‘Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. Fred Hoiberg is our love lost. As he moves on to the NBA, we look back at what he has accomplished over the last five years.

Coach Hoiberg has racked up a record of 115-56 in his tenure as the Cyclone head basketball coach. His winning percentage of .673 was among one of the best in the nation. He helped us win two back-to-back Big 12 Championships, took us to the Big Dance the past four years and changed the mentality of not only our basketball program, but the Cyclone athletic program as a whole. Now he is moving on to coach the Chicago Bulls. 

Hoiberg grew up in Ames, and he played basketball for ISU in the ’90s before moving on to play for the Bulls in the NBA. Long story short: Hoiberg is an embodiment of basketball, especially ISU basketball. But, as Hoiberg moves onto bigger and better things, he is taking a piece of every one of us with him.

Though optimism fades for next season with his departure, it would be selfish to not be happy for him. He is getting a substantial pay raise and the respect a man of his talent deserves. It was only a matter of time before he grew too big for the little pond that is Ames.  

Though Hoiberg’s transition marks the end of an era, it does not mean the end of winning. The Cyclone basketball roster for the coming season is still built to win the Big 12 and compete in the NCAA tournament; the team will just have a different coach leading the way. 

Hoiberg played for the Bulls from 1999 to 2003, and he has worked in the front office of the Timberwolves. This being said, Hoiberg seems like a great pick for the Bulls. There are always questions when a coach transitions from NCAA to the NBA, however Hoiberg’s past NBA experience paired with his proven ability to run a NCAA program makes him a perfect candidate to take over a roster that is built to compete in the Eastern Conference right away.  

A message to Coach Hoiberg: thank you for all you have done for your players, the city of Ames and ISU athletics. Thank you for bringing back a winning tradition that will hopefully last for years to come. Good luck in the Windy City, Mr. Mayor.