The Iowa Hawkeyes got their guy after hiring Ben McCollum. McCollum, born in Iowa City, returns home to coach the Hawkeyes after a year in Des Moines, Iowa coaching the Drake Bulldogs.
McCollum led the Bulldogs to a 31-4 overall record in his lone season in Des Moines. That included a Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) regular season and conference tournament title, and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
The 11-seed Drake Bulldogs upset the six-seed Missouri Tigers in their NCAA Tournament opening-round matchup. That was their first NCAA Tournament win since 1971.
Now at the helm of the Hawkeyes, McCollum must rebuild an Iowa roster that lost seven players to the transfer portal and two 2025 recruits. It will not be easy, but here is an ideal starting lineup to start next season.
Point guard: Bennett Stirtz (transfer from Drake)
Bennett Stirtz starred for Drake during his first season in the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC). Stirtz was named the MVC Larry Bird Player of the Year and MVC Newcomer of the Year in 2024.
Stirtz played under Ben McCollum at Northwest Missouri State and followed him to Drake University after McCollum was named head coach in 2024.
Stirtz led the Bulldogs in points (19.1), assists (5.7), and steals (2.2) in 2024. His 19.1 points and 2.2 steals per game also led the MVC.
Stirtz will come to Iowa City with a chip on his shoulder an be the starting point guard for the new-look Hawkeyes.
Shooting guard: Quimari Peterson (transfer from East Tennessee State)
The Iowa Hawkeyes hit the transfer portal hard, and bring in sharp-shooter Quimari Peterson from East Tennessee State.
Last season, Peterson averaged 19.5 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the floor and 40 percent shooting from three-point range for the Buccaneers. Peterson can get hot quickly, and will get a lot of open looks with Stirtz at point guard.
Peterson will lead the Hawkeyes in scoring at 18.5 points per game in his first season in the Big Ten.
Small forward: Josh Dix (returns to Iowa)
Iowa reunites with old friend Josh Dix as he withdraws the transfer portal and returns to the Hawkeyes.
Josh Dix was a bright spot for the Iowa Hawkeyes last season. The six-foot-six guard averaged career highs in points (14.4), rebounds (3.2), and assists (2.8) for Iowa last season. Dix also shot efficiently from the floor (51 percent) and beyond the arc (42 percent).
The Hawkeyes were known to have a high-powered offense under former head coach Fran McCaffery. Dix became a premier offensive player in McCaffery's system and will help guide a new-look Iowa offense under Ben McCollum.
Dix, a Council Bluffs, Iowa native, returns home and continues to be a major contributor to a balanced Hawkeye offensive attack.
Power forward: Taylor Bol Bowen (transfer from Florida State)
The Hawkeyes dive into the transfer portal again to bring in the lengthy, athletic forward Taylor Bol Bowen from Florida State.
Bol Bowen has the athleticism to impact the game at both ends. Last season, Bol Bowen averaged 8.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks for the Florida State Seminoles.
With his two years of eligibility remaining, Bol Bowen uses his athleticism to bolster a weak Iowa defense. He becomes a defensive stopper for new head Coach Ben McCollum.
Center: Oscar Cluff (transfer from South Dakota State)
McCollum and his staff drive seven hours west to Brookings, South Dakota to bring in six-foot-11 center Oscar Cluff.
Cluff was named the Summit League Newcomer of the Year in 2024 after averaging 17.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for the Jackrabbits. Cluff is a dominant force in the paint on both ends.
He shot 63 percent from the field last season (mostly in the paint) and registered a whopping 22 double-doubles (points and rebounds) for South Dakota State in 2024.
Cluff will quickly adjust to the physicality of the Big Ten and average double-digit rebounds for the Hawkeyes in his first season.
Sixth man: Pryce Sandfort (returns to Iowa)
Former Iowa sharpshooter Pryce Sandfort returns to Iowa after he sees how successful they can be with Ben McCollum at the helm.
Pryce Sandfort became instant offense off the bench for the Hawkeyes during the 2024 season. The six-foot-seven, Waukee, Iowa native averaged 8.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in 22 minutes per game for the Hawkeyes last season.
Along with his brother, Payton Sandfort, Pryce was a deadly shooter who could not be left open behind the three-point line. Pryce shot 57 percent from the floor an 50 percent from three-point range during his sophomore season.
Pryce leaves the portal to return home and be a scoring force off the bench for the Hawkeyes in 2025.
Newly-acquired Head Coach Ben McCollum has a tough task building a roster for the upcoming 2025 season. If any of these hypothetical transfers suit up for the Hawkeyes next season, it will be a big win for McCollum and his staff.