Iowa has their man! The Iowa Hawkeyes Men's Basketball program has officially hired Ben McCollum to be their next head coach. McCollum joined the Hawkeyes after leading the Drake Bulldogs to a 31-4 record in his first and only season as head coach.
The Bulldogs won the Missouri Valley Conference regular and conference tournament titles en route to an NCAA Tournament berth. Drake won its first NCAA Tournament game since 1971 after upsetting six-seed Missouri, but they fell in the second round to Texas Tech.
McCollum takes over the Iowa program after they fired head coach Fran McCaffery after 15 seasons.
The Hawkeyes lost seven players to the transfer portal, and two recruits decommitted after McCaffery was dismissed. McCollum must rebuild the Iowa basketball roster and he can start by with a few of his former Drake players.
Bennett Stirtz, guard
Bennett Stirtz is a must-have for the Iowa Hawkeyes after his breakout season with the Drake Bulldogs. Stirtz followed McCollum to Drake from Northwest Missouri State after McCollum was named the head coach for the Bulldogs.
Before arriving in Des Moines, Stirtz was named the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) Freshman of the Year in 2022 and a two-time All-MIAA Second Team selection (2022-2023). Stirtz averaged 13.9 points in his two seasons with Northwest Missouri State.
Stirtz gained national attention after his first season with the Drake Bulldogs. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Larry Bird Player of the Year and MVC Newcomer of the Year. Stirtz led the Bulldogs in scoring (19.1) and assists (5.7) per game.
His 19.1 points and 2.2 steals per game lead the MVC. Stirtz was also named the most outstanding player of the MVC Tournament after averaging 21.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.6 steals per game.
Stirtz is a superstar on both ends of the floor, and McCollum needs to build the Iowa roster around him.
Cam Manyawu, forward
Cam Manyawu transferred to Drake from Wyoming after the 2023-2024 season. Manyawu averaged 7.7 points and 6.6 rebounds per game as a freshman before transferring to Drake.
At Drake, Manyawu led the Bulldogs in rebounds per game (5.4) after starting all 33 games. He also led the Bulldogs in field goal percentage (57 percent).
Manyawu is a great rebounder and defender. He uses his length and athleticism to ensnare many rebounds and steals. He had five games last season where he had double-digit rebounds.
The Iowa Hawkeyes' struggles in the paint are well-documented. They are always near the bottom of the Big Ten conference in rebounds and opponents' rebounds. Manyawu would give the Hawkeyes an athletic glass-eater who can dominate in the paint.
McCollum has a tough road ahead after taking the Iowa head coaching job. McCollum is a skilled recruiter and will need to use that skill to rebuild the roster.