COACHING STAFF

No stranger to Northwest Missouri State or hard work, Ben McCollum has helped return that mentality back into Bearcat men’s basketball. McCollum was tabbed the 20th head coach in Northwest men’s basketball history prior to the start of the 2009-10 season.

 

Over the past four seasons, McCollum has guided Northwest to a mark of 131-6 and two NCAA Division II national championships (2017, 2019). Northwest's four-year stretch of 131 wins is an NCAA Division II record and ranks No. 9 among all NCAA divisions over four consecutive years.

 

McCollum has guided the Bearcats to seven straight MIAA regular season titles and five consecutive MIAA tournament crowns. In 11 seasons at Northwest, McCollum has an overall record of 272-76.

 

In 2019-20, the Bearcats posted a 31-1 record. The Bearcats also captured the MIAA regular season title and MIAA Tournament crown. The Bearcats were poised to host their fourth consecutive NCAA Division II Central Region Tournament before the NCAA decided to cancel the 2020 tournament because of COVID-19.

 

The 'Cats were led by MIAA player of the year Trevor Hudgins and MIAA defensive player of the year Ryan Hawkins. Hudgins led the nation in three-point field goal percentage (53.3%) and ranked No. 3 in the country in assist-to-turnover ratio (3.6). Northwest set the MIAA and school record for consecutive wins with 46 during the season. Northwest shot an NCAA Division II-best 45.7% from three-point range.

 

In 2018-19, McCollum led the Bearcats to a perfect 38-0 record and the NCAA Division II national championship. Northwest became only the fifth program to complete an undefeated season and capture the NCAA Division II national title. McCollum was named the NABC Division II national coach of the year.

 

The 2018-19 season saw Joey Witthus named as a first-team all-America selection by the NABC, D2CCA and Basketball Times. Witthus was named the Division II player of the year by the Basketball Times. Redshirt freshman Trevor Hudgins was named the Most Outstanding Player at the Elite Eight.

 

McCollum guided the Bearcats to the program's fifth consecutive MIAA regular season title in 2017-18. The Bearcat also captured their third straight MIAA tournament championship. Northwest went 27-4 overall and 16-3 in MIAA action behind the play of three-time league player of the year Justin PItts. Pitts averaged 18.9 points per game and dished out 5.0 assists per contest. Pitts was named an NABC and a D2CCA All-America choice at the conclusion of the season. Pitts concluded his NW career as the school's all-time leading scorer with 2,459 points, which ranks No. 4 all-time in MIAA history.

 

The Bearcats had a streak of 23 straight victories stretching from the 2016-17 season into the 2017-18 campaign. Northwest set the MIAA record for most consecutive home-court wins at 49 games from Jan. 14, 2015, to Feb. 17, 2018. The previous mark of 47 had been set by Central Missouri from Nov. 20, 1982 to Feb. 16, 1985.

 

McCollum's Bearcats broke through in 2016-17, winning the program's first NCAA national championship in front of 3,250 fans against Fairmont State, 71-61, in Sioux Falls, S.D. Northwest capped a 35-1 season, winning MIAA regular season and tournament titles. Justin PItts won his second-straight MIAA Player of the Year award and the Bearcats set a conference record for victories. McCollum was named the NABC Coach of the Year and was joined by National Player of the Year Pitts at the NCAA Final Four.

 

The Bearcats captured the program's third-straight MIAA regular season title in 2015-16, going 27-6. Northwest won the MIAA Tournament for the first time under McCollum and advanced to the NCAA's Regional Championship game for the third consecutive year. Pitts was named MIAA Player of the Year, averaging 21.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game.

 

McCollum's Bearcats accomplished something in 2014-15 that no Northwest team had achieved since 1986-87. An outright MIAA regular season title after going 15-4 in conference action and 25-7 overall, marking a fourth-straight 20+win season. To cap it off, Northwest entered the NCAA Regional Championship tournament as a No. 4 seed and knocked off No. 5 Minnesota State (59-56) and host and No. 1 seed Augustana (66-65) to make a second-consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16. Pitts was tabbed a First Team All-MIAA performer and earned MIAA Freshman of the Year accolades. Matt Wallace was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year. McCollum won his 100th career game with an 83-59 victory over Northeastern State on Jan. 5, 2015, in Tahlequah, Okla.

 

The 2013-14 Bearcats reached the NCAA Sweet 16, going 24-9 overall. The regular-season MIAA co-champions went 16-3 in conference play to earn McCollum his second MIAA title. It was also the team’s third consecutive 20-plus win season, a feat that had not been accomplished since the 2007-08 season, prior to McCollum’s arrival. DeShaun Cooper was named the MIAA Player of the Year and was an All-America honoree by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC).

 

His teams led the league in defense in 2011-12 and 2012-13 and finished as one of the top defensive units in the nation. Northwest advanced to the MIAA Tournament Championship game in 2013 knocking of top seed Fort Hays State before falling in overtime of a thrilling championship game to Central Missouri.

 

In 2011-12, the Bearcats captured its 12th MIAA regular season championship in after finishing 15-5. Northwest also earned a berth in the NCAA tournament where the Bearcats fell in the first round, completing a 22-7 season. McCollum was named MIAA Coach of the Year and the Clarence “Big House” Gaines National Coach of the Year along with three Bearcats earning All-MIAA accolades.

 

The Bearcats showed improvement in McCollum’s second season in 2010-11, despite a 10-16 overall record. Northwest finished the season by winning six of the year’s final nine games. During his first season, McCollum was the second-youngest active head coach in NCAA Division II as the team finished 12-15 and one win shy of qualifying for the MIAA tournament.

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