DES MOINES, Iowa — Drake University formally introduced Ben McCollum as the new men's basketball coach on Tuesday, ushering in a new era following the departure of Darian DeVries.
The former head coach of Northwest Missouri State is a Storm Lake native and said he is ready for the challenges of recruiting and coaching in the Missouri Valley Conference.
"I've always felt like the jump to Division I is something that from a challenge perspective that I wanted to make. But we've always kept the first thing first. And the reason we got into college coaching is to make a difference on people's lives and the communities surrounding it," McCollum said.
In his 15 seasons with the Bearcats, McCollum totaled a 394-91 record and four NCAA Division II national championships.
"In every recruiting pitch that we give, it's 'Can we make you better because you played basketball at this institution?' And that will be the same here at Drake," the head coach added Tuesday.
McCollum will have to hit the ground running, with several Bulldogs already entering their name in the transfer portal.