Ben McCollum has been named the head basketball coach at Iowa after a successful season with Drake, where he steered the team to a strong performance in the Missouri Valley Conference and an NCAA Tournament victory. Iowa’s athletic director announced the hiring shortly after McCollum’s impressive 31-4 season culminated with a loss to Texas Tech. Details of his contract remain undisclosed.
Taking over from Fran McCaffery, McCollum steps into a program coming off a challenging season, with the Hawkeyes finishing with a 17-16 record and tying for 12th in the Big Ten Conference. Iowa has faced declining attendance in recent years, a trend McCollum hopes to reverse.
A native of Iowa City, McCollum has deep roots in the area, with his early years spent in Storm Lake and his mother being an alumna of the University of Iowa. McCollum expressed his excitement about leading the team, citing the passionate Hawkeye fan base.
His career trajectory has been upward, especially highlighted by his 15 seasons at Northwest Missouri State, where he secured four Division II national titles. McCollum successfully brought four players with him to Drake, where they made headlines in the college basketball world, earning the nickname “Division II Drake.”
One of those players, Bennett Stirtz, emerged as a standout, leading the conference in scoring and claiming several individual accolades. Despite being underestimated in pre-season polls, Drake finished as the regular-season champions and later set a school record of 30 wins.
McCollum now transitions to coaching in Iowa City, lauded by the athletic director for his record on and off the court. Known for his strategic coaching style, McCollum’s teams have played with a slow tempo and been defensively strong, often forcing turnovers from opponents.
The Bulldogs’ commendable season included victories over big names and an impressive start to their campaign. However, McCaffery, the previous coach, faced challenges in sustaining success, highlighting funding issues in attracting top talent, which led to several players entering the transfer portal.
Iowa’s attendance numbers have been concerning, displaying significant drops in recent seasons. The hope is that McCollum’s appointment will invigorate the program and enhance fan engagement for the next season.