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The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan
The independent newspaper of the University of Iowa community since 1868

The Daily Iowan

Drake point guard Bennett Stirtz to follow new Iowa men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum and play for the Hawkeyes

Stirtz, the reigning Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, plans to test the NBA Draft waters with the intent of maintaining his college eligibility and play for Iowa.
Brad Schultz, Assistant Sports Editor
March 25, 2025
Nick Tre. Smith-Imagn Images
Mar 19, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Drake Bulldogs head coach Ben McCollum watches his team during a practice session at Intrust Bank Arena.

Drake point guard Bennett Stirtz will follow new Iowa men’s basketball coach Ben McCollum to the Hawkeyes, he told Jeff Goodman of the Field of 68.

Stirtz becomes the first player to transfer to Iowa after McCollum’s hiring, and told Tyler Tachman of the Des Moines Register that he plans to test the NBA Draft waters, but intends to play for the Hawkeyes next season.

Prior to playing for Drake, Stirtz spent two seasons with McCollum at Northwest Missouri State. Despite not receiving any Division I offers out of high school, he quickly became one of the sport’s top players, earning second-team All-MIAA conference honors after posting the second-most points and a team-high 47 steals for the Bearcats.

McCollum left for Drake ahead of the 2024-25 campaign, bringing Stirtz and several other Northwest Missouri State players with him to Des Moines. The move proved to be a match made in heaven for Stirtz, as he collected a team and Missouri Valley Conference-high 19.1 points and 2.2 points per contest. He also earned Missouri Valley Conference Larry Bird and MVC Newcomer of the Year honors.

Stirtz’s performance helped lead the Bulldogs to a school-record 31 wins and their third consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. Once there, No. 11-seeded Drake upset No. 6 Missouri, 67-57, for its first victory in the first round since 1971. Now, Stirtz hopes to have the same success with McCollum at Iowa, where he looks to help guide the Hawkeyes to the Big Dance for the first time since 2023.

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