Iowa's Ben McCollum Denies Interest in Other Head Coaching Jobs

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum isn’t leaving Iowa City anytime soon.

The coaching rumor mill has been churning over the past several days. North Carolina is open after the program decided to move on from Hubert Davis. NC State is also a job that figures to be coveted. There’s also the proposition that Bill Self, the longtime legend at Kansas, could retire, adding that job to the mix as well.

Given Iowa’s recent prowess on the basketball court, it’s only fair to wonder if McCollum could be a candidate for those positions. He’s certainly qualified, and there’s no doubt that he could do great things at any school. But McCollum has his eyes set on a championship with the Hawkeyes, and as such, he isn’t going anywhere.

“Yeah, those are all lies,” McCollum said after being asked about the rumors that he was seeking greener pastures by Quad-City Times’ Ethan Petrick. “And the only person that would ever know would be, well, three people would be my athletic director, my wife, and it’s about it, I guess, two people.”

McCollum is Here to Stay

Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollu — Iowa head coach Ben McCollum speaks to members of the media after the Iowa Hawkeyes men’s basketball team was named a 9-seed in the NCAA Tournament March 15, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In just one season in Iowa City, McCollum has built himself a legacy that few Hawkeye coaches can surpass. He’s already made the Elite Eight, something Fran McCaffery couldn’t do throughout his 15 years with the program, and is on the verge of a Final Four. Along the way, his team has had to battle against some of the top teams in the country and has looked increasingly competent in every matchup.

The latest stretch of success has featured victories over a quality Clemson squad, the reigning national champions, Florida, and fierce Big Ten rival Nebraska.

Iowa HC Ben McCollum on his name in connection to HC openings, says he intends to be back with the #Hawkeyes next season.

“Yeah, those are all lies. And the only person that would ever know would be, well, three people would be my athletic director, my wife, and it's about it, I…
— Ethan Petrik (@ethan_petrik) March 27, 2026

Simply put, McCollum wants to win at Iowa for years to come. When asked a follow-up question if he would be the head coach at Iowa next season, he answered straight and to the point: “Yes.”

It doesn’t get more definitive than that. The Hawkeyes will have their head coach back for next season, but the job this year isn’t finished just yet.

A big-time Elite Eight clash with Illinois is next, with a trip to the Final Four on the line. If the team can win there, then it’ll be traveling to Indianapolis, where it’ll have to find a way to take down a behemoth like Duke, St. John’s, UConn or Michigan State. That task might seem impossible, but just remember that with McCollum, everything seems possible.

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