ATLANTA, Ga. – Iowa State men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger has been named a finalist for the 2024 Naismith Men’s College Coach of the Year. Otzelberger is one of four coaches across the country named as finalist, including two from the Big 12.
Joining Otzelberger as finalist are Dan Hurley (UConn), Lamont Paris (South Carolina) and Kelvin Sampson (Houston).
In his third season at the helm, Otzelberger has led the Cyclones to a Top 10 ranking for the second time, as the Cyclones sit 29-7 overall on the year and are currently ranked No. 4 in the nation after winning the Big 12 Championship. For the second time in three years, Otzelberger has led the Cyclones to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. He is the first coach in school history with multiple trips to the Sweet 16.
Iowa State has a nation-leading 10 wins over AP Top 10 teams under Otzelberger. Iowa State’s 21 AP Top 25 wins under Otzelberger are also the most in the nation. His 70 wins at Iowa State are the second-most in school history by a coach in their first three years, trailing only Larry Eustachy (72).
The 2024 Werner Ladder Naismith Trophy for Men’s College Coach of the Year announcement will take place on Sunday, April 7, at the Naismith Awards Brunch during the Final Four in Phoenix. The Phoenix Art Museum will host the event. SiriusXM will simulcast the live announcement on SiriusXM College Sports Radio (Channel 84).
Fans will once again be able to support their favorite finalist through the Naismith Awards Fan Vote presented by Jersey Mike’s, which runs Tuesday, March 26, through Tuesday, April 2, at naismithfanvote.com. The fan vote will account for five percent of the overall final vote. Fans may also vote by visiting @naismithtrophy and @MarchMadness Twitter pages to vote for their favorite men’s coaches.
The four finalists for each category were chosen by the Atlanta Tipoff Club’s national voting academy, comprised of leading journalists from around the country, current and former head coaches, former award winners and conference commissioners, all of whom base their selections on outstanding coaching performances during the 2023-24 college basketball season. The vote was tabulated and verified by the Atlanta team of J.S. Held, a global consulting firm.
