(Iowa City) Fran McCaffery is no longer the head coach of Iowa men’s basketball.
The University of Iowa announced Friday that Athletics Director Beth Goetz has dismissed McCaffery after 15 seasons at the helm. McCaffery, the program’s all-time wins leader, compiled a 297-207 record since taking over in 2011.
“Fran McCaffery has been an integral part of our Hawkeye family for the past 15 years,” Goetz said in a news release. “He is a tremendous coach and teacher, and we are grateful for the positive impact he has made on the institution and the community. We deeply appreciate his dedication to our student-athletes and his passion for the game, which will leave a lasting impact on our program.”
McCaffery’s contract buyout is valued at $4.2 million.
The Hawkeyes finished the season 17-16 overall and 7-13 in Big Ten play, placing 12th in the conference. They defeated Ohio State 77-70 in the opening round of the Big Ten tournament but were eliminated in the second round with a 106-94 loss to Illinois.
McCaffery, 65, guided Iowa to seven NCAA Tournament appearances during his tenure. Over more than three decades as a head coach, he has amassed a 548-384 career record, with previous stops at Lehigh, UNC-Greensboro, and Siena.
The university has announced that a national search for McCaffery’s successor will begin immediately.
