Iowa men's basketball coach Ben McCollum shut down speculation about his future Friday, confirming he will return to the Hawkeyes for the 2026-27 season. McCollum, who has led Iowa to the Elite Eight for the first time in 39 years, dismissed rumors linking him to the North Carolina coaching vacancy as "all lies."

The 39-year-old McCollum has built remarkable success in just three years at three different schools. He guided 11-seed Drake to an NCAA tournament win last season before taking Iowa further. With star Bennett Stirtz following him from previous programs, McCollum has created a winning culture at Iowa that has propelled the team toward its first Final Four appearance since 1980.

McCollum expressed admiration for Iowa football coach Kirk Ferentz's 27-year tenure with the program. When asked about comparisons to Indiana's Curt Cignetti, McCollum stated, "I'm a Kirk guy." His decision to stay comes amid coaching changes at several major programs, including North Carolina and potential retirement discussions at Kansas.