Nebraska Announces Contract Extensions for Several Key Men's Basketball Staff Members

Nebraska is rewarding the group behind its most successful season in program history.

After seventh-year head coach Fred Hoiberg led the Huskers to a 28-7 record and the program’s first NCAA Tournament win, the Big Red signed multi-year contract extensions for each returning staff member.

Here’s who they are, what they bring to the program, and what this means for Nebraska moving forward.

Nate Loenser- Associate Head Coach

Sometimes, the biggest offseason wins come from keeping the right pieces in place. That applies to players, but just as much to the staff. NU made sure to hold on to its most important assistant in Nate Loenser, who continues to rise within the program under Hoiberg's guidance.

Loenser, whose new title is Associate Head Coach, just completed his fifth season in Lincoln. He coordinates Nebraska’s defense and leads its individual skill development programs. Last season, the Huskers ranked eighth nationally in defensive efficiency and led the Big Ten in scoring defense at 66.2 points per game. His impact has played a direct role in the Huskers' rise in recent years and will be key in continuing the success of the team during the 2026-27 season.

Loenser was reportedly a finalist for the Northern Iowa head coaching job, another sign that his name is gaining traction across the college basketball landscape. The Huskers were able to keep him for now, but his trajectory suggests it may only be a matter of time before he leads his own team. Until then, retaining him is a major win as NU looks to become a staple in the NCAA Tournament year-in-and-year-out.

Congratulations to Ernie Zeigler of @HuskerMBB on being selected to the 2026 100 Most Impactful High Major Assistants list.https://t.co/1zUKjtw2I8 pic.twitter.com/l9BoANEFdY
— Silver Waves Media (@SilverWaveMedia) January 13, 2026

Ernie Ziegler- Assistant Coach

Despite a behind-the-scenes role, Ernie Zeigler brings as much experience as anyone on Nebraska's staff. After finishing his fourth season in Lincoln, Zeigler played a key role in helping the Huskers reach the postseason in three straight years, something the program had not done in over a quarter century.

The 60-year-old works closely with NU's offense and is heavily involved in game planning, scouting, and recruiting. His impact has also been shown in player development. Zeigler played a major role in the development of Brice Williams, who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors (2024-25) while setting a program scoring record for points in a season.

With more than two decades of Division I experience, Zeigler has been part of 10 NCAA Tournament teams as an assistant and previously served as a head coach at Central Michigan (2007-2012). Arguably underappreciated by fans, Nebraska's staff knows just how important Zeigler's role is on the team, and he was rewarded for it this offseason.

Welcome to the 402, Pat Monaghan. 🌽 pic.twitter.com/9FlZaSCvZL
— Nebraska Men's Basketball (@HuskerMBB) April 17, 2025

Pat Monaghan- Assistant Coach

Pat Monaghan is the newest addition to Hoiberg’s staff, but his impact was felt immediately. After joining the program in April of 2025, coming from Wyoming, Monaghan had his hands in every aspect of the program during his first season in Lincoln.

Before joining the Huskers staff, he spent the 2024-25 season in Laramie, helping rebuild the Cowboys roster and develop the eventual Mountain West Newcomer of the Year Obi Agbim. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Green Bay, Southern Illinois, Milwaukee, and Minnesota State. Monaghan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Wayne State.

Throughout his career, Monaghan has built a reputation as an up-and-coming assistant. For Hoiberg and the rest of the staff, his early impact and retention make him an important piece of the pie moving forward.

Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg has promoted Luca Virgilio to General Manager, per release.

Has had a major hand in the Huskers' return to relevance over the past few seasons.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 1, 2025

Luca Virgilio- General Manager

Despite much of the attention going to what happens on the court, NU's success has also been shaped off the court. Luca Virgilio, the longest-tenured member of Hoiberg’s staff, continues to play a major role in what happens outside of gameday.

After his seventh season with the program and first as general manager, Virgilio oversees roster construction and player acquisition via high school recruiting and the NCAA transfer portal.

Before arriving in Lincoln, Virgilio spent five seasons at St. John’s, where he focused on analytics and operations. As the college basketball landscape continues to evolve, his role remains critical to sustaining Nebraska's success during the offseason, even rivaling the impact of Fred Hoiberg himself.

Kurt Joseph- Director of Men's Basketball Strength & Conditioning

The Huskers did lose one key piece following their historic season, as former strength and conditioning director Kurt Joseph moved on to the NBA. Over his five seasons in Lincoln, Joseph played a major role in helping the Huskers develop and maximize their roster.

Nebraska has not yet filled his position, but extending the rest of the staff provides continuity heading into next year. For Hoiberg, the move to keep the majority of the group intact helps offset the strain of Joseph's loss.

Regardless, Hoiberg was clear about how much Joseph meant to the program and why the opportunity was deserved.

"This is a great opportunity for him," Hoiberg said. "We appreciate everything Kurt has done for Nebraska basketball over the past five years. He is the best strength coach I've been around because of his perspective in working with both the physical and mental aspects of the game. He cares about our players and their well-being, and he has been a major part of the success we have enjoyed over the past few seasons."

What This Means for the Huskers

Continuity on the staff allows returning players to hit the ground running with minimal friction heading into summer workouts. For the newcomers, both from the high school ranks and the transfer portal, they're stepping into a system that just produced one of the best teams in all of college basketball.

After going 28-7, reaching the Sweet 16, and finishing second in the Big Ten, Hoiberg has already shown what this group can accomplish. That gives next year’s team a clear standard to follow.

Rosters will change every year. That part is unavoidable. However, keeping the staff in place is not. For Nebraska, that stability is a major win. From Loenser to Virgilio and everyone in between, the pieces are in place to keep elevating the program in future years. That is exactly why these extensions needed to be made.

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