Fran McCaffery

CAREER QUICK FACTS:

• Years as collegiate coach: 42
• Years as a head coach: 28
• Winning seasons: 23
• First-division finishes: 23
• Postseason appearances: 17
• 20-win seasons: 14
• Conference Tournament Championships: 6
• Consensus All-Americans: 7
• National Players of the Year: 2
• Academic All-Americans: 3

For 14 years, University of Iowa head men’s basketball coach Fran McCaffery has maintained enthusiasm and excitement surrounding the Hawkeye basketball program. After more than two decades as a head coach, he has coached his teams to 12 NCAA Tournaments, six conference tournament championships from four different leagues, including the Big Ten, with an overall record of 531-368 (.591). McCaffery recorded his 500th career win as a collegiate head coach on Dec. 8, 2022, and became the winningest head coach in Iowa history with a road win at Minnesota on Jan. 15, 2024.

McCaffery, who is the Big Ten’s third longest tenured head coach behind Michigan State’s Tom Izzo and Matt Painter of Purdue, has an Iowa record 280 career victories, including a record 136 Big Ten wins.

The positive steps McCaffery has taken the Iowa men’s basketball program are par-for-the-course for a coach who has demonstrated his ability to rebuild programs. McCaffery joined Hall of Fame coaches Rick Pitino, Bob Huggins, Eddie Sutton and Lefty Driesell as the only Division I coaches to lead teams to conference tournament titles in four or more different leagues. McCaffery is also one of just 14 Division I head coaches to take at least four different programs to the NCAA Tournament.

McCaffery, 64, was named the University of Iowa’s 22nd head men’s basketball coach on March 29, 2010. The Philadelphia native has accumulated 23 upper division conference finishes. McCaffery has posted 14 seasons of 20 wins or more as a head coach, including 12 in the last 18 years. McCaffery and the Hawkeyes have placed fifth or better in the Big Ten standings seven of the last 10 seasons, including third place finishes in 2015, 2016 and 2021.

Since taking over the program in 2010, the Hawkeyes have vaulted back to national prominence. Iowa has appeared in a postseason tournament 11 of the last 12 completed seasons (7 NCAA, 4 NIT). McCaffery guided the Hawkeyes to seven of the last 10 NCAA Tournaments (2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023) and reached the NIT championship game in 2013.

Over the last five seasons, Iowa combined to win 106 games, finished fifth place or better in the Big Ten standings four times, won a Big Ten Tournament title (2022), competed in three NCAA Tournaments and won 21 games over AP Top 25 opponents.

McCaffery has recruited and coached a consensus All-American four of the last nine seasons.

Luka Garza, the most decorated men’s basketball player in Iowa history, was a two-time Big Ten and National Player of the Year, Pete Newell Big Man of the Year, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year, and unanimous consensus first-team All-American. He rewrote Iowa’s record book earning consensus 2021 National Player of the Year laurels, including winning the prestigious Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooden Award and Oscar Robertson Trophy. Garza broke Iowa’s career (2,306) and single-season (747) scoring records and is the only Big Ten player to amass more than 2,250 points, 900 rebounds, 150 blocks and 100 3-pointers.

One year later in 2022, Keegan Murray earned consensus first-team All-America laurels, was the Karl Malone Power Forward of the Year and was a finalist for both the Naismith and Wooden National Player of the Year awards. In the process of posting the best season by an underclassman in program history, Murray surpassed Garza’s single season scoring record with 822 points.

In 2023, Kris Murray was voted a consensus third-team All-American, unanimous first-team all-conference by the media, a semifinalist for the Wooden and Naismith and a finalist for the Malone award. Murray was the only Division I player to average 20+ points, 7+ rebounds, 1+ block and make 65+ 3-pointers in 2023.

In 2016, Jarrod Uthoff earned second-team All-America honors. He also was named the Men’s Basketball Division I Academic All-American of the Year, becoming the first Iowa men’s basketball player to be named a consensus and Academic All-American of the Year.

After going 117 years without a player reaching 700 points in a single season, Garza and Murray exceeded that milestone three consecutive seasons (2020-22). The Hawkeyes had the Big Ten scoring champion three straight years – a feat that had not been accomplished by any team in the league in more than 50 years. Keegan Murray’s 23.5 points per game average ranked fifth nationally and first among players from a major conference.

Iowa was ranked as high as No. 3 nationally during the 2016 and 2021 seasons. The Hawkeyes were ranked for 16 consecutive weeks in 2019, the final nine weeks of the 2020 season, went wire-to-wire in 2021 in the top 15 of the AP Poll for the first time since the 1989 campaign and was ranked No. 16 in the final poll in 2022.

During the 2023 and 2024 seasons, Iowa won 19 games in both campaigns, including 10 Big Ten victories. It was the team’s record sixth straight 10+ Big Ten-win season. Iowa played in the NCAA Tournament in 2023 and advanced to the second round of the NIT in 2024.

Owen Freeman became the second Hawkeye all-time to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors (and the first in 30 years). Freeman won nine Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors during the course of the season – the second-most by any freshman in league history.

In 2022, the Hawkeyes won four games in four days to capture the Big Ten Tournament title, their third in program history, which ties as third most in the league. Iowa finished fourth in the conference standings and won 26 games; the second highest single season win total in program history.

In 2021, Iowa won 14 Big Ten regular season games, its highest total since 1987. The Hawkeyes earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, tying its highest ever seed in tournament history (No. 2 in 1987).

McCaffery’s up-tempo style of play is a favorite among his players. Iowa led the Big Ten in scoring in five straight seasons before finishing second in 2024. The team was fifth nationally in both 2021 and 2022. Iowa averaged more than 83 points in consecutive seasons (2021 & 2022) for the first time in 27 years. Additionally, Iowa was tops in Division I in assist-to-turnover ratio in 2021 (2.0) and 2022 (1.74).

In 2020, McCaffery orchestrated one of his best coaching jobs during his Iowa tenure. Working with a depleted team due to injuries and redshirts, he led the nationally ranked Hawkeyes to 20 regular season wins and a likely invitation to the NCAA Tournament, if not for the cancellation of the postseason due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

McCaffery is a proven recruiter and continues to create interest with recruits on a national level due to his tireless work ethic. He has recruited and coached an All-American six of the last nine seasons: Jarrod Uthoff (2016), Peter Jok (2017), Garza (2020 & 2021), Keegan Murray (2022) and Kris Murray (2023). He has mentored an All-Big Ten honoree(s) 12 of the last 13 years, including first-team selections eight of the last 11 seasons: Devyn Marble (2014), Aaron White (2015), Uthoff (2016), Jok (2017), Garza (2020 & 2021), Keegan Murray (2022) and Kris Murray (2023).

He also developed Gabriel Olaseni (2015), Nicholas Baer (2017) and Payton Sandfort (2023) to Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year honors. Garza became the first Hawkeye in 52 years to earn Big Ten Player of the Year honors, achieving the distinction twice (2020 & 2021) and first Hawkeye in 68 years to earn consensus first-team All-America recognition.

Joe Wieskamp was voted to the All-Big Ten second team in 2021 and third team in 2020, while CJ Fredrick (2020), Keegan Murray (2021) and Freeman (2024) became the seventh eighth and ninth players, respectively, during McCaffery’s tenure to be voted to the All-Big Ten Freshman Team. Garza and Wieskamp were the fifth highest scoring duo in Division I both in 2020 and 2021, averaging 37.9 points per game in 2020 and 38.9 in 2021. Garza and Wieskamp are the second-highest scoring duo in program history.

Six years ago, the Hawkeyes amassed 23 victories and won an NCAA Tournament game for the third time in five seasons. The Hawkeyes started 2018-19 strong with McCaffery guiding the team to an undefeated nonconference record – a feat that had not been accomplished in 32 years. Iowa recorded five wins over ranked opponents with only one senior, a total that matched the most by an Iowa team in 13 seasons. McCaffery coached four Hawkeyes to postseason recognition in 2018-19: Tyler Cook earned second-team All-Big Ten laurels, Bohannon was named to third-team all-conference, Garza was an honorable mention selection, while Wieskamp was named to the All-Freshman Team. Bohannon finished his Hawkeye career as the program leader in career assists (704), 3-pointers (455), free throw percentage (.887) and games played (179) and 3-pointers made in a game (10).

Iowa has averaged 21 wins over the last 12 seasons, with its 213 victories between 2013-22 being the most over a 10-year span since 1980-89 (218). McCaffery is the first head coach to lead Iowa to 18 or more victories in six straight seasons (2012-17), while winning 20 games or more eight of the last 12 years.

The past 14 years, McCaffery coached 22 Hawkeyes to professional contracts, including Keegan Murray, Kris Murray, Joe Wieskamp and Garza. Keegan Murray was selected with the fourth overall selection of the 2022 NBA Draft, the highest a Hawkeye has ever been picked, and Kris Murray was taken with the 23rd pick of the 2023 NBA Draft. It was the second time in program history that Iowa had first round picks in consecutive years. Wieskamp and Garza were both selected in the 2021 NBA Draft.

McCaffery recruited and coached Aaron White to an illustrious Hawkeye career. White became the first Iowa player to score 1,800 points and collect 900 rebounds, while also leading the team in rebounding all four years. He ranks third in career scoring (1,859) and fourth in rebounding (901). He made more free throws than any other Big Ten player in 50 years, ranking third all-time in Big Ten annals with 618.

McCaffery had another marvelous coaching job in 2017, working with one of the youngest teams in the country and nearly receiving a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Iowa tied for fifth in the Big Ten and was the first team out of the field. Jok led the team, becoming Iowa’s fifth Big Ten scoring champion in school history, averaging 19.9 points per game. For half the season, Jok started alongside four rookies — Iowa’s youngest starting lineup in school history. Undaunted, McCaffery and the Hawkeyes progressed as the season went on, ultimately winning four games against ranked teams, including No. 21 Wisconsin and No. 24 Maryland on the road.

In addition to leading the Big Ten in scoring, Jok established new school free throw records in single-game makes (22) and single-season accuracy (.911). Freshman Cordell Pemsl broke the school’s single-season field goal percentage mark (.617), while Bohannon rewrote the Iowa freshman record books in assists (175), 3-pointers (89), and double-doubles in points and assists (3).

In 2018, a trio of underclassmen led the squad in sophomores Cook and Bohannon, and freshman Garza. Cook joined Greg Stokes as the only Hawkeyes to total more than 500 points and 200 rebounds their sophomore season, while newcomer Garza became just the fourth Hawkeye rookie in program history to score 400 points. Bohannon became the sixth Hawkeye in program history to total more than 400 points and 150 assists in a season and is the only Division I player to total more than 150 assists and 80 3-pointers as a freshman and sophomore over the last 25 years.

In 2016, McCaffery coached an Iowa team to heights that had not been seen in Iowa City in decades. The Hawkeyes were nationally ranked the final 12 weeks of the season, including ascending as high as No. 3 — its highest ranking since 1987. Iowa won five games over AP Top-25 teams. The Hawkeyes recorded back-to-back 12-win seasons in Big Ten play for just the third time in school history (1981-82 and 1987-88) and won an NCAA Tournament game in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1996-97. Additionally, Iowa swept Michigan, Purdue, and Michigan State (6-0) for the first time since 1954. Uthoff and Jok combined to average 35 points per game, Iowa’s third-highest scoring duo the last 40 seasons.

Individually, Uthoff became the fifth consensus All-American in program history. Jok’s game erupted garnering second-team all-conference honors as a junior.

In 2015, Iowa’s seven true road victories were the most by a Hawkeye team since 1987. And in the NCAA Tournament, McCaffery and the Hawkeyes posted the largest margin of victory ever in a 7/10 match-up, beating 10th-seeded Davidson, 83-52, in the second round. The 31-point win was the largest by any Hawkeye team in a postseason game.

McCaffery and the Hawkeyes have made Carver-Hawkeye Arena one of the most feared arenas to play in nationally. Fans have embraced McCaffery and his team’s style of play, with attendance increasing by more than 50 percent since 2010. The Hawkeyes won a school-record 18 home contests in 2013. Iowa won 13 consecutive home contests in 2019-20, its second-longest win streak inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena in a single season. The Hawkeyes have won 13 or more home games in each of the last six seasons (2019-24).

Under McCaffery’s direction, Iowa won 20 or more games four straight seasons (2013-16), the program’s longest streak in 15 years. The Hawkeyes accumulated 25 victories in 2013, which equal the second-most win total in school history (20 in 2014, 23 in 2019, 22 in 2015, and 22 in 2016).

McCaffery has served as head coach at four institutions: Iowa, Siena, UNC-Greensboro and Lehigh. The four teams had a combined record of 35-84 (.204) the season prior to his arrival. By year three, they had a total record of 89-45 (.664).

McCaffery came to Iowa following a five-year stint at Siena where he led the program to the best stretch in its 70-year history. It earned him entry into the Siena Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. He led the Saints on an incredible run that ended with three straight conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. In so doing, Siena became the only program in the country to win its regular season and postseason title from 2008-10.

McCaffery’s Saints owned a 112-51 record in his five years with the program. After orchestrating the fifth greatest turnaround in Division I play his first year, McCaffery led Siena to a 20-win season and a MAAC Championship game appearance in his second season. In 2007-08, Siena took its biggest step forward under his direction, earning the MAAC regular-season and tournament championship, as well as an NCAA Tournament first-round win over Vanderbilt. In 2008-09, the Siena program enjoyed unprecedented success. Siena won the regular-season title by equaling a program record with 27 wins before capturing the tournament crown. The Saints went on to defeat Ohio State in double overtime in one of the tournament’s most exciting games.

In 2010, McCaffery led Siena to its fourth straight 20-win season, something never before achieved in program history. Siena ran away with the league title, clinching the No. 1 seed in the tournament and ultimately knocking off Fairfield in the MAAC title game.

The 2009 MAAC Coach of the Year is the third-winningest coach, by percentage, in league history (68-22, .756). He is the only coach to guide a MAAC program to two NCAA Tournament wins.

The 2008 season will also go down as one of the most memorable in Siena basketball history. McCaffery became just the 31st coach to take three different programs to the “Big Dance”, and he was the first to do so with three programs from one-bid leagues (conference’s that sent just one team the year his program advanced). Siena pounded Rider in the MAAC title game on its home floor to earn the MAAC’s automatic bid. Less than two weeks later, McCaffery put together the perfect game plan and Siena led from start-to-finish in a triumph over Vanderbilt. Many considered the victory the greatest in school history, challenged at the time only by the program’s 1989 upset of Stanford in the NCAA First Round.

Siena won 20 games in McCaffery’s second season (2007) and tied for third place in the MAAC with a 12-6 finish. McCaffery’s Saints were the highest scoring team in the league, and they peaked at the right time, winning seven of their last eight regular-season games and advancing to play for the league championship.

McCaffery’s first recruit — senior Kenny Hasbrouck — graduated as the most important player in program history. He was named MAAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman, MAAC second team and All-Tournament team as a sophomore, CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Player of the Year, MAAC first team and MAAC Tournament MVP as a junior and MAAC Player of the Year, MAAC Tournament MVP, NABC All-District and MAAC first team as a senior.

His second class is widely regarded as the best in program history. Edwin Ubiles, Alex Franklin and Ronald Moore finished their four-year careers with a 97-38 (.719) overall record, three MAAC Championships in four title game appearances, three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances and two NCAA Tournament first round victories. Ubiles was a two-time MAAC first team, NABC All District first team and MAAC Tournament team selection and the 2007 MAAC co-Rookie of the Year. Franklin, a two-time NABC All District selection, earned 2008 and 2009 MAAC second team and MAAC Tournament team honors. He won the 2010 MAAC Player of the Year award (Siena’s second straight) and the 2010 MAAC Tournament MVP. Moore, the pulse of the team, earned 2009 MAAC second team and 2010 MAAC first team honors as well as a spot on the 2010 MAAC Tournament team. He became the MAAC’s all-time assists leader in the 2010 MAAC Championship game.

In total, four Saints were named to either the first or second All-MAAC team in 2009, newcomer Kyle Downey was an All-Rookie selection and Clarence Jackson was named MAAC Sixth Man of the Year.

McCaffery took over at Siena from UNC-Greensboro, where he posted a 90-87 record in six seasons. In his first year at the helm, Greensboro placed third in the North Division. He guided the Spartans to the 18th-best improved record among NCAA Division I teams.

In McCaffery’s second season, he guided the Spartans to unprecedented heights with a 19-12 record and the 2001 SoCon Tournament Championship. The Spartans defeated Chattanooga in the finals and received the SoCon’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. The following year (2001-02), McCaffery led the Spartans to their first 20-win season since joining the conference. It marked the first time the program claimed a share of the SoCon North Division title as well. After falling to eventual tournament champion Davidson in the conference tournament semifinals, the Spartans were awarded a berth into the 2002 NIT.

In his final year in Greensboro, McCaffery brought the Spartans to the brink of the NCAA Tournament before a SoCon Championship game loss to Chattanooga. He led UNCG to a victory over Davidson in the semifinals, defeating a team that had been 16-0 in conference play. A big part of that success was SoCon Freshman of the Year Kyle Hines.

McCaffery spent the 11 years prior to his arrival at Greensboro at Notre Dame as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, working on the staffs of Richard “Digger” Phelps and John MacLeod.

Among the players he recruited to play for Notre Dame were Pat Garrity, Academic All-American of the Year in 1998, and Troy Murphy, the Big East Player of the Year in 2000 and an eventual first-round NBA draft pick. Garrity was also a first-round NBA draft pick and the Big East Player of the Year in 1997. In addition to Murphy and Garrity, McCaffery was involved in recruiting NBA First Round picks LaPhonso Ellis (1992 Draft, No. 5 Denver), Monty Williams (1994 Draft, No. 24 New York) and Ryan Humphrey (2002 Draft, No. 19-Utah Jazz).

He helped the Irish to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1989 and 1990. Notre Dame reached the NIT finals in 1992 and advanced to the quarterfinals in 1997.

At 26, McCaffery was the nation’s youngest Division I head coach when he was hired on Sept. 11, 1985, at Lehigh. McCaffery capped his three-year tenure with the Engineers with a 21-win season and an NCAA berth in 1988.

In three seasons as head coach at Lehigh, he compiled a 49-39 overall record and guided the team to the NCAA Tournament in 1988. At the time, he was the youngest head coach to reach the NCAA Tournament. His Lehigh teams had two winning seasons in three years and the 1987-88 squad’s 21-10 record remains the best in program history. Lehigh had just four winning seasons in the 55 years prior to his arrival.

McCaffery was assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Lehigh from 1983-85 and helped the team to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in 1985. As recruiting coordinator, he helped sign Darren Queenan, who remains Lehigh’s all-time leading scorer. Queenan was second in the nation in scoring in 1988.

McCaffery was assistant varsity coach and head sub-varsity coach at his alma mater, Pennsylvania, during the 1982-83 season. At Penn, he worked for Craig Littlepage, who is now the director of athletics at the University of Virginia.

McCaffery lettered three years as point guard on the men’s basketball team at Pennsylvania as one of the first transfers to play for the Quakers. He earned a bachelor’s degree from The Wharton School of Finance and Commerce in 1982. In 1985, he received his master’s degree in education from Lehigh.

In three seasons as a player, he helped lead Penn to a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances and Ivy League titles and one berth in the NIT. As a senior in 1981-82, he led the Ivy League in steals and assists and was voted the team’s Most Inspirational Player.

Recruited as the successor at point guard to Skip Brown at Wake Forest, McCaffery played one season at Wake Forest (1977-78), helping the Demon Deacons to a 19-10 record. Nicknamed “White Magic,” he started 11 games as coach Carl Tacy’s team finished runner-up in the ACC Tournament to eventual NCAA runner-up Duke. Wake defeated North Carolina twice in three meetings and won five of the eight games it played at the Greensboro Coliseum.

The McCafferys’ have been a champion for Coaches vs. Cancer and the American Cancer Society (ACS). The McCafferys’ have been actively involved with the Coaches vs. Cancer program and have raised significant funds to support ACS efforts, including more than $5.0 million since becoming Iowa’s head coach in 2010. His efforts were honored during the 2015 Final Four weekend, as McCaffery was honored with the Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award. The distinction is awarded annually to a college coach who has been engaged vigorously in the Coaches vs. Cancer program’s fundraising, education and promotional initiatives and has demonstrated leadership in the fight to save more lives from cancer. The ACS awarded the McCaffery’s with the Fighting Spirit Award in 2015.

In addition to their work with the American Cancer Society and Coaches vs. Cancer, the McCaffery’s help spearhead the launch of a new Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Program in Iowa City.

McCaffery, a Philadelphia native who attended LaSalle High School, and his wife, Margaret, have four children: sons, Connor, Patrick and Jonathan and a daughter, Marit. Connor and Patrick played a combined 11 seasons for their father as Hawkeyes.