CEDAR FALLS — The state of men’s college basketball in Iowa was sent into a whirlwind earlier this year when Ben Jacobson left Northern Iowa for the head coaching position at Utah State.

That move led to Kyle Green returning to the Panthers following an extended run at Iowa State working under head coach T.J. Otzelberger.

Another piece of that puzzle brought Manson Northwest Webster graduate Brian Pearson back to the state.

Pearson, who previously worked with Otzelberger as a graduate assistant for the Cyclones, had been at Drury University as an assistant head men’s basketball coach when he got the call from Green — the Panthers’ new head coach.

“It was a wild week for sure,” Pearson said. “To say it was anything other than a God thing would be a complete lie. I was at Drury doing our morning offseason workouts when I got a message that Coach Green was just hired as the head coach at Northern Iowa. I didn’t do much really. I just reached out and told Coach that I was very happy for him and I would love to join him on staff.

“He called me later on and asked if I wanted to be part of his staff. Easy yes right on the spot. I was so excited to work for him again.

“Coach Green has helped me so much throughout my years at Iowa State. We connected really well from the start and he is someone I trust completely.”

Pearson was hired as the Director of Basketball Operations, a role that will see him assist with organizing team practices, travel schedules, supporting Green and the coaching staff with team class schedules, handling recruiting calendars, and overseeing the program’s student managers.

The move was unexpected — yet more than welcomed — for Pearson.

“No plan at all,” he said. “This all came together. I always wanted to be on the operations side, and Coach knew that when he was helping me find jobs last year.

“The position I’m in now was my dream job when I was young and I am fortunate to have it. God thing. Mountains were moved, and I still cannot believe it is real.”

In his one season under former Panther Chris Foster at Drury, Pearson helped the team go 17-14 while competing at the NCAA Div. II level. They reached the championship game of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament after upsetting No. 1 seed Rockhurst, before ultimately falling to William Jewell.

“My season at Drury was one of the most challenging years of my life, but it was also one of the best,” Pearson said. “I had so many new roles that I did not have at Iowa State, so it was a challenging year to adjust, but it was so great because I was able to grow professionally and spiritually.”

Pearson said the ISU staff “challenged me to step out and get out my comfort zone” in taking the position at Drury for 2025-26.

“They were completely correct,” he said. “That was exactly what I needed, and I’m so grateful they did that.”

At Iowa State, Pearson spent four seasons total as a student manager and a graduate assistant from 2021-2025. He was actively involved in player development, opponent scouting, recruiting, community outreach and practice planning.

Pearson was a four-sport athlete at Manson Northwest Webster, graduating in 2020. He then attended Iowa Central, where he joined the Triton baseball team.

Pearson earned a degree in communications from Iowa State.