Jesse Shaw and Xavier Kurth have been named to the University of Iowa men’s basketball program’s coaching staff.
Shaw will serve as the Hawkeyes’ chief of staff, while Kurth will be the director of player development.
The duo spent the 2024-25 season at Drake, where they helped the Bulldogs enjoy unprecedented success. Drake racked up a school-record 31 victories and claimed both the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles. The Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating sixth-seeded Missouri, 67-57, in the Round of 64.
“Jesse brings a loyalty to me personally and to the program that we’re at,” said Iowa coach Ben McCollum. “He has had a lot of success in the JUCO ranks and at the Division II level. He is good at a lot of different things, which will help us as we go forward.
“Xavier played for me at Northwest and is an elite recruiter. He is great on the floor with the guys and is excellent in building player relationships. I can’t wait for him to get started working with the guys.”
Shaw joins the program with 16 years of coaching experience, including head coaching stops at Maryville University (2020-24) and Pratt Community College (2011-16). He also coached at Missouri-St. Louis as an assistant (2016-20) and started as a graduate assistant at Emporia State (2006-08).
Kurth joins the program after serving as an assistant coach under McCollum at both Northwest Missouri State and Drake. He also played for McCollum as a Bearcat.