Iowa State Cyclones History
The Iowa State Cyclones, first season record in 1908, may not have the illustrious histories of
Duke, or
UCLA, or
North Carolina, but they are an incredibly competitive team, especially as of late. 1944 marks the last time the Gold and Red clad boys made it to the Final Four round of the NCAA tournament, however, after that they went on a forty-one year NCAA tournament berth drought.
more In 1985, they returned to the tournament and have been fairly consistent guests to the NCAA ball.
The beginning of the Cyclone resurgence can be traced to the “Johnny Orr Era,” the period of time from 1980-1994. Orr became head coach of the Cyclones after transferring from the University of Michigan. According to the story given, Iowa State called Orr to inquire about Orr’s coaching assistants and their availabilities to be transferred. When Orr inquired about the pay at Iowa, it was he who decided it was time for a move. For Orr, it took only three years to begin the Cyclone turnaround. After the first few shaky years, Orr posted several 20-win seasons and 6 tournament berths.
Since his departure, coaches have come and gone but the Cyclones continue to improve, frequenting the Final Four Tournament numerous times and reaching as high as Elite Eight in 2000. At present, the Iowa State Cyclones are on a quest to continue their newfound spirit of excellence. New coach Greg McDermott and returning German basketball phenom Lucca Staiger will be at the helm of this great task. Purchase Iowa State Cyclones basketball tickets and join them in their quest towards glory.
less
