2026-27 Big Ten offseason at a glance: Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa coach Ben McCollum.

Welcome to “Big Ten offseason at a glance,” a team-by-team look at the conference at the start of the summer. We’ll examine roster movement for each Big Ten roster and give an early outlook for each Big Ten program for the 2026-27 season.

Up next: Iowa (24-13 overall in 2025-26, 10-10 in Big Ten play)

Previously: Penn State, Rutgers, Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington, Wisconsin

The 2025-26 season began a new era of Iowa basketball and did so with a bang. After 15 years under Fran McCaffery, Iowa decided it was time for a change. The Hawkeyes welcomed in former Drake head coach Ben McCollum with open arms.

McCollum had proven himself at every step of his journey. He won four Division II national titles at Northwest Missouri State. He won the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles in 2025, advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament in his only season at Drake.

Could he deliver in the Big Ten? He did in year one.

Led by former Drake star Bennett Stirtz, who began his career at Northwest Missouri State under McCollum, and with a great supporting cast, Iowa made a magical run to the Elite Eight. McCollum’s star in Stirtz is gone. So is his postseason hero, Alvaro Folgueiras. Iowa will have to operate a little differently in 2026-27.

Iowa roster movement

Players returning with eligibility: Kael Combs, Cooper Koch, Cam Manyawu, Isaia Howard, Trey Thompson, Tate Sage, Trevin Jirak, Joey Matteoni

Players departing due to NBA Draft/professional route/out of eligibility: Bennett Stirtz, Tavion Banks, Brendan Hausen

Players who departed via transfer portal: Alvaro Folgueiras (to Louisville)

Players arriving via transfer portal: Ty’Reek Coleman (from Illinois State), Andrew McKeever (from Saint Mary’s)

Incoming freshmen: Ethan Harris, Jaidyn Coon

What to like about Iowa

If a team is coached by McCollum, it will be competitive. Before any players enter or leave the portal, sign as freshmen or stick around for another year, McCollum is the coach at Iowa, and that has Hawkeyes fans rejoicing.

This team will look different at the top in 2026-27.

Iowa’s top three scorers from last year in Stirtz, Banks and Folgueiras are all out the door. Despite that, the Hawkeyes return five players who averaged at least five points and 18 minutes per game, headlined by Koch and Manyawu. Lacking depth will not be a big issue. It is just a matter of who can step up.

In the Big Ten, having a strong interior presence is crucial. That is something Iowa lacked at times last year. The tallest player who consistently saw minutes was Folgueiras at 6-foot-10, but he was not a traditional big.

McCollum reached into the portal this offseason and snagged 7-foot-3, 285-pound center Andrew McKeever from Saint Mary’s to fill the void. McKeever averaged 8.2 points and 9.2 rebounds in 23.2 minutes per game last season for the Gaels. He is a redshirt junior with 53 games of experience under his belt.

Iowa now has seven players at or above 6-foot-8 on the roster.

To bolster the guard group, Iowa also added Ty’Reek Coleman, an incoming sophomore from Illinois State who averaged 10 points per game and shot 41.6 percent from three last year with the Redbirds.

What to question about Iowa

Just as many teams around the country are dealing with, Iowa must find a way to replace the production of its stars.

The Hawkeyes lost 57.4 percent of their scoring from a year ago with Stirtz, Banks and Folgueiras leaving. Stirtz took just under 30 percent of the team’s total shots and over 34 percent of the team’s 3-point shots.

Finding that go-to option will be key for Iowa. There is balance all the way down the roster. The bench can hold for their segments and guys can play their roles. In the Big Ten, especially in the top tier, you must have a star or two to carry you when needed.

In the tournament run, it was Stirtz and Folgueiras. Players like Koch and Combs stepped up along the way, but were not the top options. They will have a chance this year and the question is whether they can deliver.

Iowa’s outlook for the 2026-27 season

Here’s the Hawkeyes’ Big Ten schedule for next season:

Home: Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State, Washington

Away: Illinois, Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC

Home/Away: Nebraska, Ohio State, Wisconsin

Never count out a McCollum-coached team.

There is continuity in the culture and on the roster. There is fan belief and excitement. There is a coach who has established himself as one of the best.

In order to prove that last year was not a fluke, the Hawkeyes need to move beyond their projections. Iowa is projected as the No. 11 in the conference according to Bart Torvik’s preseason rankings. This team feels like it has a high floor and a high ceiling. On paper, Iowa should be in the middle of the pack in the conference. It has the pieces to ascend from that position.

The Hawkeyes need to hit on both of their portal adds. McKeever and Coleman must be productive. Combs, Koch and Manyawu have to take a step up from their roles last season. Iowa has all the pieces necessary to be competitive in the Big Ten. It has height and size, depth and shooting. It just has to put everything together.

Last season was all about Stirtz and the role players around him. This year will be about those role players stepping up with wild-card transfer pieces around them.

(Photo credit: Iowa Athletics)

See More: Commentary, 2026-27 Big Ten preview, Iowa Hawkeyes