Iowa State Basketball Reveals Official Staff Under T.J. Otzelberger

The Iowa State Cyclones men’s basketball team has undergone some major changes to its roster this offseason.

Their top three scorers from last season, Milan Momcilovic, Joshua Jefferson and Tamin Lipsey, aren’t returning. Momcilovic is with the Kentucky Wildcats, while Jefferson was selected No. 28 in the 2026 NBA Draft and Lipsey signed with the Indiana Pacers as an undrafted free agent.

Nate Heise, who was an integral part of the rotation the last two seasons, also exhausted his eligibility. There are going to be plenty of new faces on the court, but the staff under head coach T.J. Otzelberger also features some changes.

With JR Blount and Kyle Green both being hired as head coaches, joining the San Diego Toreros and Northern Iowa Panthers, the team had two vacancies to fill. Tim Buckley, who was most recently with the Cincinnati Bearcats, was hired along with Allan Hanson.

Iowa State men's basketball staff revealed

Iowa State men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger talks to media during an interview at the Sukup Practice Complex. — Iowa State men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger talks to media during an interview at the Sukup Practice Complex on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, in Ames, Iowa. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Those were the two hirings that garnered the most attention, but there have been several other changes made to the men’s basketball staff, with an official announcement being shared by Iowa State Athletics.

Another addition as an assistant coach is Chuck Ruffing, who comes to Ames after one season as an assistant coach with the Western Illinois Leathernecks. Before that, he was the head coach for two seasons at Bryant & Stratton College in Wisconsin.

Ruffin also has Division III experience in Wisconsin, giving a program that has already found incredible success recruiting in the state another person on the staff with deep ties to the area.

Two other people will be in Ames for their first year with the program for the 2026-27 campaign: Richardson Maitre and Fletcher McGarvey, who are both being brought aboard as graduate assistants.

Maitre’s collegiate career spanned four seasons with the Florida Atlantic Owls and Samford Bulldogs, playing in 108 games. He spent a few years playing professionally overseas and began his coaching journey at the 2025 Canada Senior Men’s National Training Camp.

Otzelberger finalizes his coaching staff for next year pic.twitter.com/pr4Npogoto
— Nick Ziegler (@NickZiegler20) July 6, 2026

McGarvey has been a manager at Iowa State for the last three years and will now be elevated to graduate assistant. He had his hand in multiple aspects of the team as manager, including player development, skill training, and organizing practice plans and scouting reports.

A former Cyclones player, Diante Garrett, is back with the school as well. In his third year with the program, he has been named the Director of Player Development.

Garrett played in 128 games in four years with Iowa State, leading the Big 12 with 36.7 minutes played and 6.1 assists per game as a senior during the 2010-11 campaign.

Another former Cyclones graduate, Thomas Pollard, is entering his fifth year with the program and has been named the Director of Recruiting.

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