College Basketball
Drake’s Ben McCollum Caps Off Magical Year, Becomes Iowa Head Coach
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Drake head coach Ben McCollum is heading to Iowa.
Iowa Hires Ben McCollum
Welcome Home, @CoachMcCollum 🐤
Ben McCollum named head coach of the Iowa Men’s Basketball program.#Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/zjRrOAMMJK
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) March 24, 2025
Iowa got one of college basketball’s rising stars.
Iowa announced the hiring of McCollum as their next men’s basketball coach.
This ends a magical year for McCollum as a head coach.
McCollum was still the head coach at Division II’s Northwest Missouri State this time last year.
McCollum led the Bearcats to a 394-91 record in 15 seasons, including four Division II national championships.
After Darian DeVries departed for West Virginia, Drake hired McCollum as their next head coach on April 1, 2024.
In his first season, McCollum led Drake to a school-record 31 wins and a Missouri Valley Conference championship.
In the NCAA Tournament, No. 11 Drake upset No. 6 Missouri in the opening round. Drake’s season ended this past weekend with a loss to Texas Tech in the second round.
McCollum’s career record of 426-95 with an 81.8 winning percentage is the fifth-best all-time among collegiate men’s basketball coaches.
Iowa Begins New Era Under Ben McCollum
ICYMI: @GoodmanHoops on Fran McCaffery:
"I know it's run its course, but I'll say this: Fran made them nationally relevant for a decade. He had pros come through there, he had NPOYs… he didn't make a deep tourney run, but I think he did one heck of a job for that program" pic.twitter.com/p3qPJr1FLs
— The Field of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) March 14, 2025
McCollum takes over for Fran McCaffrey, who was dismissed on March 14 after 15 seasons as the head coach.
McCaffrey led Iowa to seven NCAA Tournaments and won the Big Ten Tournament in 2022.
McCaffrey is Iowa’s all-time leader in wins, with a record of 297-207. McCaffrey also owns a record 143 Big Ten wins.
Despite McCaffrey’s success, he could never get Iowa to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament.
McCollum will attempt to lead Iowa to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999.
“We are excited to welcome Coach McCollum and his family back to Iowa City. Ben has a track record of success both on and off the court. His talent for developing student-athletes and fostering a strong team culture has been evident throughout his career,” said Director of Athletics Chair Beth Goetz in a statement. “I am confident that Hawkeye fans will enthusiastically support the McCollum family as we embark on the next chapter of Iowa men’s basketball.”
