Iowa’s latest transfer addition is already drawing strong reviews, and the praise came straight from the top during the program’s annual media day.
Ben McCollum said point guard Ty’Reek Coleman has made a big leap since arriving on campus, giving the Hawkeyes reason to believe he can help fill the void left by Bennett Stirtz’s move to the NBA. Iowa dipped back into the transfer portal to land Coleman, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard the staff is counting on to run the offense this season the way Stirtz did a year ago.
"He's gotten exponentially better since he's gotten here," McCollum said. "He has a lot of physical tools, a lot of twitch, athleticism, can get wherever he wants to go.
Running a team and then playing, you know, in a system is the thing that he is still learning, and he's doing a much better job. I thought he had a really good scrimmage."
Coleman’s first college season at Illinois State showed why Iowa was interested. He averaged 10 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 50.4% from the field and 41.6% from 3-point range.
McCollum also pointed to Coleman’s work on the defensive end, saying the guard has taken steps in learning the team’s structure there as well.
"Defensively, he can be a problem. Again, you have to get him into the defensive system, defensive program, and he's done a much better job of that.
We're definitely pleased with him. Personality, attitude, toughness, all those things, that all checks out at a high level," McCollum said.
If Coleman develops into one of Iowa’s main options, the Hawkeyes could be in line for another significant March run. Last season, Iowa went 24-13 overall and 10-10 in Big Ten play before reaching the Elite Eight for the first time in 39 years.
Iowa will get its first public look at the new group on Oct. 27, when it faces Illinois-Springfield in an exhibition at Xtream Arena in Coralville. The 2026-27 season opener follows on Nov. 3, when the Hawkeyes host Lipscomb at 7:30 p.m. CT at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a game set for the Big Ten Network.
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