Iowa Announces Preview Event for Men’s and Women’s Basketball

It's an exciting time to be an Iowa Hawkeyes basketball fan. In addition to Jan Jensen returning to coach the Hawkeyes' for her second season at the helm of the women's team, Ben McCollum is set to usher in a new era for the men's program on the other end of the court. With fresh visions guiding both squads, Iowa hoops is looking to take the nation fully by storm in a way that it isn't in a long while.

To help push this burgeoning new agenda, Iowa Athletics has announced the 'Hawkeye Hoops from Downtown' event. Slated for next month, Oct. 17, the outdoor extravaganza, taking place on the court behind Burge Residence Hall, will extend for an hour and serve as a proper introduction to fans for both teams.

Throughout the event, fans will learn about players, participate in contests, and compete for prizes with the addition of music and more. The happening was confirmed on X (Twitter) by the Iowa Hawkeyes' official account:

Hawkeye Hoops from Downtown is 🔙

Oct. 17 | Burge Courts
— The Iowa Hawkeyes (@TheIowaHawkeyes) September 25, 2025

The event, similar to the nationwide tradition for many college basketball programs often deemed "midnight madness," returns from past iterations in a new and exciting form, given both programs' recent shifts when it comes to both staff and talent.

HC Ben McCollum, chief among those shifts, expressed his excitement for the event, saying, "This will be a great opportunity to build excitement for our programs and for our players to interact with the Hawks Nest, students and our community," he said. "It should be a great on-campus event."

Women's HC Jan Jensen also chimed in, "The best fanbase in the country will get a chance to see our new players and teams for the very first time. We look forward to seeing everyone on Oct. 17," she said.

The event is the perfect chance for fans to familiarize themselves with their new, and hopefully improved, Hawkeyes teams a few weeks before the season begins. The mid-October date should help stave off the hunger prior to November's official tipoff for both units, too.

The best part of it all? Admission is completely free. All the black and gold faithful have to do is show up, show out and support their team. A completely new era continues to push forward in less than a month; what starts on a classic outdoor court will continue shortly onto the national stage in expectedly successful fashion for a revamped Hawkeyes' basketball initiative.

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