Rewarded for his role in Kirkwood's first national championship run since 1998, Bryan Petersen was recognized Tuesday as the Spalding NJCAA Division II Men's Basketball Coach of the Year by the NJCAA DII Men's Basketball Committee.

Compiling a 31-4 overall record for the year, Petersen's squad lost just two games to DII opponents as two of its defeats came at the hands of an Iowa Western team that consistently ranked in the DI top 25 throughout the year. The Eagles' exceptional season culminated in an 83-76 upset of top-seeded Triton (Ill.) in the NJCAA DII Men's Basketball Championship Game.

Making the title run more special for Petersen was his deep ties to the program. A former Kirkwood player from 2005-07, Petersen returned to his alma mater as an assistant in 2012-13. One year later, he was promoted to head coach and immediately began to put the program back on the national landscape.

After going 21-10 in his debut season as a head coach, Petersen led the Eagles to a 25-7 record and a top 10 ranking in 2014-15. He now boasts a 77-21 record and a 78.5 win percentage in three seasons at the helm in Cedar Rapids.

At the conclusion of his playing career at Kirkwood, Petersen transferred to Iowa State where he immediately earned a spot in the starting lineup. The Clinton native started 64 consecutive games in two seasons with the Cyclones, departing in the school's top 15 all-time in 3-pointers made.

Petersen remained with the Iowa State program as a graduate assistant and in similar roles before returning to Kirkwood in 2012.