Basketball

Iowa Hawkeyes Basketball Prepares for Summer Overhaul Under Coach Ben McCollum

New recruits, player development, and strategic shifts aim to build on recent Elite Eight success

Ben McCollum, who has quickly risen through the ranks of college basketball, took over as head coach at Iowa in 2026 after guiding the Hawkeyes to their first Elite Eight since 1987.

Summer Development Plan

The program will welcome four new faces: Ty’Reek Coleman, a quick‑twitch guard who impressed in the Missouri Valley Conference; Andrew McKeever, a 7‑foot‑3 big man providing interior presence; Ethan Harris, who chose Iowa over Gonzaga, Washington and Boise State; and Jaidyn Coon, who flipped his commitment from Creighton earlier this spring.

Alongside them, the roster retains a core of experienced players including Tate Sage, Cooper Koch, Trey Thompson, Trevin Jirak, Kael Combs, Cam Manyawu, Isaia Howard, Logan Ogden, as well as emerging talents such as Cayden Daughtry, Jaxson Davis, TJ Jamison and Jack Kohnen.

Coach McCollum stresses physical maturation and internal development, noting that many of these athletes are entering their second or third seasons and will benefit from added strength and experience.

Looking Ahead to 2027

The staff is also shaping the 2027 class, courting top prospects like 5‑star Cayden Daughtry and 4‑star Jaxson Davis, while designing offensive schemes to replace the production left by Bennett Stirtz.

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