in program history to lead multiple teams to the Sweet 16, doing so in the 2022 and 2024 seasons. Otzelberger became the 51st coach in NCAA Division I history to do so twice in his first three years Work led a team to the Sweet 16. He is one of three coaches in program history with 20 or more wins against AP Top 25, and his 11 wins against AP Top 10 teams are the second most in program history behind Johnny Orr’s 12.

Otzelberger, Tim Floyd and Hoiberg are the only coaches in program history with four NCAA Tournament victories, and his 70 wins in his first three years in Ames were the second-most by a coach in his first three seasons behind Larry Eustachy’s 72. All told, in his ninth On his season as head coach, Otzelberger is 178-99 (.643) overall, with five of his six NCAA Tournament berths being postseason appearances.

“I am grateful for the support of our President Dr. Wintersteen and our athletics director Jamie Pollard,” said Otzelberger. “My family and I love Iowa State University and the community and are excited to continue to call it home. Our fan base is second to none and we appreciate their continued support as we continue this journey together.”

The Cyclones, in third place at 9-1 this season, conclude their non-conference schedule with a contest against Morgan State on Dec. 22, starting at noon (Central) on ESPN+ at the James H. Hilton Coliseum begins.

The terms of Otzelberger’s new contract will be announced at a later date.