Iowa adds new member to basketball coaching staff
Connor Wheeler has been named an assistant coach with the University of Iowa men’s basketball program, it was announced Tuesday by head coach Ben McCollum.
Wheeler has eight years of coaching experience at Drake (2024-25), Southeast Missouri State (2022-24), Southern Illinois (2019-22), Southern Miss (2018-19) and Missouri (2016-18).
“Connor is a great up-and-coming coach,” said McCollum. “His career path has been fast and rightfully so. He’s very talented and will continue to hone his skills at the University of Iowa. He will help us get to a championship level.”
Wheeler joins the Hawkeyes from Drake, where he served as an assistant during the 2024-25 season. He helped the Bulldogs enjoy unprecedented success as the team racked up a school-record 31 victories and won both the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles.
Drake advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after upsetting sixth-seeded Missouri, 67-57, in the Round of 64.
Wheeler assisted in Drake’s complete roster rebuild, as the Bulldogs brought in a combined 10 transfers and first-year players. One of the signees – Bennett Stirtz – was named the MVC Larry Bird Player and Newcomer of the Year, while being a finalist for the Riley Wallace Award and Lou Henson Awards.
“My wife and I couldn’t be more excited to join the University of Iowa family,” said Wheeler. “This program has a rich history, an incredible fan base and a culture of hard work and dedication. I’m excited to recruit and develop exceptional young men that will make Hawkeye nation proud. I’m honored to be a part of this program and can’t wait to get to work.”
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Prior to making the move to Des Moines, Wheeler spent two seasons as an assistant at Southeast Missouri State, where he helped guide the program to its first Ohio Valley Conference Tournament title and NCAA Tournament berth. It was the first NCAA appearance in more than 20 years.
Wheeler ventured to SEMO after a three-year stint at Southern Illinois. He joined the staff as the director of player development before moving into the role of director of basketball operations. During the 2018-19 season, Wheeler was video coordinator at Southern Miss and he also coordinated video as a graduate assistant at Missouri from 2016-18.
As a player, Wheeler was a member of the Final Four team in 2011-12 at Illinois Wesleyan, he was an all-conference and all-region selection at John A. Logan College, he won a Division II National Championship in 2014 at Central Missouri, and he finished his career at Division I Southern Illinois Edwardsville in 2015-16.
The Carbondale, Illinois, native earned his associate’s degree from John A. Logan College in 2015, his bachelor’s degree from SIU Edwardsville in human and family development in 2016 and his master’s in educational, school and counseling psychology with an emphasis on positive coaching in 2018.
He is married to his wife, Sammie.
