Iowa's Bennett Stirtz Earns All-Big Ten Honors

The transfer star led the Hawkeyes in scoring and helped the team reach the Big Ten Tournament.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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Iowa basketball star Bennett Stirtz has been named first team All-Big Ten by the media and second team All-Big Ten by the coaches. Stirtz, a transfer from Division-II Northwest Missouri State and then Drake, finished the regular season averaging 20.2 points, 4.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game while shooting an efficient 49.8% from the field, 38.2% from deep and 84.4% from the free throw line.

Why it matters

Stirtz's standout season has helped put Iowa basketball back on the map and positioned the Hawkeyes for a potential NCAA Tournament berth, their first since 2023. His journey from Division-II to the Big Ten's elite has been remarkable.

The details

Stirtz started all 31 games for Iowa, playing a whopping 37.4 minutes per contest. He delivered several huge performances, including a four-game stretch against Big Ten competition where he averaged 30.5 points per game. Stirtz also scored 25 points and played strong defense in Iowa's signature win over Nebraska in February.

  • Stirtz finished the regular season averaging 20.2 points, 4.4 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game.
  • Iowa plays the winner of Maryland and Oregon in the Big Ten Tournament on Wednesday, March 11.

The players

Bennett Stirtz

An Iowa basketball star who transferred from Division-II Northwest Missouri State and then Drake, Stirtz finished the regular season as one of the Big Ten's top scorers.

Ben McCollum

The head coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, who previously coached Stirtz at Northwest Missouri State and then brought him to Iowa.

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What they’re saying

“It sends a message to other people that it's cool to be a Hawkeye. Here's a guy that'll be in the NBA in a year. He came here, and he's doing this. Why can't you? It helps put us on the map. It helps us get to another level. It helps us battle a little bit and helps in recruiting.”

— Ben McCollum, Head Coach, Iowa Hawkeyes (Des Moines Register)

“I think we've been through a lot just moving so many different times. We'll probably never realize it until five, six years down the road, like this is a pretty epic deal. Like, who does that? Who does what he did? Go from D-II to mid-major to the Big Ten over a span of like two years. He was just in Maryville (Missouri) two years ago. This is ridiculous what he's done. And so, we'll probably look back on it in four, five years and be like, man, this is pretty cool.”

— Ben McCollum, Head Coach, Iowa Hawkeyes (Des Moines Register)

What’s next

If the Hawkeyes were to drop their Big Ten Tournament opener against the winner of Maryland and Oregon, they would be on a four-game losing streak entering Selection Sunday. Iowa could still make the NCAA Tournament in that scenario, but a collapse of that magnitude would make their tournament hopes more uncertain.

The takeaway

Stirtz's remarkable journey from Division-II to stardom in the Big Ten has helped put Iowa basketball back on the national map. His standout season has the Hawkeyes positioned for their first NCAA Tournament berth since 2023, a testament to the impact one elite transfer can have on a program.