The Iowa Hawkeyes have undergone a significant roster shake-up this offseason following the dismissal of longtime head coach Fran McCaffery, which led to a wave of player departures. New head coach Ben McCollum has taken on the challenge head-on.
McCollum has been highly active in the transfer portal, frequently turning to his former team, the Drake Bulldogs, to rebuild Iowa’s roster.
This week, the Hawkeyes announced the addition of yet another former Drake player—forward Joey Matteoni—via social media. Although Matteoni redshirted his freshman year and has yet to appear in a college game, he’s expected to compete for playing time under McCollum in the upcoming 2025–26 season.
“Joey brings versatility—he can initiate the offense, score around the rim, and shoot. He’ll give us valuable depth in the post,” McCollum told Josh Helmer of Hawkeyes Wire.
Matteoni is now the sixth former Drake player to follow McCollum to Iowa, joining Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year Bennett Stirtz, as well as Kael Combs, Cam Manyawu, Isaia Howard, and Tavion Banks.
McCollum is coming off a highly successful season at Drake, where he led the Bulldogs to a 31–4 record and a win in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Hawkeyes are counting on McCollum to revitalize the program after a lackluster 17–16 campaign last season, which included a 7–13 record in Big Ten play and ultimately led to McCaffery’s departure after 15 years.
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