Iowa season preview: Elite Eight team rebuilds its frontcourt

Where last season ended

Iowa finished 24-13 overall and 10-10 in Big Ten play, which placed the Hawkeyes ninth in the conference. Iowa beat Maryland 75-64 in the second round of the Big Ten tournament. As the No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament, Iowa lost 71-59 to Illinois in the Elite Eight in Houston. Ben McCollum is the head coach.

Who is gone

Bennett Stirtz was selected in the first round of the NBA draft. Brendan Hausen is also gone. Tavion Banks is attempting to earn a fifth year of eligibility elsewhere and will not be at Iowa. Alvaro Folgueiras transferred to Louisville.

Who is back

Cam Manyawu, a forward listed at 6-9 and 255 pounds and in his fourth year of eligibility, is the main returning frontcourt piece. Trevin Jirak, a center listed at 6-11 and 249 pounds, and Trey Thompson, a forward listed at 6-8 and 228 pounds, return as second-year players. Tate Sage (guard), Joey Matteoni (forward), Isaia Howard, and Cooper Koch also return on the 2026-27 roster.

McCollum said at media day on October 12 that Manyawu's role will change because of the new size on the roster. That comment describes a planned adjustment, not a result.

Who is new

Andrew McKeever, a 7-3 center who transferred from Saint Mary's and is listed in his fourth year, is the biggest addition. Ty'Reek Coleman, a second-year guard from Illinois State, arrives with experience at a second program. The freshman class is listed below.

Incoming freshmen

Iowa adds two freshmen. Both are listed as first-years on the 2026-27 roster.

• Ethan Harris, guard, 6-8, Camas High School, Camas, Wash. (No. 105 nationally on the 247Sports Iowa commits list)
• Jaidyn Coon, guard/forward, 6-6, Storm Lake High School, Storm Lake, Iowa (No. 122 nationally on the 247Sports Iowa commits list)

The number to know

The number is KenPom net rating, also called adjusted efficiency margin. It is points scored minus points allowed per 100 possessions, adjusted for opponent strength and pace. Iowa finished the 2025-26 season at +23.39, 22nd among Division I teams in KenPom's final ratings. Michigan led the country at +39.70, and Illinois was fifth at +33.66.

The figure covers the full 2025-26 season, including the late-season run that carried Iowa to the Elite Eight. It does not show how the frontcourt changes after Stirtz and Banks left. It also does not show the effect of McKeever's arrival, because no games have been played with this roster. KenPom's luck column is separate and not part of this number.

Questions for this season

Who runs the offense without Stirtz? Iowa's returners and newcomers will split the ball-handling and shot-making work, and the early games should show the answer.

How does the frontcourt fit together? McKeever gives Iowa a seven-footer, and Manyawu's role may move as a result. The minutes and matchups in the first month will show whether the size helps.

Can the first-year players contribute early? Ethan Harris and Jaidyn Coon are both first-year players, and McCollum has described their roles in public. Their development will matter more than any single preseason list.

Our early read

Our tier is Tournament team (5th-9th), and our projected conference finish is eighth. Iowa's 2025-26 margin was well above the middle of the league, and it still has eight returners on the roster. Losing its first-round guard and a fifth-year player leaves real gaps. The projection assumes the returners and McKeever can cover those gaps without a long adjustment period.