DENVER, CO (denverpioneers.com) – The University of Denver Division of Athletics has named Tim Bergstraser the 34th head men’s basketball coach in program history, Vice Chancellor for Athletics and Ritchie Center Operations Josh Berlo announced on Monday. Bergstraser’s introductory press conference is scheduled for Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. MT in Hamilton Gymnasium and will be streamed live on the Summit League Network.
Bergstraser went 75-22 in three seasons as the head coach at Minnesota State University Moorhead, leading the Dragons to three consecutive 25-win campaigns for the first time in program history. Prior to Bergstraser successfully taking over as the head coach, the Dragons hadn’t produced a 20-win season since going 24-6 in the 2016-17 campaign.
“At the onset of this search, we prioritized finding a proven high-character winner with head coaching experience that can be a leader for our student-athletes on and off the court with intimate knowledge of the Summit League,” Berlo said. “We found exactly that in Tim Bergstraser. He has succeeded at a very high level, competing for recruits and living in the Summit League’s footprint.
“It is with great excitement we welcome Tim and his family to the Pioneers as the next head men’s basketball coach at the University of Denver. After watching Tim coach back in 2022, speaking with former coaches, colleagues and administrators, and getting to know him through this process, it is clearly evident he embodies our shared belief that this program should be consistently competing in the top of the Summit League and battling for conference titles year in, year out. We are confident that Tim has the skill, passion, commitment and ability to elevate this program, and I am very excited about the future of Denver men’s basketball under Tim’s leadership.”
Bergstraser is fresh off a 25-9 campaign that saw Minnesota State Moorhead win its third NSIC Tournament title in the last four years. The work wasn’t done for the Dragons after the conference tournament, as MSUM went on to reach the NCAA Central Regional Final for the first time since 2014-15.
The Dragons went on a 13-game winning streak that included the five postseason wins that came before a regional final loss to the fifth-ranked team in the country in Washburn. The Dragons played at DU Summit League-foe North Dakota State last October, leading by as many as 11 in the second half and seven at the under-8 media timeout, giving the host Bison a preseason scare.
“It’s hard to explain how excited my family and I are for this move to the University of Denver. Colorado, Denver especially, is a place we have always dreamed about moving to,” Bergstraser said. “I can’t thank Josh Berlo, Chancellor Jeremy Haefner, and the committee enough for trusting me to lead this program to compete for championships. DU is a big deal, and we have a massive sense of pride in representing this program. I am itching to get to work for this University. We are determined to add to the great winning tradition that is already established in this athletic department.”
In his second season in charge of the Dragons, Bergstraser led MSUM to a 25-6 mark and an 18-4 record in conference play. Led by a pair of NSIC First Team and NSIC Second Team selections, the Dragons reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament with the program’s first NCAA win in three seasons.
The Dragons spent the entire season inside the top 13 of the NABC Coaches’ Poll and achieved the program’s first No. 1 ranking after getting off to a 14-0 start in the campaign.
Bergstraser’s first season as a head coach saw MSUM finish 25-7 and 17-5 in league play. The campaign featured another 10-game winning streak in it, and Bergstraser guided the Dragons to their second-consecutive NSIC Tournament title and his first trip as a head coach into the NCAA Tournament.
In the classroom, Bergstraser’s teams turned in a 3.4 grade-point average in all three seasons of his head coaching tenure, and his program had a student-athlete receive the conference’s Elite 18 award winner (single most academically accomplished student-athlete to participate in the NSIC Championship) in all three seasons.
Before becoming the head coach at MSUM, Bergstraser went 143-85 in his time as an assistant coach at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, MSU Moorhead and Quincy University and as a grad assistant back at MSUM. During his career as an assistant, Bergstraser was named to the Silverwaves Media Top-50 Most Impactful DII Assistants list.
After his graduate assistantship and two other stops as an assistant coach, Bergstraser returned to MSUM for the 2018-19 campaign, his first of four seasons as an assistant coach there before being promoted to the head spot. As an assistant coach at MSUM, Bergstraser helped the Dragons to their first NSIC Tournament Championship in 2022 and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2021 and 2022. In the first of two NCAA Tournament trips in 2022 as an assistant, Bergstraser and the Dragons won their first NCAA Tournament game since the 2014-15 campaign.
As a graduate assistant, Bergstraser’s Dragons went 54-12, made the NSIC title game in 2016 and made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament in his two years in the role. Bergstraser was honored by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) with the association’s Under Armour 30 under 30 award.
In his collegiate playing career at St. Cloud State, Bergstraser helped the Huskies to the NCAA Final Four in the 2009-10 season and earned all-conference honors in 2011-12, averaging 12.8 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. Following the 2011-12 campaign, Bergstraser’s career was cut short due to his third ACL knee injury. St. Cloud State’s Athletic Director and head coach at the time collaborated to provide Bergstraser a scholarship, which came along with the early opportunity to get into coaching as a student assistant and remain a part of the program for the 2013-14 season where Bergstraser found his passion for the profession.
Bergstraser will be moving to Denver with his wife Ashley, their daughter Presley and their son Kai.
Bergstraser’s Coaching Career
2013-14 – Student Assistant Coach – St. Cloud State
2014-15 – Assistant Coach – University of Wisconsin-River Falls
2015-17 – Graduate Assistant Coach – Minnesota State University Moorhead
2017-18 – Assistant Coach – Quincy (Ill.)
2018-22 – Assistant Coach – Minnesota State University Moorhead
2022-23 – Head Coach – Minnesota State University Moorhead – 25-7 – NSIC Tournament Title/NCAA First Round
2023-24 – Head Coach – Minnesota State University Moorhead – 25-6 – NSIC First Round/NCAA Second Round
2024-25 – Head Coach – Minnesota State University Moorhead – 25-9 – NSIC Tournament Title/NCAA Round of 16
Overall Record: 218-107 (75-22 as head coach)
THE WORD ON BERGSTRASER:
Chad Walthall – Former MSU Moorhead Head Basketball Coach
“Coach Bergstraser is a home run hire for Denver! I’ve known Tim since he was an opposing player in our league and later had the chance to hire him as my assistant at MSU Moorhead, first as a graduate assistant, then later, as my top assistant. Tim had a huge impact on our program. He has a unique ability to connect with his players, brings a sharp basketball mind to the game, and most importantly, is an outstanding person. The University of Denver is a great fit and very fortunate to have him as their next head coach. He is a winner.
“Congratulations to Tim and Ashley and their family.”
Mahmoud Abdelfattah – Former Houston Rockets Assistant and Rio Grande Valley Vipers (G-League) Head Coach
“I played with Tim at St Cloud State, and I’ve known him for over 15 years. The Pioneers and the Denver community are lucky to have him lead their men’s basketball program. He is a great communicator and the best person I know at building relationships.
“It’s beyond coaching with Tim, it’s the way he lives his life. He wakes up every morning with the same mentality that I know he played with… just give me an opportunity and I will show you. The Pioneers are in good hands!”
Dr. Tim Downs – MSU Moorhead President
“Coach Bergstraser will be greatly missed at Minnesota State University Moorhead. We are thankful for the positive impact he has had on our team and university. Tim is a developer of young men who compete on and off the court; becoming great citizens who make positive impacts in their professions and communities. Coach Bergstraser has led our program to achieve national prominence and we know that in time Tim’s leadership of DU Men’s Basketball will yield a nationally recognized program. We look forward to cheering him on as he achieves this goal.”
Chad Markuson – MSU Moorhead Athletic Director
“The University of Denver has caught a rising star in Coach Bergstraser. His relentless energy as a recruiter and his sharp in-game coaching instincts make him a standout. We were lucky to have him at Dragon Athletics, where he made a tremendous impact on and off the court. There’s no doubt he’ll thrive at Denver and be a force in the Summit League. Excited to see what’s next for him!”
Justin Wieck - Minnesota Duluth Head Coach
“I’m so excited for Tim and his family for this opportunity. He is a great friend that I couldn’t be more proud of in this next step. Tim has quickly proven to be one of the better basketball coaches in the country, regardless of level. He is a grinder in every sense of the word, proving to be an elite recruiter and developer of talent. His teams show great toughness, intensity and are incredibly prepared. He is a winner and his daily mentality sets the tone for his program every day. The Pios and Josh Berlo hit a home run and will immediately be on the path to great success in the Summit League.”
Heather Weems – Former St. Cloud State Athletic Director and current NCHC Commissioner
“Tim is a rising young star in the college basketball coaching ranks, and I’m excited to see him recognized for the leadership and team-building talents that helped Minnesota State University Moorhead achieve and sustain national success. Coach Bergstraser will bring his midwestern values – hard work, determination, accountability, humility – to DU, and will recruit young men committed to representing the University of Denver proudly while advancing the success of the men’s basketball program.
“I have known Tim since his time playing at St. Cloud State University. Even then he was one who prioritized the team over individual needs and showed great maturity as a leader. As a head coach, he is grounded by timeless lessons and a team-first mentality he learned under Division II coaching legends as a player and assistant coach, and has translated into well-organized, athletic and confident play and winning teams. I look forward to watching Tim build the Pioneer men’s basketball program into a Summit League contender.”