Thanks to Iowa's massive success in the 2025-2026 season, Ben McCollum was becoming one of the hottest names in college basketball.
McCollum accomplished in one season what Fran McCaffery and Steve Alford never accomplished: a trip to the Elite Eight. McCollum took over the Iowa program in March 2025 after McCaffery was fired, and he rebuilt it from the ground up. He brought five players from Drake with him, including MVC Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz, but nobody expected Iowa to go that far. McCollum's name surfaced in head-coaching rumors almost immediately after Iowa was eliminated in the Elite Eight, but he has been fully committed to the Hawkeyes.
McCollum once again shut down any speculation of him leaving for another job
McCollum was one of the most successful Division II head coaches with Northwest Missouri State, tallying 395 wins, including four Division II National Championships, eight MIAA Tournament titles, and 12 MIAA regular-season titles, before jumping to Drake at the mid-major level. In one season with the Bulldogs, he guided them to an NCAA Tournament berth and their first NCAA Tournament win since 1977. He had similar success in his first season at Iowa, prompting other big-time programs to come calling.
Programs like North Carolina and Kansas reportedly considered McCollum, but he quickly shut down any speculation that he was considering those and other job offers. Shortly after signing a contract extension, McCollum again shut down those talks when asked at Big Ten Basketball Media Days.
Ben McCollum was asked about North Carolina's interest this offseason, and his answer included why he feels Iowa is the place for him.
— Sean Bock (@SBock247) October 8, 2026
"I don't have a lot to say about that one. Like we've always said, we're pretty excited about the University of Iowa and what we can do. [Iowa]… pic.twitter.com/3cXNF9IeN2
He started by saying he doesn't have a lot to say about that one, and is very excited about what Iowa is doing. He finished by saying that Iowa perfectly fits what who he is as a coach because he can recruit whoever he wants. As long as Iowa keeps succeeding, McCollum's name will continue surfacing for vacant head-coaching jobs, but he reassured everyone that Iowa is his preferred destination and he doesn't have any other plans.
McCollum's recent contract extension keeps him in Iowa City through the 2031-2032 season, paying him $4.35 million per year. If Iowa builds on the success of McCollum's first season and convinces top prospects or transfers to come to Iowa City, the program is in great shape for years, and McCollum appears to be very committed to the process. The program was middling for a few years before McCollum turned it around, and even though McCaffery had some success, the culture has drastically changed since McCollum took over.
Energy is back in Carver-Hawkeye Arena, and with one deep NCAA Tournament run under his belt, McCollum has left the fans wanting more. McCollum has already tried to build on his success by pursuing top prospects on the recruiting trail, and he's made it clear the program isn't trying for second best. The stars are aligning for a Hawkeye program that was good, but now expects to be great, and McCollum is a big reason why. It is great to hear he has no exit plans and keeps shutting down any rumors to the contrary.
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