April 1 (UPI) — The Northern Iowa Panthers hired Iowa State’s Kyle Green as their men’s basketball coach, athletic director Megan Franklin announced Wednesday.
Green, who spent 16 seasons as an assistant with the Panthers, agreed to a five-year contract. He spent the last five seasons as an assistant at Iowa State under Cyclones head coach T.J. Otzelberger.
“I am incredibly honored and grateful for the opportunity to become the next head coach at UNI, a university and community that has meant so much to me and my family,” Green said in a news release. “We are so thankful to athletic director Megan Franklin and president Mark Nook for this opportunity.
“This is more than just a school or job to me and my family. It is a home. A place that has given so much more to our family than we could ever give back. A school with unparalleled history in men’s basketball.”
The Panthers were 23-13 this season. They ended it with a loss to St. John’s in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. The Panthers announced Monday that former coach Ben Jacobson was leaving the program to become coach at Utah State.
Jacobson led the Panthers to a 397-259 record over the last 20 years. They made the NCAA tournament five times during Jacobson’s tenure.
The Iowa State Cyclones went 124-53 over the last five seasons under Otzelberger. The Cyclones went to the NCAA tournament in each of Otzelberger’s first five seasons.
Green previously served as a head coach at Wisconsin-Eau Claire, Lewis University and Western Colorado University. He also worked as an assistant at Marquette.
“It is a great pleasure to welcome Kyle Green back to the University of Northern Iowa,” Nook said.
“Kyle and his family have been a big part of UNI athletics for two decades. Kyle was an integral part of the Panther coaching staff during some of our most successful seasons and helped develop many outstanding players.”
About the Author
