Ben McCollum’s first season at Iowa already gave the Hawkeyes plenty to smile about, and now the conversation shifts to who helps keep that momentum rolling in 2026-27. The biggest transfer addition in that picture is Andrew McKeever, a 7-1 center who arrives from Saint Mary’s with a chance to matter right away.
Iowa’s run last season ended with a 9th place finish in the Big Ten, but the Hawkeyes still found their way into the Big Dance, knocked off defending champion Florida, and pushed all the way to the Elite Eight. That kind of finish has McCollum looking at a roster with real continuity.
Bennett Stirtz’s career is over and he’s headed to the NBA, Tavion Banks has graduated, and Alvaro Folgueiras found a new landing spot. Even so, most of the core remains intact, including Kael Combs, Cooper Koch, Cam Manyawu, and Tate Sage, all of whom averaged at least 6 points per game last season.
The new faces are limited, but Iowa did add some useful pieces. Four-star forward Ethan Harris came in from Washington, local guard Jaidyn Coon joined the mix, and Ty’Reek Coleman brings transfer upside after flashing real promise as a freshman at Illinois State. Still, McKeever is the one who stands out most.
A native of Livermore, California, McKeever spent his early college years at Saint Mary’s, where he redshirted, then played sparingly before earning a much bigger role as a junior. Last season he averaged 8.2 points and 9.2 rebounds and started a number of games for the Gaels. He was also the WCC’s best rebounder last season.
For Iowa, that matters. The Hawkeyes didn’t lose a ton of frontcourt talent, but McKeever gives them a clear answer inside and adds the kind of size and strength teams were chasing all offseason. He should immediately be Iowa’s best rebounder, and he also brings defensive value after Folgueiras’ departure.
With Stirtz gone, there will be more offense to distribute and more minutes up for grabs. McKeever’s role on that end isn’t fully defined yet, but it’s hard to see him not becoming a major piece in the frontcourt. The real question is how quickly he adapts from the WCC to the Big Ten.
In Other News...
Tavion Banks Just Put Iowas Frontcourt Situation Back In Play
A Colorado federal judges ruling this week has opened the door for a new round of roster math across college basketball, and Iowa is already feeling the ripple effects in its frontcourt. The injunction requires the NCAA to grant an extra year of eligibility to players from the 2022 high school class who finished their eligibility in the 2025-26 season, which puts Tavion Banks in position to come back for one more year after what had seemed like the end of his college run.
Banks has shown appreciation for Iowa and coach Ben McCollum, but his future now sits in a more complicated place than it did a few days ago. His recruitment is open, and the ruling has effectively put his next move back on the table, leaving the Hawkeyes with another roster decision to monitor as the offseason unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Still Has One Linebacker Battle Fans Cannot Ignore
One of Iowas quiet offseason questions still carries plenty of weight heading toward the 2026 season: who lines up next to Jayden Montgomery at linebacker? Montgomery looks set for a starting role, but the Hawkeyes are still sorting out the other spot, and that competition has the feel of something that could shape how the defense comes together once camp gets going.
Cam Buffington has put himself in the conversation with a strong spring, while Preston Ries, Landyn Van Kekerix and Derek Weisskopf remain viable options as the picture develops. Montgomery has also made clear this could be more fluid than a simple two-man race, with multiple players potentially seeing the field depending on the defensive scheme and other factors, which leaves Iowa with a decision that may not be fully settled anytime soon. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Just Framed Iowas 2025 Season In A Painful Way
Curt Cignetti did Iowa a favor and a disservice at the same time when he called the Hawkeyes one of the most underrated teams in the country last season. It was a compliment rooted in reality, because Iowa finished 9-4, picked up major individual recognition with Logan Jones making the All-Big Ten first team, and saw its offensive line take home the Joe Moore Award. It was also a reminder that this program spent much of the year living on the edge, with close losses to ranked opponents and the kind of uneven injury luck that can tilt a season.
Mark Gronowskis injury loomed over that run, and it is part of why the conversation around Iowa now feels a little uneasy despite the hardware and respect that came in 2025. The Hawkeyes head into 2026 with only 10 returning starters and a schedule that offers little margin for error, which makes Cignettis framing sting a bit more than it should. Iowa was better than many people realized last fall, but repeating that formula may be a much tougher ask. [Read more 🡒]