Jesse Shaw

Jesse Shaw is in his first season as the chief of staff for the University of Iowa men's basketball team. 

Shaw joins the Hawkeyes after spending one season as an assistant coach at Drake.  He helped the Bulldogs enjoy unprecedented success as the team 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 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.

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).

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.