Four new leaders are stepping in this season, each with experience and a history of winning. They will now face off against some of the legends of the game. Here’s a look at the new Big Ten coaches for the 2025-26 season.
Indiana Hoosiers
In: Darian DeVries
Out: Mike Woodson
Darian DeVries arrives in Bloomington after a short and rocky stint at West Virginia. He spent just one season in Morgantown and failed to reach the NCAA Tournament before leaving for what he calls a dream job in the Midwest. The 50-year-old grew up in Aplington, Iowa and played college basketball at Northern Iowa. He agreed to a six-year deal worth $5 million per season.
Mike Woodson’s tenure with Indiana never lived up to expectations. Despite winning 82 games over four seasons, the Hoosiers missed the NCAA Tournament the last two years, which was unacceptable for a program with Indiana’s tradition.
Iowa Hawkeyes
In: Ben McCollum
Out: Fran McCaffery
Ben McCollum makes the jump from Drake to Iowa, bringing a strong résumé. At 44 years old, he has already won 426 games as a head coach, including a run of dominance at Northwest Missouri State. In his lone season at Drake, the Bulldogs won 31 games and reached the NCAA Tournament’s round of 32. Iowa named him head coach on March 24, 2025, signaling a new direction for the program.
Fran McCaffery’s run ended after a 17-16 season in 2024-25. The Hawkeyes missed the tournament for the second straight year, and his overall résumé of 297-207 never produced a Sweet 16 appearance.
Maryland Terrapins
In: Buzz Williams
Out: Kevin Willard
Buzz Williams takes over Maryland after a successful stretch at Texas A&M, where his teams reached the NCAA Tournament in each of his last three seasons. He has 373 career wins, 12 of them in the tournament, and has twice been named SEC Coach of the Year. Williams also coached at Marquette and Virginia Tech, giving him plenty of big-stage experience before entering the Big Ten.
Kevin Willard left Maryland after three seasons. He guided the Terps to the NCAA Tournament twice, including a Sweet 16 run last year, but moved on after finishing 27-9 in 2024-25.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
In: Niko Medved
Out: Ben Johnson
Niko Medved returns home to Minnesota after seven seasons at Colorado State. The Minneapolis native and former Gophers assistant guided the Rams to three NCAA Tournament appearances in the last four years, including a win in 2025. His résumé also includes time at Furman and Drake, and he has steadily built programs into consistent winners.
Ben Johnson never found success in four years leading the Gophers. Minnesota managed only one winning season under him, finishing with an overall record of 56-71 and just 22-57 in Big Ten play. He was dismissed on March 13 after a first-round exit in the conference tournament.
The Big Ten made bold moves to inject new life into four programs. Each new coach faces the challenge of preparing their team for the grind and physicality of the league, while proving they can elevate their programs in a conference loaded with coaching talent. The coming season promises intrigue as these new faces join the battle in one of college basketball’s toughest environments.