Ames, Iowa ? The job of turning around Iowa State’s basketball program was given to self-described Iowa farm boy Greg McDermott.
The Northern Iowa coach was hired by the Cyclones on Tuesday, four days after Wayne Morgan was fired.
The 41-year-old McDermott led the Panthers to three straight NCAA Tournaments in his five seasons and 20-plus victories in each of the past three seasons.
“This place was special enough to leave home to come here,” said McDermott, a former Northern Iowa player. “I’m one of you. I’m a farm boy from Cascade, Iowa.”
Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said that McDermott had agreed to a six-year deal at $650,000 per year, plus incentives.
McDermott’s hiring comes at the end of a search that Pollard had whittled down to two candidates: Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s Rob Jeter and McDermott.
Pollard met with McDermott on Sunday, decided on him over Jeter and offered McDermott the job late Monday night.
“I just feel coach McDermott was a better fit for Iowa State,” Pollard said.
McDermott spent seven seasons as a Division II head coach, six at Wayne State College and one at North Dakota State, before joining Northern Iowa. The Panthers went 90-63 under McDermott and finished 23-10 this season.