Latest news with #LarryBirdPlayeroftheYear
USA Today
29-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa basketball star Bennett Stirtz earns invite to Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp
Elite 😎#Hawkeyes Before his first year with the Hawkeyes after transferring from Drake in the offseason, Iowa basketball senior Bennett Stirtz earned an invitation to the Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp. Stirtz is one of 12 student-athletes to earn an invite to the elite camp, led by 20-year NBA vet and 12-time All-Star Chris Paul. The camp teaches attendees what it takes to play at the highest level and how to prepare for the hurdles they will face in college and then in the transition to the NBA. During his lone season at Drake last year, Stirtz was tabbed as the Missouri Valley Conference Larry Bird Player of the Year and Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year after leading the league in scoring (19.2), steals (2.21), and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.86), while ranking second in assists (5.7). Stirtz led the NCAA in minutes played, averaging 39:22 per game. Through his incredible junior season stats, he was an All-America honoree by Field of 68, Andy Katz, the Associated Press, and the USBWA during the 2024-25 season. Stirtz was also a finalist for both the Lou Henson Award (top mid-major player) and Riley Wallace Award (most impactful transfer). Stirtz is one of 12 newcomers on the 14-player Hawkeye roster under first-year head coach Ben McCollum, who has assembled an Iowa transfer class that is rated as the eighth-best class in the nation by 247Sports. The Chris Paul Elite Guard Camp will take place in Las Vegas from July 29 to August 1. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews
USA Today
07-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
On3 shares coaching hire grade of Ben McCollum to Iowa basketball
On3 shares coaching hire grade of Ben McCollum to Iowa basketball Ben McCollum is off and running as Iowa's new head men's basketball coach. The 43-year-old sold forward Cooper Koch on withdrawing his name from the transfer portal and returning to Iowa. Then, McCollum signed five former Drake Bulldogs to Iowa in guards Bennett Stirtz, Kael Combs, Isaia Howard and in forwards Tavion Banks and Cam Manyawu. As McCollum continues to reshape Iowa's roster, other major coaching vacancies around the country have been filled. With more clarity nationally, On3 released its coaching carousel grades. Iowa hiring McCollum earned an A- grade from On3's James Fletcher III. Iowa made the bold choice to capitalize on a rare influx of Iowa-connected head coaches atop the college basketball landscape by moving on from long-time leader Fran McCaffery. The Hawkeyes now turn to a perennial winner across multiple levels, Ben McCollum, who will bring a change of pace they hope can break through the difficult Big Ten standings. After backing up four Division II national championships with an NCAA Tournament run at Drake, McCollum quickly moved toward the top of coaching hot boards across the country. The biggest questions facing his jump to Drake were squashed early. However, with another jump, questions about his ability to recruit at a high level and utilize resources to handle yet another jump in competition remain. - Fletcher, On3. McCollum led Drake to Missouri Valley regular season and conference tournament titles during his lone season in Des Moines. The Bulldogs finished with a 31-4 record and upset No. 6 seed Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, 67-57, before falling to third-seeded Texas Tech in the round of 32. Stirtz was named the Missouri Valley Conference Larry Bird Player of the Year after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 49.8% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range. While McCollum is indeed making another jump up, Iowa fans should be encouraged that McCollum has won everywhere that he's been. Indiana also earned an A- grade for hiring former Drake and West Viriginia head coach Darian DeVries as its new coach. Minnesota likewise received an A- grade for hiring Colorado State's Niko Medved. NC State earned an A+ for hiring McNeese head coach Will Wade as the new head coach of the Wolfpack. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
USA Today
01-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa basketball hosts former Drake, DePaul transfer portal guard
Iowa basketball hosts former Drake, DePaul transfer portal guard The Iowa Hawkeyes welcomed in former Drake and DePaul guard Conor Enright for a visit on Monday. A product of Mundelein High School in Illinois, Enright began his career at Drake. The 6-foot-2, 180 pound point guard redshirted his first season before playing in 68 games and starting 37 over the next two seasons. Enright was a Missouri Valley Conference All-Freshman Team selection in 2022-23. Then, Enright averaged 6.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game while shooting 45.3% and 43.9% from 3-point range during the 2023-24 campaign. When former Drake head coach Darian DeVries left for West Virginia, Enright departed for DePaul. Enright registered career-highs in points (7.5), assists (6.2) and rebounds (3.3) per game this past season, though his shooting percentages dipped to 39.5% from the field and 32.5% from 3-point distance. Enright's 2024-25 season was cut short with a shoulder injury. The veteran guard played and started in 23 games with the Blue Demons, but Enright underwent a surgical procedure on his shoulder after suffering the injury during a game in January. Enright made one final appearance on Feb. 2 against Seton Hall. Enright is also reportedly scheduled to visit Indiana, where his former head coach in DeVries has taken over. According to 247Sports, Enright is a four-star transfer portal target and the nation's No. 91 player overall and the No. 16 point guard. Iowa has already landed the nation's top transfer portal player in former Drake guard Bennett Stirtz. Stirtz followed new Iowa head coach Ben McCollum over from Drake. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 19.2 points, 5.7 assists and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 49.8% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range in his lone season at Drake. Stirtz was recognized as the Missouri Valley Conference Larry Bird Player of the Year. Iowa is also bringing back Cooper Koch after the 6-foot-8 forward explored his transfer portal options but chose to return to Iowa. Koch appeared in 10 games, averaging 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 48.4% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
USA Today
29-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Freshman Iowa basketball forward enters NCAA transfer portal
Freshman Iowa basketball forward enters NCAA transfer portal Another Iowa Hawkeye might be on the move. Iowa forward Chris Tadjo announced his entry into the NCAA transfer portal, though the 6-foot-8, 240 pound big said in his Instagram post that he is keeping a return to the Hawkeyes as an option on the table. "I'm grateful for all of the opportunities, experiences, and memories Iowa has given me while I've been here. I am incredibly appreciative of my teammates, coaches, and supporters. After careful consideration, I will be entering the transfer portal but will still have the option to return back to Iowa," Tadjo wrote in his Instagram post. Tadjo played in 11 games during his freshman season in Iowa City, averaging 1.7 points and 1.2 rebounds per game while shooting 50.0% from the floor, 3-point line and the free throw line. Originally from Africa, Tadjo moved to Montreal and joined Iowa by way of the NBA Academy Latin America. Tadjo was a four-star signee per On3. On3 ranked Tadjo as the nation's No. 55 player and as its No. 9 power forward. Tadjo becomes the Hawkeyes' eighth transfer portal entry, joining guards Brock Harding and Josh Dix and forwards Owen Freeman, Pryce Sandfort, Cooper Koch, Ladji Dembele and Riley Mulvey. Iowa has added the top player out of the transfer portal in former Drake guard Bennett Stirtz, who followed head coach Ben McCollum to Iowa City after averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game while shooting 49.8% from the field and 39.5% from 3-point range. Stirtz was named the Missouri Valley Conference Larry Bird Player of the Year. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Josh on X: @JoshOnREF
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
March Madness 2025: Drake star Bennett Stirtz to follow Ben McCollum to Iowa
Drake star guard Bennett Stirtz is following his coach to another new school. Stirtz told the Field of 68 on Tuesday that he'd be entering the transfer portal and head to Iowa. The Hawkeyes hired Drake coach Ben McCollum on Monday after Drake was eliminated from the second round of the NCAA tournament by Texas Tech. The No. 11 Bulldogs pulled one of the bigger upsets of the first round with their 67-57 win over No. 6 Missouri. Stirtz had 21 points against the Tigers as he shot 73% from the field. He also scored 21 against Texas Tech, but shot less than 48% from the field in that 77-64 loss. Stirtz was the Missouri Valley Conference's Larry Bird Player of the Year in his only season at Drake. He averaged 19.2 points per game and shot nearly 50% from the field as the Bulldogs went 31-4 overall. Drake hired McCollum after he spent 15 seasons as the head coach of perennial Division II powerhouse Northwest Missouri State. Stirtz, a high school star from suburban Kansas City, didn't have many scholarship offers out of high school. "Probably that he wants me to make me a better man off the court," Stirtz said of McCollum in a news conference on Friday. "I think that's what really made me decide I want to follow him to Northwest. I didn't have any other options. I didn't have many D1 offers or D2 offers. He really trusted in me, made me a better player and man." McCollum had high praise for Stirtz in his introductory news conference on Tuesday. Ben McCollum on Bennett Stirtz, who plans to come to Iowa but will test the NBA waters: "If he's not the best point guard in the country, he's top 2 or 3." — Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) March 25, 2025 After starring for Northwest, Stirtz was one of multiple players to go with McCollum to Drake after Darian DeVries' departure to West Virginia. Drake added a dozen new players to its roster ahead of the 2024-25 season and was one of the best defensive teams in college basketball. Stirtz clearly showed that he was capable of stepping up to Division I after averaging 15 points a game over the 2023-24 season. Now he'll have a chance to show he can play at a high level in a power conference at Iowa and it would be a surprise if he's the only Drake player to follow McCollum to Iowa City.
