Iowa State Cyclones basketball — program history

Iowa State's basketball program dates to 1907, and the Cyclones play in one of the most feared home courts in America — Hilton Coliseum. The school uses a cardinal named Cy as its mascot since you cannot dress up as a cyclone, though the athletic nickname references the powerful storms of the Great Plains. The term 'Hilton Magic' was coined in 1989 after Iowa State stunned third-ranked Missouri, and the atmosphere has been legendary ever since. Johnny Orr transformed the program in the 1980s, establishing the tradition of passionate basketball that continues under current coaches.

The name

The 'Cyclones' name references the powerful storms of the Great Plains; the mascot Cy is a cardinal since the school colors (cardinal and gold) were adopted in 1899

Signature moment

The birth of 'Hilton Magic' — coined by a Des Moines Register writer after Iowa State's upset of No. 3 Missouri on February 14, 1989

Hilton Coliseum was specifically built to hold in sound with solid concrete walls and steel doors, and opposing players have said the floor literally shakes from the crowd noise

The Iowa State Cyclones compete in the Big 12 and hold an all-time record of 1511–1418 (.516 winning percentage) across 115 recorded seasons dating back to 1907-08. The program has reached 1 Final Four.

Season-by-season results

SeasonRecordConferenceCoachAP peak
2025-2627-712-6 (Big 12)T.J. OtzelbergerAP #2
2024-2525-1013-7 (Big 12)T.J. OtzelbergerAP #2
2023-2429-813-5 (Big 12)T.J. OtzelbergerAP #4
2022-2319-149-9 (Big 12)T.J. OtzelbergerAP #11
2021-2222-137-11 (Big 12)T.J. OtzelbergerAP #8
2020-212-220-18 (Big 12)Steve Prohm
2019-2012-205-13 (Big 12)Steve Prohm
2018-1923-129-9 (Big 12)Steve ProhmAP #17
2017-1813-184-14 (Big 12)Steve Prohm
2016-1724-1112-6 (Big 12)Steve ProhmAP #16
2015-1623-1210-8 (Big 12)Steve ProhmAP #4
2014-1525-912-6 (Big 12)Fred HoibergAP #9
2013-1428-811-7 (Big 12)Fred HoibergAP #8
2012-1323-1211-7 (Big 12)Fred Hoiberg
2011-1223-1112-6 (Big 12)Fred HoibergAP #25
2010-1116-163-13 (Big 12)Fred Hoiberg
2009-1015-174-12 (Big 12)Greg McDermott
2008-0915-174-12 (Big 12)Greg McDermott
2007-0814-184-12 (Big 12)Greg McDermott
2006-0715-166-10 (Big 12)Greg McDermott
2005-0616-146-10 (Big 12)Wayne MorganAP #25
2004-0519-129-7 (Big 12)Wayne Morgan
2003-0420-137-9 (Big 12)Wayne Morgan
2002-0317-145-11 (Big 12)Larry Eustachy
2001-0212-194-12 (Big 12)Larry Eustachy
2000-0125-613-3 (Big 12)Larry EustachyAP #6
1999-0032-514-2 (Big 12)Larry EustachyAP #6
1998-9915-156-10 (Big 12)Larry Eustachy
1997-9812-185-11 (Big 12)Tim Floyd
1996-9722-910-6 (Big 12)Tim FloydAP #4
1994-9523-116-8 (Big 8)Tim FloydAP #11
1993-9414-134-10 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1992-9320-118-6 (Big 8)Johnny OrrAP #19
1991-9221-135-9 (Big 8)Johnny OrrAP #23
1990-9112-196-8 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1989-9010-184-10 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1988-8917-127-7 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1987-8820-126-8 (Big 8)Johnny OrrAP #10
1986-8713-155-9 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1985-8622-119-5 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1984-8521-137-7 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1983-8416-136-8 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1982-8313-155-9 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1981-8210-175-9 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1980-819-182-12 (Big 8)Johnny Orr
1979-8011-165-9 (Big 8)Lynn Nance,Rick Samuels
1978-7911-166-8 (Big 8)Lynn Nance
1977-7814-139-5 (Big 8)Lynn Nance
1975-763-243-11 (Big 8)Ken Trickey
1974-7510-164-10 (Big 8)Ken Trickey
1973-7415-116-8 (Big 8)Gus Guydon,Maury John
1972-7316-107-7 (Big 8)Maury John
1971-7212-145-9 (Big 8)Maury John
1970-715-212-12 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1969-7012-145-9 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1968-6914-128-6 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1967-6812-138-6 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1966-6713-126-8 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1965-6611-146-8 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1964-659-166-8 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1963-649-165-9 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1962-6314-118-6 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1961-6213-128-6 (Big 8)Glendon Anderson
1958-599-164-10 (Big 8)Bill Strannigan
1957-5815-88-4 (Big 8)Bill StranniganAP #20
1956-5716-76-6 (Big 7)Bill StranniganAP #3
1955-5618-58-4 (Big 7)Bill StranniganAP #8
1954-5511-104-8 (Big 7)Bill Strannigan
1953-546-152-10 (Big 7)Clay Sutherland
1952-5310-115-7 (Big 7)Clay Sutherland
1951-5210-114-8 (Big 7)Clay Sutherland
1950-519-123-9 (Big 7)Clay Sutherland
1949-506-172-10 (Big 7)Clay Sutherland
1948-497-143-9 (Big 7)Clay Sutherland
1947-4815-86-6 (Big 7)Clay Sutherland
1946-477-145-5 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1945-468-85-5 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1944-4511-58-2 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1943-4414-49-1 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1942-437-92-8 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1941-4211-65-5 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1940-4115-47-3 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1939-409-92-8 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1938-398-95-5 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1937-386-92-8 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1936-373-150-10 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1935-368-83-7 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1934-3513-38-2 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1933-346-112-8 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1932-336-102-8 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1931-329-64-6 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1930-318-84-6 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1929-309-85-5 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1928-298-74-6 (Big 6)Louis Menze
1927-283-153-15 (MVC)Bill Chandler
1926-278-105-7 (MVC)Bill Chandler
1925-264-143-11 (MVC)Bill Chandler
1924-252-151-15 (MVC)Bill Chandler
1923-242-162-14 (MVC)Bill Chandler
1922-2311-79-7 (MVC)Bill Chandler
1921-2210-88-8 (MVC)Bill Chandler
1920-2110-86-8 (MVC)Maurice Kent
1919-206-122-10 (MVC)R.N. Berryman
1918-195-113-8 (MVC)H.H. Walters
1917-186-91-6 (MVC)H.H. Walters
1916-1712-66-4 (MVC)H.H. Walters
1915-164-122-8 (MVC)H.H. Walters
1914-156-75-5 (MVC)Homer Hubbard
1913-144-144-10 (MVC)Homer Hubbard
1912-133-133-9 (MVC)Homer Hubbard
1911-128-74-4 (MVC)Homer Hubbard
1910-116-116-8 (MVC)Samuel Williams
1909-109-76-2 (MVC)Samuel Williams
1908-094-104-4 (MVC)Samuel Williams
1907-081-11-0 (MVC)Samuel Williams

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