COACHES

Troy Larson

Troy Larson enters his third season as Head Coach of the Iowa Lakes Men’s Basketball team following a successful 2008-2009 season in which he led the Lakers to a 20-11 record and a 3rd place finish in Region XI (7-7). While at Iowa Lakes Coach Larson has compiled a 41-21 record.  Larson was introduced as the 8th head men’s basketball coach in Iowa Lakes Community College history on May 24th 2007. In addition to coaching duties Larson serves as Athletic and Housing Director.

Larson spent the previous six seasons as an assistant coach at South Dakota State University working mostly with the guards. In addition to his coaching duties, Larson handled recruiting, scheduling and the day-to-day management of the basketball team. Larson was part of a staff that produced three straight NCAA II national tournament teams (2002, 2003, & 2004) and one North Central Conference Championship (2002). The 2004 team won a school record 27 games. From 2005 – 2007 South Dakota State was an NCAA I institution playing the likes of Kentucky, Illinois, Minnesota and Nebraska. 
 

Troy Larson
 

Larson worked as an assistant under Coach Jerry Schmutte at Morningside College for two years (1998, 1999) before getting a promotion to associate head coach in 2000. Larson accepted the head coaching job at Morningside in March of 2001, when Schmutte took over as Director of Athletics, but did not coach a game before coming to South Dakota State. While at Morningside the Mustangs won a school record 16 consecutive games (1998 – 1999).

Prior to Morningside, Larson spent one season as an assistant coach at Iowa Lakes. The Lakers finished 24 – 7 overall; good enough for second place in Region XI. 

During 12 seasons as a college basketball coach, Larson has been a part of teams that have won 216 games at a 65% clip. He has coached 22 first team all region / conference performers, one league MVP, three freshman of the year, five professional basketball players, and has appeared in the post season seven times. 

A Mallard native, Larson led the Ducks to a combined 39-7 record his junior and senior seasons. He played in back-to-back state tournaments for his father & coach, Ron, earning All-State honors both times. Larson graduated from Mallard High School in 1991 as the school’s all-time leading scorer. 

Larson took his game to Iowa Lakes Community College after high school, where, in his freshman season he led Coach Bob Grem’s Lakers to the national championship game with a 32-6 record. Larson led the Lakers to a 26-7 record as a sophomore, earning first team All-American, first team All-Region & first team Academic All-American honors in the process. Those numbers caught the eye of Morningside College head coach Jerry Schmutte, who brought Larson to Sioux City in 1994 to play for the Mustangs after completing his education at Iowa Lakes.   

A team captain his senior year at Morningside, Larson led the Mustangs with 131 assists, and averaged 11.9 points per game. He made the North Central Region All-Tournament Team, earned All-North Central Region & All North Central Conference Academic honors, and led the Mustangs to the Division II Elite Eight Tournament.   

Larson graduated from Morningside in 1995 with a B.A. in Accounting & Business Administration and also holds a Master's degree in Business Administration degree from the University of South Dakota. 

Larson resides in Estherville with his wife, Angela (Teacher at Estherville Lincoln Central Middle School), and three children, Taylor (19), William (7) and Owen (4). 

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Benjamin Rops

Ben Rops is entering his third year as an Assistant Coach and second as Admissions Counselor at Iowa Lakes.  Rops has helped the Lakers to an overall record of 41 – 21 and a 3rd place finish in the Region XI (7-7). Rops, in addition to his coaching duties, handles recruiting of students and student/athletes, player academics, and many of the day-to-day activities of the basketball team.

Before coming to Iowa Lakes, Rops played his high school basketball in Lennox, South Dakota.  During his time in Lennox, Ben helped his team to a third, fifth, and second place finish in the state.  Rops earned 1st team All-State, was named 1998 State Tournament MVP and was a Mr. Basketball finalist as a senior for the Orioles.  In his three years of varsity action for Lennox, Ben had a huge influence on the overall record of 57 – 15.

After graduating from Lennox, Ben continued his athletic and academic career at Northern State University in Aberdeen, South Dakota.  Rops spent three years at Northern under Coach Don Meyer, who is now the all-time leader in college wins at the NCAA level.  Ben helped his team to a third and fourth place finish in the NSIC conference.  After his third year at Northern, Rops transferred to the University of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  While at USF, Rops helped his team to one conference championship and a second place finish in the GPAC Athletic Conference.  Ben was also named 2002 Defensive Player of the Year and was Honorable Mention All-Conference in 2002 and 2003.

Rops graduated from USF with a Secondary Education/History major and minor in Coaching.  After graduation from USF, Ben taught US History in Canton, SD for one year while coaching the JV boys basketball and freshman girls volleyball teams before coming to Iowa Lakes in 2007.
 

Ben Rops

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Ron Larson

Ron Larson

Jason McKinney

Jason McKinney enters his first season as an Iowa Lakes Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach. Jason will serve as the graduate assistant for men’s basketball.

Coach McKinney spent the previous two seasons as a Student Assistant under Ray Shovlain at St. Ambrose University in Davenport, IA. While at St. Ambrose, coach McKinney aided in the recruiting and scouting efforts as well as pre and post season conditioning, practice, and in game coaching. In addition, McKinney worked on his second undergraduate degree in Physical Education.

Prior to St. Ambrose University McKinney was the Head Varsity Boys Basketball Coach at Calamus-Wheatland where he led the Warriors to their first playoff victory in 5 seasons. McKinney’s duties included developing and implementing a weight program, individual workouts, pre and post season workouts, scouting, practice and in game coaching. McKinney most recently served as the Director of Basketball Operations for Sports Town Quad Cities in Eldridge, IA. He has also held various other Assistant Coaching positions as well as Basketball Camp Coaching positions.

McKinney is a native of Calamus, IA. He graduated from Calamus-Wheatland in 1998 where he was a member of the Warriors District Championship team. Coach McKinney’s other accomplishments include a Sport Management Degree from Iowa State.

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