Point guard Bennett Stirtz announces commitment to Iowa on social media
Former Drake point guard announces commitment on social media
By Hawk Fanatic
IOW CITY, Iowa – Bennett Stirtz followed Ben McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake, and now Stirtz plans to follow McCollum from Drake to Iowa.
It was reported last week that Stirtz, a 6-foot-4 point guard, and the 2024-25 Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, would follow McCollum to Iowa.
Stirtz then made it official by announcing his commitment to Iowa Tuesday on social media.
A native of Liberty, Missouri, Stirtz played his freshman and sophomore seasons for McCollum at Northwest Missouri State.
He then followed McCollum to Drake and they would go on to lead the Bulldogs to a 31-4 record and to the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past season.
Stirtz is the second player to commit to Iowa since McCollum was hired as head coach, the other being freshman forward Cooper Koch, who played for Iowa this past season, but then entered the portal after Fran McCaffery was fired as the Iowa head coach.
Stirtz has indicated that he will test the NBA draft process, but if he chooses to stay in college, it’ll be as a Hawkeye and with the same head coach who believed in him coming out of high school when many others didn’t.
Drake had unprecedented success this season with Stirtz leading the way at point guard, including setting a program record for most wins in a season.
The Bulldogs also won an NCAA Tournament game for the first time since 1971.
With Stirtz now on board, McCollum also hopes to add Iowa players Josh Dix and Pryce Sandfort from the portal. They were among at least seven Iowa players that entered the portal shortly after Fran McCaffery was fired.
Dix, a 6-6 guard from Council Bluffs, has visited Creighton, Illinois and Indiana since entering the portal, while Pryce Sandfort has visited Nebraska.
Dix started 32 games this past season and averaged 14.4 points per game. He also finished second on the team with 65 3-point baskets.
Pryce Sandfort, a 6-7 forward from Waukee, averaged 8.8 points per game this past season and finished third on the team with 56 threes.
