Brooks McKowen entered his 12th season as the head coach of the Peacock men's basketball program in 2024-25. McKowen came to Upper Iowa for the 2013-14 season after spending two years at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall, Minn.
McKowen concluded his tenure at Upper Iowa with 209 victories, becoming the all-time wins leader following the 2024-25 campaign.
McKowen became UIU's eighteenth men's basketball head coach in the program's 103-season history.
After leading the Peacocks to 16-14 record in this first season at the helm, McKowen improved in his second season, leading UIU to a 17-13 record. In year three, Upper Iowa finished with a 16-17 overall mark, and an 11-11 record in the NSIC. All three seasons UIU finished in the fourth position in the division, and won a first round NSIC Tournament game at home. The 2016-17 season marked the best year in program history at the Division II level, setting a record with 22 wins. UIU reached the NSIC/Sanford Health Tournament Championship Game for the first time ever, and reached the NCAA Tournament for just the second time at the DII level. McKowen coached a pair of NSIC All-Conference performers in Joey Woods (2013-14 First Team) and Grant Lang (2014-15 Second Team), and in 2016-17 coached UIU's first ever NSIC Defensive Player of the Year in Jordan Hay. Hay also earned Second Team honors, while Carson Parker earned All-NSIC First Team honors. After an injury plagued season in 2018-19, the Peacocks bounced back in 2019-20 finishing second in the Northern Sun South Division with a 19-11 overall record and a 15-7 NSIC mark. UIU posted a 10-7 record and an 8-4 mark in the NSIC in a shortened 2020-21 campaign.
McKowen led UIU to a program best 26-6 (18-4 NSIC) record during the 2021-22 campaign. The Peacocks received an at-large bid to the NCAA DII Central Region Championships, where they defeated nationally ranked University of Central Oklahoma 91-74 before narrowly losing to the number one seed in Augustana University. UIU finished second in the NSIC South Division in the regular season and made it to the semifinals of the NSIC /Sanford Health Men's Basketball Tournament.
The 2022-23 season saw UIU claim a share of the NSIC South Division title for the first time in program history. The Peacocks went 16-13 overall, 13-9 in the NSIC to claim the two seed in the NSIC South for the second consecutive season entering the NSIC Men's Basketball Tournament. McKowen's coaching efforts helped propel Jake Hilmer to become the first UIU men's basketball player to be named NSIC South Player of the Year, while Lucas Duax was named NSIC South Defensive Player of the Year for second time in his career. Hilmer was named All-NSIC First Team while Duax and Nick Reid were named All-NSIC Second Team.
McKowen led the Peacocks to a 22-10 record (15-5 GLVC) during the 2023-24 season. The Peacocks returned to the NCAA DII Central Regional Championships where they received an at-large bid. They defeated nationally ranked Kentucky Wesleyan 82-72 before dropping to Lake Superior State 88-80. The Peacocks finished second in the GLVC regular season and they advanced to the semifinals of the GLVC Championship Tournament. Peacock point guard Jake Hilmer earned a plethora of awards which included being named an NABC Allstar, D2CCA All-America First Team, NABC All-Midwest District First Team, D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year, GLVC Player of the Year and All-GLVC First Team selection. Noah King also garnered All-GLVC First Team honors and Kyle Hrncir was named to the GLVC All-Defensive and All-Freshman Team.
Prior to coming to UIU, the Fairbank, Iowa native was the top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator with SMSU over the last two years as the Mustangs posted a 35-25 record overall with a 28-16 mark in the NSIC including a 19-win season in 2011-12. McKowen's first year on the job also included a second place finish in the NSIC, an NSIC tournament championship and an appearance in the NCAA tournament.
After averaging 35.8 points and 11.2 rebounds as a senior for Wapsie Valley Community High School, McKowen was named the state of Iowa's "Mr. Basketball" by the Iowa Newspaper Association in 2003. He graduated as the state's all-time leader in both points in a season (1,002 in 2003) and points in a career (2,831 from 2000-03); the two records have stood over the last decade.
McKowen signed a National Letter of Intent to the University of Northern Iowa to play for Greg McDermott, currently at Creighton, and Ben Jacobson, UNI's current coach. He was a four-year letter winner at point guard for Northern Iowa, helping lead the Panthers to three, 20-plus win seasons and three trips to the NCAA tournament. He was a three-time second team Academic All-Conference honoree and was also named first team Academic All-District in 2007. A member of the 2004 Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman team, McKowen ended his career holding the school record for assists in a single-season, while ranking second all-time in assists and fourth all-time in games played. He scored 856 points in a Panther uniform.
Prior to joining the SMSU staff in Marshall, McKowen spent the 2010-11 season as an assistant coach at Des Moines Area Community College. At DMACC, he served as recruiting coordinator, and worked with player development, scouting and game preparation, and was also academic and camp coordinator. DMACC finished the season 23-8 and advanced to the region semifinals.
McKowen spent three seasons (2007-10) on the coaching staff at UNI following his graduation. He served as a graduate assistant coach in his first two seasons with the Panthers, before moving to video coordinator in his final season. In 2009-10, UNI advanced to the Sweet Sixteen of the NCAA tournament.
McKowen is a 2007 graduate of UNI in physical education and earned his master's degree from UNI in 2009 with a degree in physical education and coaching.
Brooks McKowen: Year-by-Year at Upper Iowa (209-148, 120-90 NSIC, 29-11 GLVC, 12 seasons)
| 2024-25 |
21-9 (14-6 GLVC) |
GLVC Tournament Semifinals || NABC All-star Nick Reid || D2CCA All America Second Team Nick Reid || NABC All-Amrican- Nick Reid || NABC All-Midwest District First Team-Nick Reid || GLVC Player of the Year- Nick Reid || All-GLVC Second Team- Kyle Hrncir, Noah King |
| 2023-24 |
22-10 (15-5 GLVC) |
NCAA DII Central Regional Semifinals || GLVC Tournament Semifinals || NABC Allstar- Jake Hilmer || D2CCA All-America First Team- Jake Hilmer || NABC All-Midwest District First Team- Jake Hilmer || D2CCA Midwest Region Player of the Year- Jake Hilmer || GLVC Player of the Year- Jake Hilmer || All-GLVC First Team- Jake Hilmer || All-GLVC First Team- Noah King || All-GLVC Defensive Team- Kyle Hrncir || All-GLVC Freshman Team- Kyle Hrncir |
| 2022-23 |
16-13 (13-9 NSIC) |
NSIC Tournament || First share of NSIC South division title in program history || NABC All-Central District First Team- Jake Hilmer || D2CCA All-Central Region First Team- Jake Hilmer || NSIC South Division Player of the Year- Jake Hilmer || NSIC South Division Defensive Player of the Year- Lucas Duax || All-NSIC South Division First Team- Jake Hilmer || All-NSIC South Division Second Team- Lucas Duax, Nick Reid |
| 2021-22 |
26-6 (18-4 NSIC) |
Division II and overall school record in wins || NCAA DII Central Regional Semifinals || NSIC Tournament Semifinals || NABC All-Central District Second Team- Joe Smoldt || D2CCA All-Central Region Second Team- Joe Smoldt || All-NSIC South Divsion First Team- Joe Smoldt, Jake Hilmer || All-NSIC South Division Second Team- Jareese Williams |
| 2020-21 |
10-7 (8-4 NSIC) |
NSIC South DPOY - Lucas Duax || All-NSIC First Team - Jareese Williams || All-NSIC Second Team - Joe Smoldt, Jake Hilmer |
| 2019-20 |
19-11 (15-7 NSIC) |
All-NSIC Second Team - Joe Smoldt, Jareese Williams || All-NSIC Honorable Mention - Jake Hilmer |
| 2018-19 |
7-22 (4-18 NSIC) |
|
| 2017-18 |
17-15 (10-12 NSIC) |
All-NSIC Second Team - Carson Parker || NSIC Freshman of the Year - Joe Smoldt |
| 2016-17 |
22-11 (16-6 NSIC) |
Division II school record in wins || NCAA Tournament First Round || NSIC Tournament Championship Game || NSIC Defensive Player of the Year & All-NSIC Second Team - Jordan Hay || All-NSIC First Team - Carson Parker |
| 2015-16 |
16-17 (11-11 NSIC) |
NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals |
| 2014-15 |
17-13 (12-10 NSIC) |
NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals || All-NSIC Second Team - Grant Lang |
| 2013-14 |
16-14 (13-9 NSIC) |
NSIC Tournament Quarterfinals || All-NSIC First Team - Joey Woods |
