The Dynamic Duo in College Basketball: Bennett Stritz and Ben McCollum Aim for Success with Iowa
The countdown continues! We’re unveiling the top 100 preseason teams in college basketball leading up to the season’s kickoff. Daily, we’ll highlight each team until we reach number one. Today, we focus on Iowa basketball.
After 15 seasons, Fran McCaffery bids farewell to Iowa to join Penn. Who will fill his shoes? It’s Ben McCollum, a native Iowan whose reputation as a “winner” is well-earned. Over the past eight seasons, he has secured four national championships at the D2 level and led Drake to an impressive 31-4 record. Now, he is making his debut in the Big Ten, ready for a significant challenge.
Joining him is Bennett Stritz, his trusted assistant who had an outstanding year. There’s so much to say about his incredible impact last season that one could easily write 2,000 words. He’s undoubtedly among the top five players in the Big Ten and potentially the nation. Iowa’s success this year hinges on his performance.
McCollum is also bringing along several players from Drake, with Iowa welcoming five total transfers from the team. After achieving 31 wins, it’s a smart move. In addition, they’ll incorporate non-Drake transfers Brendan Hausen and Alvaro Folgueiras—Folgueiras, last year’s Horizon player of the year, along with Hausen, a sharpshooter, could create a potent scoring partnership with Stritz.
Iowa fans may face an interesting transition, but with McCollum at the helm, victories are what ultimately count.
Head coach:
Ben McCollum (1st season at Iowa, 2nd overall)
2024-25 record:
17-16 (7-13)
2025 postseason finish:
No postseason
Notable departures:
- Owen Freeman (16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 1.3 APG)
- Payton Sandfort (16.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 2.9 APG)
- Josh Dix (14.4 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 2.8 APG)
- Drew Thelwell (9.5 PPG, 3.0 APG, 2.2 RPG)
- Pryce Sandfort (8.8 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 1.3 APG)
- Brock Harding (8.8 PPG, 5.3 APG, 2.3 RPG)
Key Non-Conference Games:
- vs. Xavier (Nov. 14)
- vs. Ole Miss (Nov. 25) – Acrisure Classic
- vs. Grand Canyon OR Utah (Nov. 26) – Acrisure Classic
- at Iowa State (Dec. 11)
