Iowa State men’s basketball has filled the first assistant coaching vacancy on its staff.

The Cyclones announced on Monday, April 6, that head coach T.J. Otzelberger has named Tim Buckley as a new assistant coach. He will begin his duties with Iowa State immediately.

Buckley most recently served as an assistant for two seasons at Cincinnati, but he comes to Ames with more than three decades of coaching experience. He was also previously part of Otzelberger’s staff for both years of his tenure at UNLV from 2019-21.

“A renowned coach in player development, I’m excited to have Tim join our staff at Iowa State,” Otzelberger said in a statement. “Tim brings a wealth of knowledge, both as a head coach and assistant coach. He has recruited and developed some of the top talents in the NBA. I’m thrilled that our student-athletes will get the opportunity to work with Tim.”

The 62-year-old Buckley has garnered a reputation for his player development and recruiting. Before arriving in Ames, he got Division I head coaching experience at Ball State (2000-06), and he’s also been an esteemed assistant coach at Wisconsin (1993-94), Ball State (1994-99), Marquette (1999-00, 2007-08), Iowa (2006-07), Indiana (2008-17), UNLV (2019-22), South Carolina (2022-24) and Cincinnati (2024-26).

More: Iowa State basketball 2025-26 season recap, MVP, high point, looking ahead

Before joining Otzelberger’s staff at UNLV, he was also a scout for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2017-19.

Buckley has worked with 12 NBA Draft picks, nine of whom were drafted in the first round. Of those nine first-round picks, six of them were lottery picks. Some of the top talent Buckley has recruited and developed include Dwyane Wade, Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh. He also helped coach All-American Yogi Ferrell at Indiana.

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to be reunited with T.J. Otzelberger,” Buckley said in a statement. “What he has done over the last five years is amazing. Iowa State is a nationally recognized program and I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Buckley played at Waubonsee Community College from 1982-84, before finishing his playing career at Division II Bemidji State from 1984-86. After that, he went right into coaching at his alma mater for two seasons, before moving over to Division III Rockford, where he spent one year as an assistant. He was promoted to Rockford’s head coach, a job he held from 1989-93, before breaking through to the Division I ranks.

WATERLOO (KCRG) – The Amber Alert for 12-year-old Deyton Annabelle Cranston has been canceled.

The Iowa Department of Public Safety said Cranston was located and the Waterloo Police Department is investigating.

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Iowa (KCRG) – An amber alert has been issued for a missing 12-year-old out of Waterloo.

12-year-old Deyton Annabelle Cranston was last seen wearing a white tank top and a blue skirt and wearing clear glasses.

She’s described as 5′4′, 135 and has blonde hair and brown eyes.

Officials say to look out for a red Toyota Camry with all tinted windows, a black spoiler, and no license plate on the front.

Anyone with information should contact authorites.

Copyright 2026 KCRG. All rights reserved.

Here are the candidates for High School on SI’s Iowa high school athlete of the week for March 30-April 4. Read through the nominees and cast your vote.

Voting closes at 11:59 p.m. PT on Sunday, April 12. The winner will be announced in the following week’s poll. Here are this week’s nominees:

Greyson Hartman, Washington boys track and field

The junior recorded the second-best United States throw in the shot put with a toss of 67-3.5. It is the second-best throw in Iowa history, breaking the Class 3A mark set by NFL standout Tristan Wirfs.

Shea Rapp, Ridge View girls track and field

Rapp won the high jump and the 200 at the Audubon Early Bird while also running on the winning distance medley relay and runner-up 4×400 relay.

Rylee Hemmingsen, Treynor girls track and field

Hemmingsen showed off her skills by winning the 100 hurdles, running on the winning shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays, and placing second in the high jump at the Audubon Early Bird.

Cash Varner, Alburnett boys track and field

Varner was cash at the Benton Early Bird, placing first in both the 100 dash and long jump.

Aiden Gosselink, Grinnell girls track and field

Gosselink hit the Blue Standard to qualify for the Drake Relays in the long jump while also winning the 100 at the Benton Early Bird.

Rylan Peters, Waverly-Shell Rock boys track and field

Peters set a new school-record in the long jump at 23-8 while also hitting the Blue Standard and qualifying for Drake Relays.

Jase Price, Des Moines Christian boys soccer

Price had quite the varsity debut, as the freshman recorded a haul by scoring four goals in a win over Boone. 

Aiden Kellar, Treynor boys soccer

Kellar tallied a hat trick with three goals in a 5-1 win for the Cardinals over Harlan.

Kaden Theisen, Western Dubuque boys soccer

Theisen was peppered with 20 shots in a match vs. Beckman Catholic, saving 19 of them to help the Bobcats to a 2-1 win.

Lucas Sidles, Independence boys track and field

Sidles swept the throwing events at the West Delaware Early Bird, winning the shot put and discus.

Adam Kacmarynski, Pella Christian boys track and field

Kacmarynski won the 100 and ran on the winning sprint medley and 4×100 relays at the Chariton Invitational.

Mark Fraise, Davis County boys track and field

Fraise finished first in the 400 hurdles, was on the first place shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays, and also ran on the second place distance medley relay.

Gage Hoppenworth, Johnston boys track and field

Hoppenworth had a three-gold night at the Dowling Catholic meet, winning the 110 and 400 hurdles while running the third leg on the winning shuttle hurdle relay.

Alayna Goldsberry, Southeast Polk girls track and field

The junior won the 100 and 200 at her home invitational while running the anchor on the second place 4×400 relay.

Natalie Sitzmann, Waukee girls track and field

Sitzmann, a senior, won the 200 and ran on the first place shuttle hurdle and 4×400 relays at her home invitational.

Isabel Spradling, Des Moines Roosevelt girls track and field

Spradling picked up a first in the 1,500 and was on the gold-medal 4×400 and 4×800 relays at the Waukee Invitational.

Alayna Williams, Carlisle girls soccer

Williams, a senior, recorded five goals in a season-opening win over Knoxville, 10-1.

Carly Torneten, Harlan Community girls soccer

Torneten not only scored four goals, but she recorded four assists vs. Carroll.

About Our Athlete of the Week Voting

High School on SI voting polls are meant to be a fun, lighthearted way for fans to show support for their favorite athletes and teams. Our goal is to celebrate all of the players featured, regardless of the vote totals. Sometimes one athlete will receive a very large number of votes — even thousands — and that’s okay! The polls are open to everyone and are simply a way to build excitement and community around high school sports. Unless we specifically announce otherwise, there are no prizes or official awards for winning. The real purpose is to highlight the great performances of every athlete included in the poll.