By Hawk Fanatic

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The Iowa men’s basketball team advanced all the way to the NCAA Elite Eight in Ben McCollum’s first season as head coach despite not having a true post player in a significant role.

Iowa’s lack of frontline size eventually proved costly, though, as it fell to a much-bigger Illinois squad, 71-59, in the Elite Eight.

McCollum has since taking a big step in addressing Iowa’s need for help at the center position by landing a commitment from 7-foot-3 former Saint Mary’s center Andrew McKeever, who committed to Iowa on Saturday.

McKeever, who is from Livermore, California, averaged 8.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 0.8 blocks per game as a sophomore this past season.

His commitment came one day after former Illinois State guard Ty’Reek Coleman committed to Iowa.

The addition of McKeever helps to offset the loss of 6-10 forward Alvaro Folgueiras, who entered the portal shortly after the end of the 2025-26 season, and despite having played a key role in Iowa’s march to the Elite Eight.

However, Folgueiras played just slightly less than nine minutes in the loss to Illinois in the Elite Eight due mostly to what McCollum said afterwards was a matchup issue.

Iowa already has a post player on the roster in 6-11 Trevin Jirak, though he only appeared in 17 of 37 games this past season as a true freshman.

Of all the players that had a significant role for Iowa this past season, 6-9 junior forward Cam Manyawu came the closest to playing the role of a center.

But now with McKeever set to join the team, and with Jirak having a year under his belt, Manyawu should have plenty of help in the post.

McKeever has two seasons of eligibility.

Meanwhile, Iowa also announced on Saturday that all 10 players on the current roster will return next season.

There is also a chance that senior forward Tavion Banks could return next season, though he has declared for the 2026 NBA Draft and entered the transfer portal.

Banks is waiting to learn if he will be granted another season of eligibility after having played two seasons in junior college. He said on his Instagram that he would return to Iowa if he ultimately chooses to stay in college.