Ben McCollum has only been Iowa's head coach for a week and he's already winning coach of the year awards -- not too shabby. On Monday, McCollum was announced as the recipient of this year's Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year award, recognizing the excellent work he did with Drake during the 2024-25 season.
The Joe B. Hall National Coach of the Year award has very specific criteria -- it is awarded every year to the best first-time head coach in Division I college basketball. McCollum spent the entirety of his coaching career prior to this past season at the Division II level, with Northwest Missouri State. At NMSU, McCollum was dominant, winning four Division II national championships and compiling an overall record of 395-91.
McCollum didn't miss a beat in his first year at the Division I level, leading Drake to a 31-4 overall record, as well as a 17-3 mark in the Missouri Valley Conference. The Bulldogs won both the regular season and conference tournaments in the Valley and earned an 11-seed in the NCAA Tournament. In the tourney, Drake upset 6-seed Missouri before bowing out against 3-seed Texas Tech.
“Coach Ben McCollum is the definition of ‘quality knowing no level,’” said James Wilhelmi, Senior Analyst of CollegeInsider.com. “The same championship mentality and elite execution that made him a powerhouse at the D2 level have seamlessly translated to the Missouri Valley. His immediate success at Drake is no surprise -- great coaching wins anywhere. The Joe B. Hall Award is a fitting recognition for his impact.”
McCollum took over at Iowa a week ago and is continuing to assemble his coaching staff, as well as the roster for his first season. Stay tuned to Hawkeye Beacon for continued coverage of McCollum's staff- and roster-building efforts in Iowa City.
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