The Iowa Hawkeyes have made a splash in the college basketball world, hiring Ben McCollum as their new head coach. McCollum was the head coach for the Drake Bulldogs, and just this past week, led them on a March Madness run to the Round of 32.
Less than a week after Texas Tech eliminated Drake, McCollum has moved to the Big 10, where his coaching talents will be displayed on a higher level with greater exposure. In one season, he coached the Bulldogs to a 31-4 record, a Missouri Valley Conference Championship, and an upset win in March Madness.
Ben McCollum’s Coaching Success
McCollum gained the most limelight from his single season at Drake, but before that, he spent 15 years coaching Northwest Missouri State in Division II. In those seasons, he had an outstanding 395-91 record for an 81.3 winning percentage. After having a losing record in his first two seasons, the team had winning seasons for the remainder of his tenure and made the NCAA Division II Tournament 12 times. He led the Bearcats to the Sweet 16 four times and won four NCAA Division II National Championships. His best season was in 2019 when the team went undefeated going 38-0 to win the championship.
In 2024, he left Northwest Missouri State and was hired by Drake. The Bulldogs had been a successful mid-major school in the past with many NCAA Tournament appearances but hadn’t gotten over the hump. Before hiring McCollum, the Bulldogs had lost in the first round of the tournament two years in a row. This year Drake got it done. They won the Missouri Valley Conference, earning an 11 seed and defeating 6-seeded Missouri 67-57 in the opening round. Bennett Stirtz scored 21 points in the victory. In the second round, they were defeated by the 3 seed, Texas Tech. They lost the game 77-64.
In McCollum’s one year, Drake had a 30-3 record in the regular season. In an NCAA tournament with surprisingly little chaos, the Bulldogs were one of the few mid-major upsets of the first round. The coach has proven success in the regular and postseason with two different programs and will now take his coaching talents to the daunting Big 10 conference.
Iowa’s Big Hire
McCollum will become Iowa’s next head coach. The Hawkeyes hope that he can bring their program similar success as he did at Drake and Northwest Missouri State. Iowa is coming off an unsuccessful 17-16 season. They finished 12th place in the Big 10 with a 7-13 record. They have missed the NCAA Tournament two years in a row, and the last time they won a tournament game was in 2021. McCollum wasted no time bringing success to Drake, but the Bulldogs already had a solid foundation and success in previous years. Now, he will have to replicate that success in a bigger conference against tougher opponents.
One way that McCollum has won so much at multiple programs has been his style. McCollum coaches a slow and gritty game. At Drake, the Bulldogs thrived at slowing the game down and frustrating their opponents. One thing to look out for will be how this playstyle translates to Iowa and the Big 10. Another element is the transfer portal. McCollum could bring players from Drake or around college basketball to the Hawkeyes, quickening their path to wins and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Final Thoughts
McCollum’s hiring is one of the many head coaching changes that will come to college basketball in the coming weeks. He brought winning seasons and postseason glory to Drake and Northwest Missouri State. But now, he will be tasked with a prestigious program and conference, putting his coaching abilities to the test with this opportunity.
