Zeigler Earns National Recognition

Nebraska Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Ernie Zeigler was recognized Monday as one of the nation’s most impactful assistant coaches in Division I basketball by a prominent basketball website.

The 2026 100 Most Impactful: Men’s High Major Assistants list was compiled by Silver Waves Media after consulting with a panel of industry professionals. Zeigler has played a major role in the Huskers’ success since joining the staff in August of 2022. In his three-plus seasons on Fred Hoiberg’s staff, NU has posted back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in more than 20 years and enters this week with a 16-0 mark, a 20-game winning streak dating back to last season and a No. 8 ranking in the AP poll, matching the highest ranking in school history.

In his Husker tenure, Zeigler played a major role in the recruitment and development of Brice Williams, who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors in 2024-25 and became the first Husker to earn first-team all-conference honors since 2018. Zeigler also played a major role in the development of Derrick Walker, who earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and led NU in scoring, rebounding and assists in 2022-23.

Zeigler possesses more than two decades of Division I coaching experience, including six seasons as head coach at Central Michigan. In addition to his time on the Husker staff, Zeigler has been an assistant coach at Mississippi State, Kansas State, Bowling Green, Pitt, UCLA and Detroit and has made nine postseason appearances as an assistant coach, including five NCAA Tournament trips. The 2005-06 UCLA team was the NCAA runner-up, while the 2001-02 and 2002-03 Pitt squads secured NCAA Sweet 16 appearances.