Iowa AD Reveals Long-Term Plan For Men's Basketball Program

Beth Goetz, the Iowa Hawkeyes athletic director, recently spoke about the state of the men's basketball program.

Bringing in Ben McCollum may have single-handedly saved a team that could've been at the bottom of the B1G for quite some time.

McCollum's squad has yet to lock themselves into this year's NCAA Tournament, but they have a relatively impressive resume though they have a pair of Top 10 opponents left to face.

Regardless, Iowa knows they'll be without senior guard Bennett Stirtz next season. He was a solid foundation of McCollum's coaching career, but now he'll have to coach without him seemingly for the first time in forever.

Goetz on Re-Building Iowa's MBB Program

Beth Goetz on where Iowa men’s basketball stands in terms of roster-building funds: “We’re not looking to put together a roster that’s going to have a $17 million line item on it. That’s not, I think, who we are going to be here at Iowa. But do we need to be in a competitive…
— Tyler Tachman (@Tyler_T15) March 3, 2026

"We’re not looking to put together a roster that’s going to have a $17 million line item on it. That’s not, I think, who we are going to be here at Iowa," she said. "But do we need to be in a competitive space where he (Ben McCollum) can go and pick up the pieces that he needs to be successful? Absolutely.”

NIL has taken over college sports and is one of the main reasons so many coaches are trying to get out. As for McCollum, he embraces it. Look no further than 70-year old Kirk Ferentz who continues to use the transfer portal and NIL to his advantage with the football program.

Iowa's men's basketball team finally reached a sell out against Purdue, on Valentines Day, no less. McCollum has wanted this fanbase to buy back into the program, and he's slowly starting to win them over once again. That said, it's going to take years of consistency to get this program where they need to be.

What is Iowa Going to be?

Iowa HC Ben McCollu — Iowa head coach Ben McCollum celebrates after Iowa fans stormed the court following the Hawkeyes win over the Nebraska Cornhuskers 57-52 Feb. 17, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. | Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Iowa isn't going to have a $17 million price tag, what exactly is the destination from here? Bringing in players through the portal nowadays is only going to be beneficial if you have something to offer them longterm. There's seemingly no loyalty anymore, and that's something McCollum is going to have to learn the hard way.

He built a foundation with this program via all the Drake transfers, but now it's up to him to make sure this team stays relevant. One strong year will be forgotten in no time if Goetz and McCollum don't put together a plan that sees Iowa win in the portal and be competitive enough in the realm of NIL.

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