The University of Iowa and men’s basketball head coach Ben McCollum have agreed on a new six-year deal, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
McCollum led the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight in just his first year at the helm of the team. It was the first time Iowa made it that far in the men’s NCAA tournament since 1987.
The Hawkeyes were 2026’s Cinderella team after a 20-11 regular season, including a 10-10 record in the Big Ten. After a second-round exit in the Big Ten tournament, Iowa received a No. 9 seed in the 2026 NCAA tournament.
McCollum then led the Hawkeyes to three consecutive upset wins against No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida and No. 4 Nebraska to reach the Elite Eight against No. 3 Illinois.
Iowa’s Cinderella story ran out after a 71-59 loss to Illinois. McCollum’s impromptu run put him on notice for other college basketball openings, including the head coaching vacancy at the University of North Carolina.
Rather than having another one-year stint at a program, McCollum is now tied to the Hawkeyes for the next six years. While compensation wasn’t publicly released, it is fair to assume he also received a hefty payday to keep him in Iowa City.
McCollum has been a head basketball coach since 2009, but the vast majority of his experience has been at the Division II level. He was the head coach at Northwest Missouri State from 2009 to 2024, winning four national championships.
After being in the same place for so long, McCollum’s next coaching stop was a quick one. He was hired as the head coach at Drake University after 15 years at Northwest Missouri State.
In his lone season at Drake, McCollum led the Bulldogs to the second round of the 2025 NCAA tournament, and his efforts landed him a job offer from Iowa.
