Iowa's star point guard reflected on his unusual road to collegiate stardom during Tuesday's media availability.
"Different."
That's the word Bennett Stirtz uses to describe his illustrious college basketball career.
And he's right.
Rarely - if ever - do players play high-major Division I basketball after beginning their careers in Division II, but that's exactly what Stirtz has done.
The Liberty, Missouri native didn't receive a single Division I offer out of high school (no walk-on offers, either), and only one coach showed interest. That coach was Ben McCollum, then the head coach at D-II Northwest Missouri State in Maryville, Missouri.
McCollum had already won three D-II national championships at that point (his fourth came four days before Stirtz committed), and his handwritten recruiting letters were enough to convince Stirtz to commit to the Bearcats.
"[It was] pretty cool [to get the letter]," Stirtz said at media availability Tuesday. "He [McCollum] won three straight Division II national titles before that, [and] he's writing me letters. So it was pretty cool, and kind of sealed the deal for me."
McCollum's self-declared "spirited and fiery" personality is a stark contrast to Stirtz's calm, quiet demeanor, but they've meshed together to complete an unstoppable duo. After going 60-8 in their first two seasons together, McCollum and Stirtz joined forces in Des Moines with the Drake Bulldogs.
Thirty-one wins, a sweep of the Missouri Valley Conference championships, and an NCAA tournament win later, the pair moved two hours across the state to Iowa City to help rebuild the struggling Iowa basketball program.
Stirtz's ridiculous 2024-25 campaign that earned him MVC Player of the Year honors could've landed him on any blue blood roster (testing the NBA waters was also an option), but he chose to stay loyal to the coach who believed in him from day one - McCollum.
"[I'm] glad I chose here [Iowa]," Stirtz said. "Great coaching staff, and the dude who just helped me become the player I am, Coach Mac - didn't want to leave him - and he knows what's best for me. My family knows what's best for me, and they all pointed me here."
The ensuing 2025-26 season has been filled with ups-and-downs, but Stirtz's loyalty to McCollum has paid off. The Hawkeyes (20-9, 10-8) are likely on their way to the NCAA tournament for the first time in three seasons, and Stirtz has raised his NBA draft stock to lottery pick status. He's been the engine behind Iowa's success, leading the Hawkeyes in points (20.5), assists (4.5), and steals (1.4).
But as the saying goes, "all good things must come to an end."
Stirtz's final game inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena is Thursday, when Iowa takes on No. 3 Michigan (7 pm, Peacock). The daunting task of defeating the red-hot Wolverines (27-2, 17-1) is keeping Stirtz's mind away from the emotional reality that his college career is nearing its end.
"Just focused on practice today. [I'm] trying to take it as slow as possible," Stirtz said. "My career has flown by. So just trying to take it slow and take it all in. ....Wish I was here all four years, but all the stops in my career have been great for me."
McCollum doesn't really pay much attention to Senior Night celebrations - which he says are for the parents - but he's always grateful for the accomplishments of his players.
McCollum's coached many successful players during his career (Trevor Hudgins and Ryan Hawkins are just a few of the names), but Stirtz is probably at the top of that list. His numbers are star-striking, but the journey from D-II to the Big Ten is one that may never be replicated.
"He was just in Maryville two years ago. This is ridiculous, what he's done. We'll probably look back at it in four or five years, and be like, 'man, this is pretty cool.' And to handle it the way he's done it, and take it in stride and handle it with the humility that he does and still be a good person is pretty impressive."
That humility shined near the end of Stirtz's press conference.
Stirtz doesn't want Iowa fans to remember him for his achievements on the court, he wants fans to remember this season as a building block for a new, successful era of Hawkeye basketball.
"I know Mac is going to get this rolling even better than it was this year," Stirtz said. "And just want to give my all, establish a culture. I think we did that this year, but our best days are ahead of us."
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