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News Brief

April 1, 2024DES MOINES, Ia.

McCollum accepts head coaching position at Drake

Ben McCollum will take the reins of the Drake men's basketball program.

Ben McCollum spent 15 seasons as the head men's basketball coach at Northwest. (Photo courtesy Northwest Athletics)

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After 15 seasons leading Northwest Missouri State men's basketball, Ben McCollum will fill the same role at Drake University.

The Bulldog athletic director Brian Hardin made the annoncement Monday afternoon.

McCollum, a Storm Lake, IA native, will take over a team that went 28-7 during the 2023-24 season and reached the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in program history. Former head coach Darian Devries left Drake after six seasons to be the head coach at West Virginia.

"I am honored to be a part of the Drake basketball family," McCollum said in a release from Drake. "We have seen the transition Drake basketball has made over the past few seasons to become one of the most successful mid-majors in that span. My family and I are very excited to continue that tradition with the support of the great Des Moines community. I would also like to thank President Martin and Athletics Director Brian Hardin for allowing me the opportunity to continue the success at Drake."

After a four year stint as an assistant coach at Emporia State University, McCollum accepted his first head coaching job at Northwest in 2009. Since that time, he's posted an .812 winning percentage (394-91), won four national championships, 12 MIAA regular season titles, eight conference tournament championships, and was named NABC National Coach of the Year five times. Under his watch, the Bearcats have also earned MIAA Player of the Year honors each of the last nine seasons, and 10 of the last 11.

"We are so lucky as an athletics department and University as a whole to have someone like Mac lead our basketball program for the last 15 years," Northwest athletic director Andy Peterson said in a statement. "Obviously, the success is something that stands out. It’s never been done in Division II and probably won’t ever again, but what’s even more impactful are the people that he and his family are and the young people, their families, and other fans and support that was attracted into Bearcat Nation with him leading our program."

McCollum's college playing career began at North Iowa Area Community College where he was named all-region twice. He then transferred to Northwest and played under hall of fame head coach Steve Tappmeyer.

McCollum will be inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame in May.

A national search to fill the Bearcat head men's basketball coach position will begin immediately.