I think we’ve mentioned all of these additions at some point over the past few weeks. Here’s the official announcement from Northern Iowa announcing new head coach Kyle Green’s staff:
UNI head men’s basketball coach Kyle Green on Monday announced the members of his coaching staff for the 2026-27 season.
Green retains three members of the Panther staff from last season in assistant coaches Seth Tuttle, Marc Sonnen and James Pollard. Northern Iowa meanwhile welcomes three new faces in assistant coaches Abe Woldeslassie and Klint Carlson, along with Director of Basketball Operations Brian Pearson.
SETH TUTTLE – Assistant Coach
Former All-American and Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Player of the Year Seth Tuttle returns as assistant coach after spending the past eight seasons on the UNI bench.
A West Fork, Iowa native and 2015 UNI graduate, Tuttle joined the Northern Iowa staff in 2018 as a graduate assistant before moving to the video coordinator position in 2020. His influence and experience was key in installing UNI’s offense and his experience as a high-level player has given the Panther team another important voice in the room. He was promoted to assistant coach in 2021.
Bringing Seth back in this capacity is a win for our program, Green said. His IQ for the game is as high as anyone I’ve ever been around, and his ability to relate to our players as one of the greatest to ever wear the purple and gold is invaluable. He knows exactly what it takes to win in the Valley. Having coached him I know how much this place means to him and his wife and we could not be more thrilled.
One of the most decorated players in UNI history, Tuttle played for the Panthers under Jacobson from 2011-15, leading the Panthers to the 2015 MVC Tournament championship as a senior and an NCAA Tournament victory over Wyoming. Tuttle was voted as the MVC Freshman of the Year in 2012 and named First Team All-MVC in 2014 and 2015 while being honored as the league’s Larry MVC Bird Player of the Year in 2015. Following his senior campaign, Tuttle was named a Second Team All-American by the Associated Press and a Third Team All-American by USA Today.
Tuttle finished his career with UNI fourth in scoring (1,747 points) in team history. Tuttle is in the top-10 at UNI for field goals made (600), field goal percentage (57.6%), free throws made (508), and blocked shots (95). He also started in every game over his four-year career (136 games).
Following his collegiate career, Tuttle signed with the Miami Heat for the 2015 NBA Summer League. The former Panther then went on to play three seasons overseas in Germany and Belgium before returning to UNI in 2018.
I am beyond excited to be a part of Coach Green’s staff here at UNI said Tuttle. Being a former player and having spent the past eight years here on staff, I am aware of the tradition and passion that comes with being a part of UNI basketball. I don’t take this opportunity lightly and can’t wait to help continue the success this university and its fans deserve. I am thankful for being able to learn and work alongside Coach Green, one of my former college coaches and his whole staff.
Tuttle resides in Cedar Falls with his wife, Deserai, and their sons, Luka, Bowen and Asher.
ABE WOLDESLASSIE – Assistant Coach / General Manager
Woldeslassie joins the Panther staff as assistant coach and general manager with 16 years of experience across the Division I and Division III landscape. The Minneapolis, Minnesota native spent last season as an assistant coach under Tim Bergstraser at Denver, where the Pioneers tied for fourth in the Summit League standings with their best finish in the last eight years.
Abe is an elite addition to our staff, Green explained. His experience as a head coach, combined with his understanding of the modern landscape of college basketball as a general manager, gives us a massive advantage. He is a tireless worker and a great evaluator of talent.
Prior to his stint at Denver, Woldeslassie spent seven seasons as the head coach at his alma mater, Division III Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Taking over a program that had won just 35 games in the previous ten seasons prior to his arrival, Woldeslassie nearly doubled that total, recording 66 wins. The Scots became the first six-seed to reach the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) Tournament title game in league history in 2022 with a 15-win season with Woldeslassie earning D3Hoops.com Region 9 Coach of the Year honors. A year later, Macalester reached the 15-win milestone once again and placed fourth in the conference standings for the program’s best league finish since 2003-04. The back-to-back 15-win campaigns were the third-most in a two-year span in the team’s 40-year history.
Woldeslassie also spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Siena from 2016 to 2018, helping the Saints reach the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Tournament championship game in his first season. His first Division I experience came serving as Director of Basketball Operations in two saints, including at Davidson (2013-16) with three national postseason tournament appearances, two conference regular season championships and two NIT berths, as well as at Dartmouth (2012-13).
Woldeslassie’s first stint in college coaching came at Division III Bowdoin College in Maine, where he spent two seasons as an assistant coach (2010-12). He also spent time at Impact Basketball Academy in Las Vegas, as well as the Basketball Training Institute in Pasadena, California.
What an exciting time to be a UNI Panther, said Woldeslassie. Coach Kyle Green, the tradition-rich history of this program and athletic department, the McLeod Center and the Cedar Falls community are all first class. UNI is committed to excellence and I am grateful for the opportunity here.
In his playing career, Woldeslassie spent two seasons at Macalester after transferring from St. Thomas (MN). A two-time All-MIAC guard, he led the conference in assists both seasons. In his 50 career games, Woldeslassie averaged 17.2 points and 5.4 assists.
MARC SONNEN – Assistant Coach
One of the most prolific scorers and sharp shooters in program history, Sonnen returns to the Panther coaching staff for his second season. The St. Paul, Minnesota native previously spent three seasons as an assistant coach at the Division II level.
I have known Marc since he was 16 years old, said Green. I recruited him and was fortunate enough to watch him develop as a player and now a coach. Marc is a winner. He holds the record for games played here for a reason — he understands the consistency required to compete here. His ability to teach the game and his shot-making expertise will be a huge boost for our guards.
Sonnen spent two years at Drury University in Missouri from 2023 to 2025, helping the Panthers to 29 total wins and worked to develop five All-Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) athletes. He also spent the 2022-23 season at Minnesota-Duluth, helping the Bulldogs to a Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) north division title, working with a pair of all-conference performers and helping the team reach the Division II Elite Eight.
Sonnen played at UNI from 2009 to 2013 and appeared in a then-school record 139 career games. He notched a 41.9% shooting clip from beyond the arc, the second-best percentage in team history at the time of his graduation and helped Northern Iowa capture the MVC regular season and tournament titles in 2009 and 2010, as well as reach the program’s first-ever NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2010. Sonnen also contributed to postseason appearances for the Panthers in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament (CIT) in 2011 and 2013, as well as the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) in 2012.
I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to continue as an assistant men’s basketball coach at University of Northern Iowa on Coach Green’s staff, said Sonnen. Being able to stay and build something special here means a lot to me, and I’m excited every day to pour into our players, compete at a high level, and represent this program and community the right way.
Following a professional playing career in Germany and additional coaching opportunities in Minnesota, Sonnen returned to UNI in 2019 for his first stint on the Panther staff, spending two seasons as a graduate assistant (2019-21) and the 2021-22 campaign as video coordinator.
KLINT CARLSON – Assistant Coach
Two-time MVC Tournament champion and former Panther forward returns to his alma mater after spending last season as an assistant coach at Furman University in South Carolina. The Waverly, Iowa native played a key role in developing a Paladins squad that won 22 games and ran the table to win the Southern Conference Tournament title and reach this year’s NCAA Tournament.
Klint was a warrior on the floor and he brings that same competitive edge to our coaching staff, said Green. He has a great mind for player development, specifically with our frontcourt, and his ties to the state of Iowa are a major asset for us on the recruiting trail. With his background in the NBA and now college makes him a huge asset for the success of our program.
Carlson played for Northern Iowa from 2014 to 2018 and averaged 7.2 points and 4.2 rebounds per game in 114 career appearances, helping the Panthers to MVC Tournament titles in 2015 and 2016 and back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths, including a program record 31-win season as a freshman. He would go on to earn MVC All-Bench and All-Tournament honors later in his collegiate career before a two-year professional career in the Czech Republic.
Carlson returned to the United States and joined the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets as a video intern in late 2020 before becoming the team’s assistant video coordinator the following year. He would later head west to join the NBA champion Golden State Warriors in 2022 as video coordinator and later a player development coach during the 2023-24 season.
In the summer of 2024, Carlson was named the video coordinator for USA Basketball for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, overseeing video needs for staff, preparing edits on opponents and assisting in on-court workouts. Team USA, led by Stephen Curry, LeBron James and Jayson Tatum would go on to win the gold medal.
My family and I are really excited to be back in the community and with UNI, said Carlson. I’m looking forward to working with this new staff we have put together. It’ll be a fun group to work with and I’m to see what the Coach Green era of UNI hoops brings!
JAMES POLLARD – Assistant Coach / Video Coordinator
A 2025 UNI graduate, Pollard has been elevated to a full-time assistant coaching role on Green’s staff while also continuing his duties as video coordinator. The Ames, Iowa native oversaw the Panthers’ video operations during the 2025-26 campaign. His experience has also included hands-on work in basketball analytics and film breakdown.
We are extremely fortunate to be able to retain James onto our staff, said Green. His eye for film and his ability to break down opponents gives our guys a clear blueprint for success every time they step on the floor. He is essential to our game preparation and scouting.
Pollard previously spent four seasons as a men’s basketball manager for Northern Iowa, working with Sportscode, Synergy and other film software to aid the coaching staff in film breakdown and scouting reports.
I’m thrilled to be joining Coach Green’s staff, said Pollard. As an alum of UNI, this institution means a lot to me. It’s an honor and a privilege to continue to be a part of this Panther basketball staff.
BRIAN PEARSON – Director of Basketball Operations
Former Drury assistant coach Brian Pearson joins the Panthers after one year at the Division II level on former UNI standout Chris Foster’s staff. In his role as Director of Basketball Operations, Pearson will assist with organizing UNI team practices and travel schedules, including coordination with hotels and scheduling team meals. He will also support the coaching staff in organizing team class schedules and recruiting calendars and oversee the program’s student managers.
Pearson previously spent two seasons as a student manager (2021-23), and later two years as a graduate assistant (2023-25) on TJ Otzelberger’s men’s basketball staff at Iowa State while Green served as an assistant coach. In those positions, he was actively involved in player development, opponent scouting, recruiting, community outreach and practice planning.
We are extremely excited to have Brian on our staff, Green said. Being with him at Iowa State, I saw how much he cares and brings his attention to detail in every aspect of his job. His passion for the game and excitement is something that will benefit our program greatly.
My wife and I are extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the UNI and Cedar Valley community, said Pearson. It is truly an honor to work under Coach Green in a program with so much success and history attached. Words cannot describe our excitement and passion we will put into this program. We cannot wait to get immersed into the community and be Panthers!
A native of Manson, Iowa, Pearson was a four-sport athlete in high school before going on to play baseball at Iowa Central Community College. He would later earn a degree in communications from Iowa State.
Pearson currently resides with his wife, Leah.
