Iowa Must Extend Ben McCollum After Elite Eight Breakthrough

The Iowa Hawkeyes are on the brink of doing exactly what needs to be done by extending head coach Ben McCollum — and far before the end of his contract.

According to Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register, Director of Athletics Beth Goetz is working to ink McCollum to a huge extension, editing the terms of a six-year deal he originally signed in 2025.

Goetz told Tachman the new deal would increase both the length and value. The news comes after Iowa was eliminated in the Elite Eight by Illinois during the 2026 March Madness tournament.

"Ben and I have been in close contact throughout the (NCAA) tournament and feel like we’re certainly going to make some adjustments to his agreement," Goetz said. "And so, we’ll have that done here soon and feel really good about where we are.”

Mar 28, 2026; Houston, TX, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum looks on in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini during an Elite Eight game of the South Regional of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

McCollum had some massive shoes to fill after Iowa let longtime head man Fran McCaffery go.

The Hawkeyes missed the NCAA Tournament in 2024 and 2025, and then came last year's amazing run in McCollum's first season, with the first Elite Eight appearance since 1987.

While the player pool was certainly a factor, it was undeniably McCollum who made the difference in turning things around so quickly. Even with a handful of disappointing and confusing losses, Iowa was able to build through the season, and it all worked when it really mattered.

Ben McCollum An Asset to Iowa Without Bennett Stirtz

The question on everyone's minds certainly has turned to this: What will McCollum's Iowa look like without star guard Bennett Stirtz.

Stirtz and McCollum were a package deal throughout the former's NCAA career, which took both player and coach from Northwest Missouri State to Drake, and then Iowa.

Now, Stirtz is expected to be selected in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, while McCollum stays in Iowa City and looks for a new star to build around.

He's going to be a difficult player to replace, even with plenty of options to handle the scoring load coming through the transfer portal. However, if anyone can find the next Bennett Stirtz, it's McCollum, who commanded the fierce loyalty of a star player on the rise from Division II to the NCAA Tournament.

McCollum's new contract - assuming Iowa is about to extend his deal - will certainly be a pricey one, but in just the one year, he's proving to be more than worth it.

He took a team that had long lost its identity deep into March Madness and knows exactly what work lies ahead to replace a key figure on the team.

McCollum is more than deserving of an extension, and the only question will be whether or not that translates into even more success.