T.J. Otzelberger

T.J. Otzelberger (born September 17, 1977)

Current position: Head men’s basketball coach
Current team: Iowa State Cyclones
Current conference: Big 12 Conference
South Dakota State record: 70-33 (.680)
UNLV record: 29-30 (.492)
Iowa State record: 70-35 (.667)
Overall record: 169-98 (.633)

Career Accomplishments:

Awards:

Coaching Career (head coach, unless noted):

2021-present Iowa State
2019-2021 UNLV
2016-2019 South Dakota State
2015-2016 Iowa State (asst)
2013-2015 Washington (assoc. HC)
2010-2013 Iowa State (assoc. HC)
2006-2010 Iowa State (asst)
2004-2005 Chipola College (asst)

T.J. Otzelberger Facts

  • Thomas John Otzelberger
  • Born September 17, 1977
  • Hometown: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Alma Mater: University of Wisconsin-Whitewater (BA, 2001)
  • Was a three-year starter and two-time team captain for head coach Dave Vander Meulen at D-III UW-Whitewater
  • Started his career after undergrad, spending two years as an assistant at Burlington Catholic Central HS in Burlington, WI
    • Was the varsity head coach and athletic director at BCCHS for the 2003-04 school year
  • Spent one year as an assistant at Chipola College (FL); the team finished third in the NJCAA national tournament
  • Worked for two stints as an assistant at Iowa State, first for a combined seven years under head coaches Greg McDermott and Fred Hoiberg; promoted by Hoiberg to associate head coach in 2013
  • Left Ames to spend two seasons as Lorenzo Romar‘s associate head coach at Washington
  • Returned to Iowa State to spend one year as an assistant under new Cyclones head coach Steve Prohm
  • Hired in April 2016 to be the new head coach at South Dakota State
  • Left in March 2019 to become the new head coach at UNLV; went 29-30 in two seasons with the Rebels
  • Returned to Ames in March 2021, becoming the new head coach at Iowa State
    • Went 22-13 overall and reached the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in his first season at the helm
    • Won the Big 12 Tournament in 2024 to secure an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, again reaching the Sweet Sixteen

T.J. Otzelberger Coaching Tree