Randy Peterson

rpeterson@dmreg.com

T.J. Otzelberger, a top assistant for the last three Iowa State basketball coaches, finally gets to run his own team.

He’ll be named the head coach at South Dakota State on Thursday, according to a report by ESPN’s Jeff Goodman. Iowa State women's basketball coach Bill Fennelly also tweeted out the news Wednesday afternoon.

South Dakota State has called a press conference for 3 p.m. Thursday.

Otzelberger could not be reached for comment.

At South Dakota State, Otzelberger will lead a program that has played in three of the last five NCAA Tournaments. The Jackrabbits’ 26-8 record this season includes winning the Summit League postseason tournament.

Otzelberger replaces Scott Nagy, the new head coach at Wright State.

A Milwaukee native, Otzelberger, 38, was the top recruiter and assistant for Cyclones coaches Greg McDermott, Fred Hoiberg and, most recently, Steve Prohm.

He’s largely responsible for bringing such players as Georges Niang, Craig Brackins, Diante Garrett, Mike Taylor, Melvin Ejim, Scott Christopherson, Will Clyburn, Naz Mitrou-Long, Matt Thomas, and Korie Lucious, among others, into the program.

He inherits a solid program in the typically one-bid Summit League, and leaves a Power 5 school at a time when immediately-eligible recruits transfer from one four-year school to another.

The Cyclones were a major player in that market under Hoiberg, and that trend continued with Prohm.

Otzelberger interviewed for the Iowa State head coaching position that went to Prohm after Hoiberg went to the Chicago Bulls late last spring.

He interviewed on April 6 for the coaching position at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where Rob Jeter was recently fired.

An exclusive report on Milwaukee radio station WTMJ’s website Tuesday said that Otzelberger was told he was the choice of athletic director Amanda Braun, and to plan on bringing his family to Milwaukee for the introductory press conference.

However, on April 7, the school instead announced that LaVall Jordan got the position.