Former South Dakota St HC Inks Contract Extension at ISU
T.J. Otzelberger has officially resurrected the Iowa State Cyclone Men's Basketball program.
Following a putrid 2-22 finish under Steve Prohm in 2020, Otzelberger was named Head Coach. Since that time, the Cyclones have compiled a record of 41-27, and made a run to the Sweet 16 at the end of the 2021-22 season.
The former Jackrabbit head voach has now been rewarded with a contract extension with the Cyclones.
Per Cyclones.com:
After guiding the Iowa State men's basketball team to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season and signing the highest-rated recruiting class in program history, head coach T.J. Otzelberger has been rewarded with a two-year contract extension, Cyclone Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard announced today.
"In just two years, Coach Otzelberger and his staff have reimagined the Cyclone program while instilling a culture which has led to great success in the classroom, on the court and in recruiting," Pollard said. "The complete transformation of our program in such a short time is a testament to Coach Otzelberger's leadership and vision for Cyclone Basketball, and he is most deserving of this extension and a compensation increase.
Otzelberger's contract now extends through June 30, 2029, and his total compensation will increase to $2.5M on July 1, 2023, $3M on July 1, 2024 and $3.5M on July 1, 2025, followed by $100,000 increases for each subsequent contract year. All other terms of his original contract remain unchanged.
What makes the turnaround so impressive is that it comes in a very competitive Big 12 conference. This season, the Big 12 consistently had 5 or more teams ranked in the top 25, and proved to be one of the best conferences in the nation.
We'll see what's ahead for Coach Otzelberger and the Cyclones, but the former Jackrabbit Head Coach is well on his way to continued success in Ames.
This past season, Iowa State Cyclone Basketball finished 19-14 overall, 9-9 in conference play with a NCAA Tournament berth.
