Iowa Hawkeyes Herky the Hawk Gold Tie Basketball Bobblehead Unveiled

This morning, in celebration of the Iowa men’s basketball team’s memorable run to the Sweet 16, the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum unveiled an officially licensed, limited-edition Herky the Hawk Gold Tie Basketball Bobblehead. The bobblehead features Iowa’s beloved mascot wearing the signature dress shirt and gold tie that first-year coach Ben McCollum sports on the sideline. The special edition bobblehead is being produced by the National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, an official licensee of the University of Iowa.

• The bobbleheads, which are expected to ship in September, are now available at this link.
• Each bobblehead will be individually numbered to only 2,026.
• The bobbleheads are $35 each plus an $8 flat-rate shipping charge per order.
• Standing on a circular basketball court base with “IOWA HAWKEYES” across the front, the Herky bobblehead is wearing a white dress shirt and gold tie with black pants in homage to the gameday attire worn by first-year men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum. Herky is holding a basketball adorned with the Iowa Hawkeyes logo and giving the No. 1 sign.
• On March 24th, 2025, McCollum was named the 23rd head coach in the history of the University of Iowa men’s basketball program. Born in Iowa City, the 44-year-old McCollum was the head coach at Drake in the 2024-25 season. The Bulldogs finished 17-3 in the Missouri Valley Conference (31-4 overall) and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Prior to that, he was the head coach at his alma mater, Northwest Missouri State, for 15 seasons and led the Bearcats to four NCAA Division II Tournament titles.
• During his introductory press conference, McCollum was asked about his gameday attire. “I used to wear different colored ties and shirts and pants, and then I realized that I was terrible at matching. So, I went with the white shirt and tie,” he said. “And then when everyone else went to the casual look … At our level, coaches make a lot of money. People in other professions have to dress with a level of professionalism. I’m not saying that other coaches aren’t professional because my assistants don’t wear that and I think they’re very professional. I’ve always thought that’s what I needed to wear to act like a pro.”
• On Sunday, March 22nd, the ninth-seeded Hawkeyes upset top-seeded and defending national champion Florida, 73-72, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida. Junior Alvaro Folgueiras made a go-ahead 3-pointer from the corner with 4.5 seconds left to clinch the victory. The shot sent Iowa to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999. It was the second win for the Iowa program against a No. 1 seed since seeding began in 1979. The Hawkeyes, who finished 10-10 in Big Ten Conference play, improved to 23-12 overall. They will play Big Ten rival Nebraska in a Sweet 16 matchup on Thursday, March 26th, at the Toyota Center in Houston.
• “We’re excited to unveil this bobblehead of Herky the Hawk as a tribute to Iowa men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum and the Sweet 16-bound Hawkeyes,” National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum co-founder and CEO Phil Sklar said. “Given the success that Coach McCollum has had at his coaching stops and in the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Hawkeyes fans every have come to enjoy his gameday attire. This bobblehead will be a must-have for fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes!”
• The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum, which is located at 170 S. 1st St. in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, opened to the public on February 1st, 2019. The HOF and Museum also produces high quality, customized bobbleheads for retail sale as well as organizations, individuals, and teams across the country.