A new era of Drake men's basketball has arrived
New head coach Ben McCollum officially took the reins on Tuesday
CARL’S AUTO GROUP. THE NEW ERA OF DRAKE BASKETBALL OFFICIALLY BEGINNING TODAY. BEN MCCOLLUM HAS TAKEN THE REINS OF THE PROGRAM. HE BECOMES THE 30TH HEAD BASKETBALL COACH AT DRAKE UNIVERSITY, TAKING OVER FOR DARREN DEVRIES, WHO LEFT FOR WEST VIRGINIA AFTER MAKING THE NCAA TOURNAMENT AND BACK TO BACK YEARS AND THREE TIMES DURING HIS TENURE, MCCOLLUM HAS WORKED TO DO FILLING OUT THIS ROSTER. A LOT OF THE STARS HAVE TRANSFERRED OTHERS HAVE GRADUATED. HE’S GOT A TEAM TO BUILD WHILE ALSO ADAPTING TO THIS NEW WORLD OF THE TRANSFER PORTAL AND NIL. AS A PROGRAM, WE’RE GOING TO EMBRACE THAT. WE’RE GOING TO EMBRACE THE FACT THAT IF YOU DO HAVE A YOUNG MAN THAT DOES PERFORM AT A HIGH LEVEL, EVENTUALLY HE MAY MOVE ON TO THAT NEXT HIGHER LEVEL FOR A CERTAIN, YOU KNOW, A CERTAIN CRITERIA OF MONEY. SO, UM, BUT IN REGARDS TO, TO RECRUITING, RIGHT NOW, WE ARE FULL GO MULTIPLE VISITS, WE’RE READY TO ROCK. WE’RE GOING TO FIND GOOD PLAYERS, AND WE’RE GOING TO FIND PLAYERS THAT FIT. WE’RE GOING TO FIND TOUGH KIDS. AND AGAIN, KIDS THAT YOU GUYS WILL BE PROUD OF. THE RESUME FOR MCCOLLUM SPEAKS FOR ITSELF. LOOK AT THIS 394 AND 91 CAREER RECORD DURING HIS 15 YEARS AT NORTHWEST MISSOURI STATE, FOUR TIME DIVISION TWO NATIONAL CHAMPION AND FIVE TIME DIVISION TW
A new era of Drake men's basketball has arrived
New head coach Ben McCollum officially took the reins on Tuesday
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Updated: 8:52 PM CDT Apr 9, 2024
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An Iowa native has officially been introduced as Drake University's new head men's basketball coach.Storm Lake native Ben McCollum spent the last 15 years as the head coach at Northwest Missouri State. He was hired last month to take over for the departing Darian DeVries, one of Drake's most successful coaches. DeVries left to take the lead job at West Virginia."It's Iowa -- it's God's country, right?" McCollum said at a press conference introducing him to the Drake community on Tuesday. "Isn't that what they say? It's not what they say -- it's what I say."WATCH: Ben McCollum lands at DrakeMcCollum, who has an 80% win rate as head coach, is now the 30th head basketball coach in Drake's history.McCollum has work to do filling the roster, with most of the stars transferring and others graduating he's got a team to build while also adapting to the new world of the transfer portal and NIL.Related coverage
DES MOINES, Iowa — An Iowa native has officially been introduced as Drake University's new head men's basketball coach.
Storm Lake native Ben McCollum spent the last 15 years as the head coach at Northwest Missouri State. He was hired last month to take over for the departing Darian DeVries, one of Drake's most successful coaches. DeVries left to take the lead job at West Virginia.
"It's Iowa -- it's God's country, right?" McCollum said at a press conference introducing him to the Drake community on Tuesday. "Isn't that what they say? It's not what they say -- it's what I say."
WATCH: Ben McCollum lands at Drake
McCollum, who has an 80% win rate as head coach, is now the 30th head basketball coach in Drake's history.
McCollum has work to do filling the roster, with most of the stars transferring and others graduating he's got a team to build while also adapting to the new world of the transfer portal and NIL.
Related coverage
