Iowa HC Building on Striking Winning Totals

Among a slew of big-name hires and second-year coaching circumstances entering the 2025-26 college basketball season, Iowa bringing Ben McCollum on board to steer their sinking ship seemed to fly firmly under the national radar, at least in comparison to “bigger” schools in leagues like the Big East and Southeastern (SEC) conferences.

This is perhaps due, in part, to the previous regime’s inability to sustain men’s hoops in the black and gold at a relevant level. The program simply hasn’t given opponents, or the media, any reason to take them seriously in recent years. 

Adding to the Resume

So, while McCollum’s hire wasn’t really contested by anybody, it was hard to imagine that he’d spark an immediate turnaround within the grander structure of the “eat or be eaten” B1G. Yet, at 7-0 with a win over an SEC team under their belt already, McCollum’s Hawkeyes have made a name for themselves in no time. To boot, the HC’s continued success has made his own personal resume among the most impressive in the country.

Having spent most of his career as a Division II coach at Northwest Missouri State University, the head man's recent jump to Division I hoops represented a potential change in pace. After having posted a 395-91 (.813) record on the lower level, a natural worry existed that he may not be able to retain that consistency.

Through 42 games at the division one level, though, McCollum has been among the nation's elite.