Ben McCollum had tremendous success in his first season at the helm, putting together a cohesive roster quickly and guiding them to the Elite 8.
En route to its first Elite 8 since 1987, Iowa upset Florida and Nebraska to make an improbable run through the NCAA Tournament, further proving McCollum's wizardry and brilliance as a tactician.
After the magical run to the Elite 8, it was rumored that the hero from the Florida upset was considering leaving the program to pursue a new opportunity or a more lucrative deal.
Those rumors have now been proven correct.
Alvaro Folgueiras announced his plans to enter the transfer portal
Heading into the offseason, the Hawkeyes were losing only two players, Bennett Stirtz (graduation) and Brendan Hausen (graduation), and are poised to make another run next season.
A few days into the transfer portal window opening, Iowa's depth took a massive hit after a key reserve from last season announced his intention to enter the transfer portal.
Alvaro Folgueiras on Instagram: “Forever grateful, Hawkeye Nation! 💛🖤” https://t.co/R0N6moDecS pic.twitter.com/CCA2mxjzru
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) April 10, 2026
Iowa forward Alavaro Folgueiras announced on Instagram that he is re-entering the transfer portal a year after joining the Hawkeyes from Robert Morris.
Folgueiras got off to a slow start after joining the program late in the summer following his time playing for Spain in the FIBA Under 20 EuroBasket Tournament.
Rumors were swirling that multiple programs were interested in giving Folgueiras a more lucrative contract after he helped guide Iowa to an improbable run in the NCAA Tournament, and now those rumors have seemingly come true.
Folgueiras averaged 8.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists for the Hawkeyes last season and gave Iowa fans multiple incredible moments in the latter part of the season, especially in the NCAA Tournament.
His go-ahead shot to upset one-seed Florida will always be remembered, and he will be sorely missed next season.