Very few players had the impact in one season that Bennett Stirtz did for the Hawkeyes this year.
After following Ben McCollum from the Drake Bulldogs, the former Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year immediately had high expectations placed on his shoulders.
Stirtz was expected to lead the Hawkeyes back to the NCAA Tournament, and he did that and much more. He led the Hawkeyes in points (19.8), assists (4.4), and steals (1.4) per game this season, and is being recognized as one of the best transfers in the country.
CBS Sports named Stirtz to their All-Transfer Team
Stirtz did more in one year for the Hawkeyes than most have done in their entire careers. He was an ironman for the squad, playing 37.5 minutes per game, and did everything on both ends of the court.
Just ahead of the men's NCAA Tournament Final Four, CBS Sports named Stirtz to its All-Transfer team after being impressed with his only season in Iowa City.
They compared Stirtz to baseball Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. after he played every minute of the NCAA Tournament and nearly every minute of the regular season, stating he "answered the bell" every night.
He also didn't just stat pad against bad teams at the beginning of the season; he shot 62 percent on twos, 37 percent on threes, and 84 percent from the free-throw line in Big Ten play this season.
Stirtz was a warrior for Iowa this season, and he deserves every bit of recognition he gets. He now turns his attention to the upcoming 2026 NBA Draft, where he is a projected top-20 pick.