New Iowa Head Coach Ben McCollum continues to endure the tough task of rebuilding a college basketball roster. McCollum was hired at the end of March to replace legendary Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery.
After McCaffery was dismissed, 13 Hawkeyes entered the transfer portal and all 2025 and 2026 recruits left the program.
McCollum has successfully rebuilt rosters and proved that ability before his first season in Iowa City. After the spring transfer portal closed at the end of April, On3 Sports ranked the Iowa transfer class as No. 6 in the Big Ten (No. 15 overall).
The Hawkeyes had a solid transfer portal season and brought in multiple high-caliber players, including a conference player of the year.
Bennett Stirtz, guard (Drake)
Bennett Stirtz, the 2025 Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Player and Newcomer of the Year, was the biggest transfer addition for the Hawkeyes. Stirtz led the Drake Bulldogs to a program-record 31 wins, including MVC Regular Season and Conference Tournament titles and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Stirtz was a force in his first and only season in Des Moines. He averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game for the Bulldogs, scoring 25-plus points seven times.
Stirtz was a key contributor for the Bulldogs last season and will make an immediate impact in his first season in Iowa City.
On3 Sports ranked Stirtz as a five-star transfer and the No. 1 (No. 2 overall) transfer portal point guard.
Kael Combs, guard (Drake)
After Stirtz transferred to Iowa, multiple Drake players followed him to Iowa City. Drake guard Kael Combs was one of those players. Before joining Ben McCollum and the Bulldogs for the 2024-2025 season, Combs began his career at Wyoming.
During his freshman season, Combs averaged 2.7 points and 1.0 rebounds in 10.4 minutes per game for the Cowboys.
In his sophomore season, Combs was a solid bench contributor for the Bulldogs. Last season, he averaged 3.8 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.9 minutes per game.
According to On3 Sports, Combs was an unranked transfer.
Cam Manyawu, forward (Drake)
Cam Manyawu was the third player to follow Ben McCollum to Iowa City. Manyawu had a similar path to Iowa City as fellow transfer Kael Combs. He spent his freshman season at Wyoming, averaging 7.5 and 6.8 rebounds per game.
Before the 2024-2025 season, Manyawu transferred to Drake. During his first and only season with the Drake Bulldogs, Manyawu started all 35 games, averaging 7.1 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.
Manyawu will be an immediate contributor for the Hawkeyes, and gives them a great rebounder and a solid post presence.
On3 Sports ranked Manyawu as a four-star transfer and the No. 55 (No. 233 overall) transfer portal forward.
Isaia Howard, shooting guard (Drake)
Isaia Howard, a six-foot-five combo guard from Missouri, was the fourth Drake Bulldog to follow McCollum to Iowa City. Howard initially committed to North Dakota State, but joined the Bulldogs after re-opening his recruitment in 2024.
During his freshman season, Howard experienced growing pains but was a solid bench contributor for McCollum. He averaged 4.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.1 steals in 15 minutes per game.
If Howard wants to become a regular contributor for the Hawkeyes, he must improve his offensive efficiency. During his freshman season with Drake, Howard shot 43.5 percent from the floor, 31.1 percent from beyond the three-point line, and 44.8 percent from the free-throw line.
On3 Sports ranked Howard as a three-star transfer and the No. 133 (No. 288 overall) transfer portal shooting guard.
Tavion Banks, forward (Drake)
The 2025 MVC Sixth-Man of the Year, Tavion Banks, was the fifth and final former Drake Bulldog to follow McCollum to Iowa City. Banks has been productive at all three of his stops.
During his freshman season (2023-2024) with Northwest Florida State Junior College, Banks averaged 10.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. After his freshman season, he transferred to Drake.
During his first and only season with the Bulldogs, Banks averaged 10.0 points and 5.2 rebounds per game and was named the MVC Sixth-Man of the Year. He was also named to the MVC All-Tournament Team after averaging 11.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.
On3 Sports ranked Banks as a three-star transfer and the No. 55 (No. 307 overall) transfer portal small forward.
Brendan Hausen, shooting guard (Kansas State)
Sharpshooting guard Brendan Hausen was the first huge addition who did not attend Drake. This is Hausen's third stop after he spent his first two seasons at Villanova and last season at Kansas State.
During two seasons with Villanova, Hausen averaged 4.7 points, 1.1 rebounds, and 0.5 assists in 13.3 minutes per game as a reserve. After his sophomore season, he transferred to Kansas State.
As a starter for Kansas State, Hausen averaged 10.9 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in 27.6 minutes per game.
In three collegiate seasons, Hausen has never shot below 38 percent from beyond the three-point line.
On3 Sports ranked Hausen as a four-star transfer and the No. 18 (No. 69 overall) transfer portal shooting guard.
Alvaro Folgueiras, forward (Robert Morris)
Alvaro Folgueiras, a six-foot-nine sharpshooting big man from Spain, transferred to Iowa after spending his first two seasons with the Robert Morris Colonials. In two seasons with the Colonials, Folgueiras went from a contributor to a star.
Folgueiras averaged 9.8 points and 6.8 rebounds during his two seasons with Robert Morris. His averages significantly jumped between his freshman and sophomore seasons.
Last season, Folgueiras was named the Horizon League Player of the Year and averaged 14.1 points (up from 5.3 as a freshman), 9.1 rebounds (up from 4.5 as a freshman), and 3.2 assists (up from 1.2 as a freshman) per game.
Folguerias gives the Hawkeyes a pure shooter who can fill up the score sheet from anywhere on the floor.
On3 Sports ranked Folgeuiras as a four-star transfer and the No. 8 (No. 36 overall) transfer portal power forward.
The Hawkeyes' transfer portal class had an average player rating of 82.50, good for No. 6 in the Big Ten and No. 15 overall.