Video: Josh Sash on how Iowa basketball landed Álvaro Folgueiras
Iowa assistant basketball coach Josh Sash speaks with media at a Polk County I-Club event on April 30, 2025.
IOWA CITY — Another former Drake player is joining head coach Ben McCollum in his move to Iowa basketball.
Joey Matteoni, a 6-foot-9, 215-pound forward from Overland Park, Kansas, has signed with the Hawkeyes, the program announced on May 27.
Matteoni redshirted during the 2024-25 season and will have four seasons of eligibility remaining.
“Joey can do a variety things – he can trigger your offense, finish and shoot,” McCollum said in a press release. “He will be a great addition to help us with our depth in the post.”
Matteoni originally signed to play for McCollum at Northwest Missouri State but changed course after the head coach got the job at Drake. Matteoni, who attended Blue Valley Northwest High School in Kansas, now continues to move up the ranks with McCollum.
He gives Iowa more depth in the frontcourt, a group that is headlined by Robert Morris transfer Álvaro Folgueiras. The Hawkeyes also have Drake transfer Cam Manyawu and Tavion Banks, plus incoming freshman Trevin Jirak.
Whether Iowa has enough size to hold its own in the Big Ten remains to be seen. Physically, Jirak fits the mold of a Big Ten frontcourt force, but acclimating to the college game can be a challenge, so it’s difficult to know how much Iowa will be able to rely on him during the 2025-26 season.
Drake was able to make do with an undersized frontcourt on its way to a 31-4 record last season. Manyawu is a high-level rebounder. So is Folgueiras. But neither are listed above 6-foot-9 (Manyawu is at 6-foot-8). The Big Ten is a different beast than the mid-major level, so playing undersized lineups can be a dangerous game.
Folgueiras, Manyawu and Banks have each played multiple seasons of college basketball. But Iowa is pretty inexperienced in the frontcourt elsewhere. Jirak and Matteoni have not yet appeared in game action at the college level. Cooper Koch, who could play a stretch four, only appeared in 10 games last season. That doesn’t leave Iowa with a ton of breathing room should it face injury.
Six of the players on Iowa’s roster come from Drake, including star point guard Bennett Stirtz. That number becomes seven if you include incoming freshman Tate Sage, who originally signed with Drake. Jirak is also part of Iowa’s 2025 high school recruiting class along with Sage.
The Hawkeyes have also landed Folgueiras, former Kansas State guard Brendan Hausen and former Florida International guard Ashton Williamson. The lone scholarship returner from last season’s Iowa team is Koch.
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
