NCAA Coaching Carousel: Iowa Hires Drake Coach Ben McCollum
WICHITA, KANSAS - MARCH 22: Head coach Ben McCollum of the Drake Bulldogs reacts during the first ... More half against the Texas Tech Red Raiders in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at INTRUST Arena on March 22, 2025 in Wichita, Kansas. (Photo by)
Ben McCollum, who won 31 games in his first and only season at Drake, has been named the head coach at the University of Iowa, as expected.
He replaces Fran McCaffery, who was fired earlier this month after 15 seasons.
In his lone season at Drake, McCollum guided the Bulldogs to a sweep of the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles. It marked the first outright regular season championship achieved by Drake since the 2007-08 season and the third consecutive MVC Tournament championship for the Bulldogs.
Under his leadership, the Bulldogs earned a birth to the NCAA Tournament and achieved their first NCAA Tournament win since the 2021 First Four. Drake's win over the No. 6 seeded Missouri Tigers marked the first time the Bulldogs won a game in the round of 64, which propelled the Bulldogs into the round of 32 for the first time since 1971. Overall, McCollum and the Bulldogs finished the 2024-25 season a with a record of 31-4 and went 17-4 in MVC play, which also marked the most conference wins in program history.
'We are grateful to the student-athletes, coaches, staff, and fanbase that helped make this historic year possible,' Drake director of athletics Brian Hardin said in a statement. 'Certainly, we hoped for more than 12 months together with Coach McCollum, but Drake fans will always remember the feelings that were generated from this magical season. I wish Ben, Michelle, Peyton, Tate, and Grace well in Iowa City.'
McCollum, who was hired in April of 2024, was named MVC Coach of the Year this season, while leading his players to multiple MVC and national accolades.
Drake said it will 'begin an immediate national search for the next Drake men's basketball head coach.'
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