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Ben Jacobson Northern Iowa: Ben Jacobson is close to finalizing a five-year contract to become the new head coach at Utah State Aggies men's basketball, according to a report by ESPN.
The move will bring an end to Jacobson’s long tenure with the Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball.
He has led the program for 20 seasons. During that time, he built Northern Iowa into a consistent postseason team.
Jacobson guided the Panthers to five appearances in the NCAA Tournament.
His most memorable season came in 2010. That year, Northern Iowa made a run to the Sweet 16.
The team also pulled off a major upset against the top-seeded Kansas Jayhawks men's basketball during the tournament.
Jacobson is widely respected for his program building and long-term success.
His expected arrival at Utah State marks a significant coaching change for the program.
The school is looking to remain competitive and continue its success in the Mountain West Conference.
Ben Jacobson leaves Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball with a long record of success and nearly 400 career victories at the school.
He finished his tenure with 397 wins and became one of the most established coaches in Midwest college basketball.
His move to Utah State Aggies men's basketball reflects the strong position of the program in recent years.
Utah State has appeared in the NCAA Tournament six times in the last seven tournaments that were held.
The program’s success has continued despite multiple coaching changes.
Craig Smith, Ryan Odom, Danny Sprinkle, and Jerrod Calhoun each led Utah State to NCAA Tournament appearances during that stretch.
Each coach later moved on to larger programs after finding success at Utah State.
The consistent tournament appearances highlight Utah State’s stability and growth as a program.
The hiring of Jacobson signals the school’s intent to continue that momentum in the coming years.
Jerrod Calhoun departed Utah State Aggies men's basketball earlier this month to become the new head coach of the Cincinnati Bearcats men's basketball.
Calhoun had guided Utah State to back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Tournament before leaving the program.
His exit opened the coaching position, and Utah State moved quickly to begin its search for a replacement.
The school is also set to receive close to $4 million in buyout funds connected to Calhoun’s move to Cincinnati.
Those funds are expected to support the program as it prepares for the next phase of competition.
Utah State is positioning itself to compete in the restructured Pac-12 Conference, which is expected to become a strong basketball conference in the coming years.
The league will feature major programs such as the Gonzaga Bulldogs men's basketball and the San Diego State Aztecs men's basketball.
Both programs have developed national reputations and have reached the Final Four in recent NCAA tournament history.
Their presence is expected to strengthen the conference and increase the level of competition for Utah State moving forward.
Ben Jacobson is set to become a central figure in the early tenure of Cameron Walker, who recently assumed duties as athletic director at Utah State Aggies men's basketball after joining from Tennessee Volunteers last September.
Jacobson had previously attracted interest from multiple programs.
He consistently chose to remain with Northern Iowa Panthers men's basketball during those opportunities.
This time, the overall situation at Utah State proved too strong to pass up.
The combination of strong institutional support, conference visibility, and a track record of winning made the role especially appealing.
Utah State’s recent success also added to the job’s attractiveness.
For Northern Iowa, the departure marks the end of a highly successful era. The program averaged nearly 20 wins per season under Jacobson’s leadership.
It also captured four regular-season conference championships during his time in charge.
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