Bio
Ben Hansen serves as the director of football administration and engagement at the University of Iowa after holding the position of assistant director of football operations for nine years. Hansen previously worked with the Iowa defensive line as a student assistant (2009-2011).
Iowa posted an 8-5 record in 2022, concluding the season with a 21-0 win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl and wins in five of its final six games. Iowa’s streak of 10 straight bowl invitations is the longest in school history and the Hawkeyes have been in the Top 25 final rankings in four of the last five seasons. Iowa’s streak of 10 straight winning seasons ranks 10th best in the nation.
The Hawkeyes won 10 games in 2021, winning the Big Ten’s West Division title and advancing to the conference championship game. Iowa concluded the season with an appearance in the Vrbo Citrus Bowl and was ranked 23rd in the final national rankings.
Iowa opened the 2021 season with six straight wins and closed the regular season with four straight victories to earn the West Division title and a berth in the league championship game for the second time since 2015. Iowa has been in the final national rankings in each of the past four seasons and has earned 19 conference wins in the past three seasons, Iowa’s highest three-year conference win total since 2002-04.
Following back-to-back narrow losses to open the 2020 season, Iowa won six straight games, all in Big Ten play, to complete the regular season. The Hawkeyes were ranked 15th in the final CFP rankings and coaches poll, and 16th by the Associated Press.
The Hawkeyes concluded the 2019 campaign with a 10-3 record following a 49-24 win over No. 22 Southern California in the Holiday Bowl. The three losses were all to ranked opponents by a combined 14 points. The Hawkeyes were 4-1 in trophy games for the third straight season.
Iowa completed the 2018 season with a 9-4 mark and a final ranking of 25th in the Associated Press. The Hawkeyes earned a 27-22 Outback Bowl win over No. 18 Mississippi State to close the season with three straight wins. The four losses came by a total of 23 points and all were decided in the final minutes of play. Iowa tied for second in the Big Ten West Division.
The Hawkeyes posted a perfect 12-0 regular season record in 2015, winning the West Division of the Big Ten Conference. Iowa participated in the 2016 Rose Bowl Game and the 2015 Big Ten Championship and ended the season in the top 10 in the final national rankings.
Iowa won 47 games from 2015-19, the highest total in school history over any five-year period, and a total that ranked ninth nationally. Iowa won its final four games in 2019 and ranked 15th in the final Associated Press and coaches polls.
Iowa’s most recent bowl game invitations include the 2022 Music City Bowl, 2022 Citrus Bowl, 2020 Music City Bowl, 2019 Holiday Bowl, 2019 Outback Bowl, 2017 Outback Bowl, 2016 Rose Bowl Game, 2015 TaxSlayer Bowl and 2014 Outback Bowl. The Hawkeyes have ranked in the final top 10 of both major polls five times in the past 21 seasons.
Iowa has appeared in 12 January bowl games since 2001 and has recorded January bowl wins over Florida (2004 Outback), Louisiana State (2005 Capital One), South Carolina (2009 Outback), Georgia Tech (2010 Orange) and Mississippi State (2019 Outback).
Iowa has won 175 games over the past 21 seasons, including 108 Big Ten games. Along with the 2021 and 2015 division titles, the Hawkeyes earned a share of the Big Ten title in both 2002 and 2004 and tied for second in 2009. Iowa has finished in the Big Ten’s first division in 20 of the past 22 years.
Hansen served on the 2019 Teamworks Football Leadership Committee. He also served on the 2016 and 2019 Rose Bowl Advisory Committee following Iowa’s appearance in the Rose Bowl following the 2015 Big Ten championship game.
Prior to rejoining the Iowa program, Hansen served as a graduate teaching assistant while working towards his master’s degree at the University of Tennessee. He served as a board member for Partners In Sports while earning his master’s degree in sport management from Tennessee in 2013.
Hansen also served as an intern at Stanford University with facilities, operations, and event management within the Cardinal Athletic Department.
In his previous stint with the Iowa football program, Hansen worked with the defensive line in 2009 and 2010, as the Hawkeyes compiled a two-year record of 19-7. Iowa won the Orange Bowl following the 2009 season and the Insight Bowl following the 2010 campaign, defeating a ranked opponent in both contests.
Hansen also served as a youth basketball and football coach through the Mercer Aquatic Center in Iowa City. He earned his bachelor’s degree in recreation management from Iowa in 2010.
Hansen is a native of Hampton, Iowa, and graduated from Hampton-Dumont High School. As a prep he lettered in football, basketball and track.
Hansen was born Feb. 5, 1988, in Marshalltown, Iowa. He and his wife, Emily, have three sons, Baylor, Shep, and Graham.