Iowa basketball adds to coaching staff
Jesse Shaw and Xavier Kurth have been named to the University of Iowa men’s basketball program’s coaching staff, the announcement was made Wednesday by head coach by head coach Ben McCollum.
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.
Shaw and Kurth assisted in Drake’s complete roster rebuild, as the Bulldogs brought in a combined 10 transfers and first-year players. One of the signees – Bennett Stirtz – was named the MVC Larry Bird Player and Newcomer of the Year, while being a finalist for the Riley Wallace Award and Lou Henson Awards.
“Jesse brings a loyalty to me personally and to the program that we’re at,” said 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).
“This opportunity to assist coach Mac in representing the University of Iowa in the Big Ten is something my family and I will be forever grateful for,” said Shaw. “We look forward to pouring our hearts and souls into our student-athletes, the university, the Iowa City community and representing the state of Iowa.”
Prior to making the move to Des Moines, Shaw spent four years at Maryville. He registered the second-highest overall winning percentage in program history and led the team to two of its five total wins over ranked opponents all-time.
Before moving across town, Shaw spent four seasons as an assistant at Missouri-St. Louis. He helped the Tritons to 72 victories, capped by a record-setting 27-6 record, the first Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) regular season title and an appearance in the GLVC Tournament finals.
Shaw started off as an assistant coach at Pratt Community College before being elevated to the first chair. He transformed the program from a last-place team to a regional champion in his first three years leading the program, coaching 15 All-Jayhawk Conference selections and eight professional basketball players.
He amassed a five-year record of 92-69 in his five seasons and was named NJCAA Region VI Coach of the Year and the Kansas Basketball Coaches Association Junior College Men’s Coach of the Year.
Shaw began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Emporia State from 2006-08, where he worked with McCollum, who was a full-time assistant. He helped guide the Hornets to the NCAA Division II National Tournament for just the second time in school history.
As a player, Shaw and McCollum were teammates at Northwest Missouri State. Shaw graduated as the second winningest player in school history, and he was on the first of two Bearcat teams to reach the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.
The Lincoln, Nebraska, native earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Northwest Missouri State in 2005. He and his wife, Hannah, have two daughters, Harmony and Avery.
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.
“I want to thank coach McCollum for believing in me and giving me the opportunity to coach in the Big Ten at the University of Iowa,” said Kurth. “I am excited and filled with gratitude to become part of the Hawkeye family and to build lasting relationships while representing the black and gold.”
Kurth served as a part-time assistant coach at Northwest from 2018-22 before being elevated to a full-time role from 2022-24. He helped the program capture three NCAA Division II National Championships and compile a 191-16 record during his tenure on staff.
He suited up for the Bearcats from 2014-18, helping the program capture its first NCAA title during his junior season when the team posted a 35-1 overall record. Northwest won a total of 114 games during his four years.
The St. Joseph, Missouri, native earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Northwest Missouri State in 2018 and his master’s in applied health sciences from the school in 2020.
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