DES MOINES, Iowa — Spring break is now over for the Drake University campus, as is the NCAA Tournament run for the Bulldog men’s basketball team.

On Monday morning, Drake fans learned their one-year head coach signed on as the head coach for the Iowa Hawkeye men’s basketball team.

Coach Ben McCollum won 31 games with the Drake Bulldog men, which is a school record.

“It’s unfortunate for Drake to lose another coach after the incredible season that he had,” said Ethan Jermain, a Drake student from Appleton, WI. “I’m very supportive of him. I think it’s encouraging to see him have a really good season and then go from D2 to a Big Ten powerhouse.”

“You know a year in a crazy record and the fact that he just came to us and immediately like brought us to the second round after like 54 years,” said Owen Tyr, a student from the Chicago area. “Now, he’s just getting kind of eaten by a bigger school, just feels very bad.”

“Definitely unsettling, but not surprising,” said Sophie Destefanis, a Drake student from Milwaukee. “I mean he’s had some good programs he’s built so going from D2 to a small D1 makes sense that now he’s gonna go to a big D1 school.”

Some students were also concerned about Drake Athletic Director Brian Hardin and his success in hiring coaches and it leading to another school luring him away too.

“He’s actually not a great guy, and other colleges don’t look at him,” said Padon Drake from Granger in jest. “Don’t take him. He’s not good enough. We need him here.”

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