By Hawk Fanatic

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Kyle Denning will join Cooper Koch as one of the few holdovers in the Iowa men’s basketball program from the Fran McCaffery coaching era.

It was announced on Thursday that Denning will remain on the Iowa staff as director of basketball operations under new head coach Ben McCollum.

“My family and I are incredibly grateful to coach McCollum for the opportunity to stay in Iowa City and work for the program that has been home to us for many years,” Denning said. “I look forward to continuing to mentor our student-athletes both on and off the court.”

Denning grew up in Cedar Falls and played as a walk-on under Fran McCaffery at Iowa before being put on scholarship as a senior.

Denning would go on to join McCaffery’s staff as a graduate student manager. Denning was then promoted to director of basketball operations and most recently had the title of director of operations/assistant coach under Fran McCaffery.

Ben McCollum was hired as the Iowa head coach shortly after Fran McCaffery was fired in mid-March after 15 seasons.

McCollum led Drake to a 31-4 record and to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past season in his only season as the Bulldog head coach.

Five of his players from Drake have since signed with Iowa, including point guard Bennett Stirtz, who was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year this past season.

Four of McCollum’s assistant coaches from Drake also have been hired to coach at Iowa.

Cooper Koch, meanwhile, is the only player from the Fran McCaffery era to stay with the Hawkeyes under McCollum. The 6-foot-8 freshman is the son of former Iowa player J.R. Koch.