IOWA CITY — Iowa basketball’s Bennett Stirtz has been named to the 10-member Preseason All-Big Ten Team as chosen by a media panel, the conference announced Oct. 7.
Stirtz is the lone Hawkeye to receive preseason All-Big Ten honors.
Stirtz is one of six Drake transfers to follow coach Ben McCollum in his move to Iowa. Stirtz was last season’s Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, averaging 19.2 points, 5.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.1 steals per game while shooting 39.5% from deep for the Bulldogs.
Stirtz was the star on a Drake team that advanced to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament and finished the season 31-4 overall.
The Hawkeyes are entering their first season under the direction of McCollum. The Iowa native helped guide Drake to Missouri Valley Conference regular-season and tournament titles last season, his lone campaign as the Bulldogs’ head coach.
Purdue’s Braden Smith was the pick for preseason Big Ten Player of the Year. If that comes to fruition, Smith would win the award in back-to-back seasons.
10-member Preseason All-Big Ten Team
Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year: Braden Smith, Purdue
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This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa men’s basketball star Bennett Stirtz named preseason All-Big Ten
Reporting by Tyler Tachman, Des Moines Register / Des Moines Register
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