Not enough can be said about the impact transfer guard Bennett Stirtz will have on this new-look Hawkeye roster.
Stirtz was a star for the Drake Bulldogs last season, guiding them to a 31-win season, and an trip to the NCAA Tournament.
The star guard followed Coach Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State before the start of the 2024-2025 college basketball season, and led the Bulldogs in points per game (19.2), assists per game (5.7), steals per game (2.1), and made field goals (233) last season.
Stirtz was also named the Missouri Valley Conference (MVC) Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year after last season.
After last season, Stirtz was drawing buzz from NBA scouts before he decided to follow McCollum to Iowa.
Before he has played a single game for the Hawkeyes, he is still generating draft buzz for the 2026 NBA Draft.
Some experts have him going as high as No. 9 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, and as low as No. 35 overall.
As he continues to build a solid college basketball resume, he received another nomination for a preseason All-Big Ten team.
Adding to the resume. 🫡@bennett_stirtz x #Hawkeyes pic.twitter.com/eGHIQ8w7MW
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) October 8, 2025
USA Today named Stirtz to the preseason All-Big Ten First Team. This is Stirtz's second nomination for the preseason All-Big Ten Team after receiving a nomination from Blue Ribbon Yearbook.
Stirtz is projected to be one of the top guards in the Big Ten Conference this season, but the team as a whole is an anomaly.
After firing long-time Head Coach Fran McCaffery in March, the Hawkeyes lost every future prospect and all but two players on the roster.
Ben McCollum is known for his ability to build rosters from the ground up and has the privilege of having Stirtz on his squad to build around once again.