Now in his second year leading the UNLV men’s basketball program, T.J. Otzelberger (pronounced OTTS-ell-burger) was hired as the 14th full-time head coach in Runnin’ Rebel history in March 2019.
During his first season leading UNLV Athletics’ marquee program, Otzelberger put an emphasis on creating a winning culture and setting a new standard moving forward. It was all part of the Runnin’ Rebels’ new mantra that the new coach instituted upon arriving in Las Vegas: “Win At Everything. In the classroom, on the court, and in the community.”
During the 2019-20 campaign, those words transformed into reality. Otzelberger guided the Runnin’ Rebels to a tie for second place in the Mountain West, marking the program’s best league finish in 12 years. UNLV also sent shockwaves through the college basketball world with its victory at fourth-ranked and previously undefeated San Diego State, posting the program’s best true road win since 1991 (a span of 29 seasons).
Otzelberger’s first UNLV squad also performed in the classroom at record levels. During the fall 2019 semester, the Runnin’ Rebels achieved new highs for grade point averages – 3.25 for the semester and 3.1 cumulative. Then, during spring 2020, the team improved on its record cumulative GPA with a 3.13 when 11 Runnin’ Rebel student-athletes turned in at least a 3.0 semester.
Under Otzelberger’s guidance, sophomore guard Bryce Hamilton became UNLV’s first first-team all-conference honoree in seven seasons as he averaged 20 points per game in league play – also a first for a UNLV player in the last 10 seasons. Hamilton’s league scoring average improved by a stunning 17 points per game in just one season, which helped him earn two of the program’s three MW Player of the Week awards.
The Runnin’ Rebels went 17-15 overall in 2019-20 but finished the season on a tear as they won their final five regular-season contests to complete conference play with a 12-6 mark. The dozen league wins represented UNLV’s most since the 2007-08 season. The Runnin’ Rebels exploded out of the conference gate at a 6-1 clip -- their best start in 12 years -- and the five-game win streak leading into the conference tournament was UNLV’s longest to end a regular-season in nine years.
Otzelberger instilled a tough-minded mentality in his first UNLV squad, evidenced by its success on the road in conference play. The Runnin’ Rebels were one of just two teams that finished the MW season with a better-than-.500 record away from home. UNLV also went 7-2 in MW home games at the Thomas & Mack Center, recording its most conference home wins in four years. At one point during the campaign, UNLV won six straight at the TMC to record its longest home win streak in five seasons.
An ill-timed injury in the regular-season finale to senior point guard Elijah Mitrou-Long, who was playing his best basketball of the season down the stretch, created a challenge UNLV was unable to overcome in the MW Tournament, but the team finished the year with its best KenPom rating in six years and improved 70 spots in offensive efficiency from the previous season.
With a keen focus on local recruiting, Otzelberger and his staff have put together the MW’s top-ranked recruiting class entering their second season in Las Vegas. Welcoming nine new players to the 2020-21 roster, four are from the Las Vegas valley.
Otzelberger, who has earned a career record of 87-48 (.644) in four seasons as a head coach, came to UNLV after leading South Dakota State University for three years (2016-19). During his time in Brookings, he guided the Jackrabbits to two NCAA Tournaments and one NIT appearance.
Otzelberger lifted the SDSU program to new heights, compiling an overall record of 70-33, leading the Jackrabbits to three straight postseason appearances, clinching the outright regular-season Summit League title his last two seasons, and earning the conference's Coach of the Year honors in 2018.
Under Otzelberger, the Jackrabbits were one of the top offensive teams in the nation, ranking in the top 10 among all NCAA teams in scoring in 2017-18 (seventh) and 2018-19 (fifth).
Otzelberger's final South Dakota State team finished the season with an overall record of 24-9 and finished first in its conference with a 14-2 mark. The team ended its season with a loss at Texas in the National Invitation Tournament. That Jackrabbit squad finished in the top 10 nationally in five offensive categories: first in effective field-goal percentage (59%), third in field-goal percentage (50.1), third in 3-point field-goal percentage (40.8), fourth in offensive efficiency (1.141) and fifth in scoring (84.5 ppg).
Former SDSU standout Mike Daum headlined three Jackrabbits selected to the 2018-19 All-Summit League teams as he earned his third straight conference Player of the Year Award in Otzelberger’s final season at the school. David Jenkins Jr., who is now a member of the Runnin’ Rebel program, joined Daum on the first team, while Skyler Flatten picked up a second team nod. Daum and Jenkins Jr. also picked up all-district honors, while the former was named an All-American, featured on the Wooden Award's national ballot and was a finalist for the Karl Malone Award, given to the nation's top power forward.
In 2017-18, Otzelberger led the Jackrabbits to a program-record for wins, finishing 28-7 overall with a 13-1 mark in the Summit League. That squad set school records for team points (2,958), 3-pointers made (374) and attempts (927), and defensive rebounds (1,054). In addition, the Jacks were one of just three teams nationally to win 19 of their final 20 games entering the NCAA Tournament, cruising to the league's regular-season and tournament titles to earn the No. 12 seed in the Big Dance's West Region.
Among Division I schools that season, SDSU finished the year first in defensive rebounds per game (30.1), seventh in scoring offensive (84.5), seventh in 3-pointers made (374), 10th in 3-point field-goal percentage (40.3), 11th in 3-point field goals per game (10.7), 11th in fewest turnovers (10.1), 13th in winning percentage (.800), 18th in made free throws (578) and 20th in 3-point attempts (927).
Otzelberger's 2017-18 squad had three All-Summit League selections, with Daum repeating as the Player of the Year and Jenkins Jr. picking up Freshman of the Year honors. Daum was a first-team pick for the third straight year and a finalist for the Malone Award. Jenkins Jr. was named to the league's second team and Reed Tellinghuisen was honorable mention.
In Otzelberger's first season as a head coach, SDSU entered the 2016-17 league tournament as the No. 4 seed and became the first team in the tournament's history to win three games in three days while clinching the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Jackrabbits earned the No. 16 seed in the 2017 NCAA Tournament and faced off with eventual national runner-up Gonzaga in the opening round in Salt Lake City as they finished the year with an 18-17 mark.
Under Otzelberger's tutelage, Daum, now a professional basketball player, earned Associated Press Honorable Mention All-American and Summit League Player of the Year honors, while scoring a school-record 878 points with 32 double-figure scoring games as a sophomore.
At the 2017 NCAA Final Four, Otzelberger received the prestigious Guardians of the Game Award for education from the National Association of Basketball Coaches for his involvement in the NABC's “Stay in to Win” program, which focuses on student success and dropout prevention.
Prior to becoming a head coach, Otzelberger served two separate stints as an assistant coach at Iowa State University, covering eight seasons. He began his first tour in Ames in 2006 under head coach Greg McDermott and was later elevated to associate head coach in 2010 by head coach Fred Hoiberg. The 2011-12 Iowa State squad achieved a top-25 national ranking for the first time in seven years and defeated defending national champion Connecticut in the NCAA Tournament en route to 23 wins.
Following the 2012-13 season, Otzelberger moved on to the University of Washington for two years, where he served as associate head coach on head coach Lorenzo Romar's staff. The Huskies were ranked as high as No. 11 during the 2014-15 season and Otzelberger played a key role in putting together a top-10 nationally ranked recruiting class.
Otzelberger returned to Iowa State in 2015 as an assistant coach. As a member of Steve Prohm's staff, he helped lead the Cyclones to a 23-12 overall record and a berth in the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16. The Cyclones were ranked in the top 25 throughout the 2015-16 season and knocked off both No. 1 Oklahoma and No. 4 Kansas during Big 12 Conference play. Iowa State reached the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 before falling to top-seeded Virginia in the regional semifinals.
More than a dozen players Otzelberger recruited and coached at Iowa State earned All-Big 12 Conference recognition, including Georges Niang, who was a consensus All-America selection and recipient of the Malone Award in 2015-16.
A native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Otzelberger, who will turn 43 in September, played collegiately at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater where he was a three-year starter and two-year team captain. His coaching career started at Burlington Catholic Central High School in Wisconsin (head coach, 2001-04) before spending one season as an assistant coach at Chipola Junior College in Marianna, Florida. Chipola placed third that year (2004-05) in the NJCAA Tournament, finishing with a 33-4 overall record.
He earned his bachelor's degree in business administration from Wisconsin-Whitewater in 2001 and his master's degree in educational leadership from the same school in 2004.
Otzelberer is married to Alison Lacey, a former Iowa State standout who also played for the WNBA's Seattle Storm. The couple has three young children, Jayce, Olivia and Stella.
