Iowa Must Extend Ben McCollum After Elite Eight Breakthrough

The Hawkeyes are working to ink their head coach to a new long-term deal after his first-year success.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 8:38pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting a college basketball game, with players and the court broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes in a vibrant color palette of blues, oranges, and greens, conveying the dynamic energy of the sport.Iowa's surprise Elite Eight run under new head coach Ben McCollum has the program poised for a bright future, even with the departure of star player Bennett Stirtz.Houston Today

Iowa is expected to extend the contract of head coach Ben McCollum after he led the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight in his first season, a major turnaround from the team's recent struggles. Athletic Director Beth Goetz said they are in discussions to increase both the length and value of McCollum's original six-year deal signed in 2025.

Why it matters

McCollum took over an Iowa program that had missed the NCAA Tournament in 2024 and 2025, and quickly turned them into a tournament team that made a deep March Madness run. Retaining McCollum long-term is crucial to building on that success, especially with star player Bennett Stirtz expected to leave for the NBA.

The details

After Iowa let longtime head coach Fran McCaffery go, McCollum stepped in and led the Hawkeyes to the Elite Eight in his first season, their deepest tournament run since 1987. Despite some disappointing losses during the regular season, McCollum was able to guide the team through the year and have them peaking at the right time.

  • In March 2026, Iowa was eliminated in the Elite Eight by Illinois during the NCAA Tournament.
  • In April 2026, Iowa Athletic Director Beth Goetz said they are working to extend McCollum's contract, which was originally a six-year deal signed in 2025.

The players

Ben McCollum

The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, who took over the program in 2025 and led them to the Elite Eight in his first season.

Beth Goetz

The Athletic Director at the University of Iowa, who is working to extend McCollum's contract.

Bennett Stirtz

The star guard for the Iowa Hawkeyes, who is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.

Fran McCaffery

The former head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, who was let go before McCollum took over the program.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“Ben and I have been in close contact throughout the (NCAA) tournament and feel like we're certainly going to make some adjustments to his agreement. And so, we'll have that done here soon and feel really good about where we are.”

— Beth Goetz, Athletic Director, University of Iowa

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

Retaining Ben McCollum long-term is crucial for Iowa to build on their surprising Elite Eight run and continue the program's turnaround after missing the NCAA Tournament in the two seasons prior to his arrival. McCollum's ability to quickly transform the team and get the most out of the roster, even with the impending departure of star player Bennett Stirtz, makes him a valuable asset that Iowa must lock up.