Iowa Guard Bennett Stirtz Named to Preseason All-Big Ten Team

Iowa senior guard Bennett Stirtz was named to the 10-player preseason All-Big Ten team today by the conference office, signaling a strong expectation for his performance in the upcoming season.

Stirtz, a Liberty, Missouri native, joins Yaxel Lendeborg (Michigan), Nick Martinelli (Northwestern), Bruce Thornton (Ohio State), Nate Bittle (Oregon), Jackson Shelstad (Oregon), Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue), and Braden Smith (Purdue) on the team, alongside unanimous Preseason Player of the Year Braden Smith and Donoven Dent (UCLA) and John Blackwell (Wisconsin). The Hawkeyes have now had a player represented on the preseason All-Big Ten team in six of the last seven seasons.

Prior to joining the Hawkeyes, Stirtz was a standout performer at Drake University, where he earned All-American honors from three outlets last season and was named the Missouri Valley Conference Larry Bird Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. He led the MVC in scoring (19.2 points per game), steals (2.21), and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86), while also ranking second in assists (5.7). Remarkably, he led the NCAA in minutes played, averaging 39:22 per game. This level of production is expected to immediately bolster Iowa’s offensive capabilities. For more on college basketball accolades, see the official NCAA website.

Stirtz has also been recognized as a preseason fourth-team All-American and a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook. The 2025 Big Ten Media Day will be held on October 9 in Chicago, with complete coverage televised on BTN, where further insights into the upcoming season will be revealed. The Big Ten Conference website will have full coverage of the event.