Kirk Speraw

Position: Assistant Coach Experience: Fourth Season Alma Mater: University of Iowa, 1980

Coach Kirk Speraw Photo Gallery

Kirk Speraw is in his fourth year as an assistant coach at Iowa. Speraw, who has over three decades of coaching experience, assists in all aspects of the program including recruiting, opponent scouting, practices, player development and game preparation.

Speraw has helped rejuvenate the Iowa basketball program since arriving at Iowa in 2010. Not only has the attendance at Carver-Hawkeye Arena increased by 30 percent, but Speraw helped guide the program to win improvements of seven games in each of the last two seasons and back-to-back NIT appearances, including a runner-up finish in 2013.

Speraw and the Hawkeyes amassed 25 wins a year ago, which match the second-most by any Hawkeye team in history. Additionally, Iowa won a school-record 18 games in 2013 and have won 19-straight home games against unranked teams, dating back to the 2012 season -- the third-longest active streak in the Big Ten.

He helped coach the Hawkeyes to 15 more wins than it did three seasons ago, which ranks second in school history over a three-year span. The Hawkeyes improved their win total in each of the first three years Speraw has been on the Iowa sidelines. Iowa and Michigan rank second in the Big Ten with three consecutive season win improvements.

Speraw helped mentor Melsahn Basabe, Bryce Cartwright, Roy Devyn Marble, Matt Gatens and Aaron White to all-Big Ten status the past three seasons.

Speraw, who is a Sioux City, Iowa, native was a two-time Hawkeye letterman (1978-79) who played for head coach Lute Olson. He was a member of the 1978-79 squad that won 20 contests and a Big Ten title. As a senior, he was named the team's most inspirational player.

As both an assistant and head coach, Speraw has mentored dozens of players who have played professionally, including Hawkeyes Ronnie Lester, Steve Krafcisin, Vince Brookins, Steve Waite, Kenny Arnold, Kevin Boyle, Mark Gannon and Bobby Hansen.

Speraw began his coaching career with the Hawkeyes, serving as a graduate assistant with Iowa's 1979-80 team that advanced to the Final Four. The Hawkeyes went 23-8 that season. Speraw then moved to Denver University, where he was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for two years (1980-82).

Speraw joined the Hawkeyes after serving 17 years as head coach at the University of Central Florida (1993-2010). During his tenure, 18 of his players received all-league honors, including four first team honorees. Additionally, since the start of the 1993-94 season, 54 of Speraw's UCF student-athletes earned academic all-conference recognition.

His tenure included four NCAA Tournament berths (1994, '96, '04 and `05). In 2006-07, he was recognized as Conference USA Coach of the Year after guiding the Knights to 22 victories and a second place league finish. His most successful season at UCF was in 2003-04, when the Knights finished 25-6, received votes in the top 25 and won the Atlantic Sun championship, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Prior to his head coaching job at UCF, he served as an assistant coach at the University of Florida for three seasons (1990-93) under Head Coach Lon Kruger. While on the Florida staff, the Gators participated in two NIT's, including advancing to the semifinals in 1992.

Prior to his three years in Gainesville, Speraw was the head coach at Pensacola Junior College (PJC) from 1987-90. At PJC, he led the Pirates to an 82-21 record and three consecutive Panhandle Conference titles. His 1989-90 team won 31 games and finished fifth nationally. The team's success that year earned Speraw national recognition. He was tabbed the NABC/Kodak National Junior College Coach of the Year, as well as the state's Coach of the Year.

Speraw also had a coaching stop at Florida Southern, serving as an assistant from 1982-87. The Moccasins posted a 100-46 record and made four appearances in the Division II NCAA Tournament, including a third-place finish in 1986.

Speraw and his wife, Tracy (an Iowa City native), have two sons, Drew and Dustin, and two daughters, Brooke and Bailey. Drew played for his dad at Central Florida for four years.