REPORT: Iowa Hawkeyes Firing Longtime Head Coach Fran McCaffery

Iowa will be searching for a new head coach for the first time since 2010.

Gavin Dorsey | Mar 14, 2025

Feb 25, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Fran McCaffery reacts during the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Iowa Hawkeyes

It's the end of an era in Iowa City, as the Hawkeyes are reportedly cutting ties with men's basketball head coach Fran McCaffery.

A day after losing to Illinois in the Big Ten Tournament, ESPN Senior Writer Pete Thamel reported that Iowa was "set to dismiss" McCaffery after 15 years with the team. Rumors had been swirling for weeks that Iowa could look to go in another direction at head coach, and now they've come to fruition.

Over a decade and a half, McCaffery led the Hawkeyes to seven NCAA Tournaments and a 297-207 overall record. Iowa reached the Round of 32 four times, but never advanced to the second weekend of the Big Dance.

Iowa finished the 2024-25 season with a 17-16 (7-13 Big Ten) record that ranked 15th in the conference. Under McCaffery, the Hawkeyes had a losing record in a season just twice.

McCaffery's final game ended with him being ejected in the second half against the Fighting Illini. In his postgame press conference, McCaffery admitted he said something to the referee who gave him two technical fouls, but did not believe his words warranted an ejection.

When asked if he believed he'd be the head coach at Iowa next season, McCaffery merely said, "I do."

Prior to coaching Iowa, McCaffery spent 14 years as the head coach of Lehigh, UNC Greensboro and Siena. He made the NCAA Tournament five times, winning the MAAC with Siena in each of his final three years.

In all, McCaffery's career record is 548-384.

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Published Mar 14, 2025

GAVIN DORSEY

Gavin Dorsey is the lead writer for Northwestern Wildcats On SI and covers a handful of other teams in the On SI network. Before joining On SI in February 2025, he wrote for the Star Tribune and Inside NU while broadcasting college sports for both radio and television. Dorsey is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism, where he also studied psychology. In his free time, he enjoys running and being outdoors. Dorsey is currently a freelance writer for the Associated Press, covering Chicago area sports teams.