"D-2 Drake" is something transfer guard Bennett Stirtz heard a lot last season in his first and only season with the Bulldogs.
The squad earned that moniker after Ben McCollum was hired as head coach before the 2024-2025 season, and brought four guys with him from the Division II level.
Stirtz and his teammates used the phrase as motivation, going on to win 31 games and secure a trip to the NCAA Tournament.
After last season, Stirtz followed McCollum once again, this time to Iowa City, where the senior guard has high expectations this season.
He has already earned multiple preseason All-Big Ten First Team nominations, which he stated is nice, but he has not played a game yet.
Before the season begins in a few weeks, Stirtz and teammate Cam Manyawu represented the program at the 2025 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Days in Chicago. Stirtz talked about his expectations for this season and how the team has looked so far.
During his time at the podium (posted by "247Sports"), Stirtz stated that he is going to play with a chip on his shoulder this season and is prepared to play all 40 minutes if he is called upon.
He stated that his endurance is built during the summer workouts, and he always wants to be on the court, not on the bench.
Stirtz was also adamant that the team will be more lethal this season because they have multiple "pick and pop" players.
They are still trying to figure out who they are on offense, but they will be able to spread the floor and create space.
Overall, Stirtz is excited to get the season going and cannot wait to play in front of a packed crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena this winter.