“Fran McCaffery has been an integral part of our Hawkeye family for the past 15 years. He is a tremendous coach and teacher, and we are grateful for the positive impact he has made on the institution and the community,” said Iowa athletic director Beth Goetz while announcing the veteran coach’s departure. The news sparked concern among the fanbase. Why are they letting the coach who ended an eight-year tournament drought and restored the program’s identity go? The fallout from losing the face of the program after 15 years could be significant. And so it was!
Since McCaffery’s departure was announced, the Iowa Hawkeyes have faced a wave of exits — and the list keeps growing. To make matters worse, four-star senior Joshua Lewis from Tampa (Fla.) Blake has decided to decommit from Iowa following Fran McCaffery’s firing. Fans are displeased, but the bad news doesn’t stop here.
Senior center Riley Mulvey announced his decision to enter the transfer portal as a graduate student. The 6-foot-11 center from Rotterdam, N.Y., made the announcement Tuesday morning on X. “After I complete my degree at the University of Iowa, I have decided to enter the transfer portal as a grad student, but I will always be a Hawkeye at heart.”
— Riley Mulvey (@MulveyRiley) March 18, 2025
Mulvey’s journey with the Hawkeyes has had its ups and downs. He played in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons but redshirted due to illness. However, he made a comeback this season, appearing in 19 games and starting twice. He averaged 2.2 PTS and 1.9 REB. His big moment came in Iowa’s 85-79 win over Washington on Feb. 22, where he scored a career-high nine points in 15 minutes. As a freshman, Mulvey also played a role in Iowa’s 75-66 Big Ten tournament win over Purdue.
While fans will miss the 3-star prospect from New York next season, other departures are adding to the worry about the program’s future. With Iowa facing a full scale rebuild, the pressure on the next head coach is growing. Let’s dive into who else is leaving alongside Mulvey.
The repercussions of Fran McCaffery’s exit
Ever since the news of Fran McCaffery’s departure came into light, Mulvey is the fourth Iowa player to enter the transfer portal. The first precedence being Sophomore forward Owen Freeman. The 6-foot-10 forward had a standout season before getting injured in January. Before this, Freeman was averaging 16.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, and his absence was felt as the Hawkeyes ended the season with a losing record.
To make matters worse, Pryce Sandfort also announced his decision to enter the portal shortly after. And why is this bad news? He was the top recruit of Iowa’s recruiting class of 2023! “After reflecting with my family, I am choosing to enter the portal and am excited to go through this process with an open mind,” Sandfort said. “I will also be monitoring the Iowa program and will be keeping all of my options open.”
Despite the departures, there’s still a glimmer of hope for Hawkeyes fans. Sandfort, who appeared in 65 games for the Hawkeyes left the door open for a potential return. But the list of departures kept growing. Sophomore point guard Brock Harding also entered the portal. He was the assist leader for Iowa this season, averaging 5.5 assists per game.
With the University of Iowa bracing for more departures after Fran McCaffery’s exit, the next head coach will face a tough challenge building the team from scratch. The portal will soon open, and they’ll need to move quickly to assemble a team capable of contending in the Big Ten after this year’s disappointing 7-13 conference record. Stay tuned for more updates!
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