Iowa Forward Makes Karl Malone Award Watchlist

With the arrival of newly-hired head coach Ben McCollum, as well as his previous star guard Bennett Stirtz — both of relative Drake Bulldogs fame — the Iowa Hawkeyes basketball program has seen a storm of media coverage converge around the two torch-carrying personalities.

High-Level Experience

For McCollum, his NCAA Tournament experience (including a first round win over an SEC opponent last year) and penchant for methodical, measured offenses painted him as the perfect suitor for Iowa's freshly opened seat at the head of the bench.

Stirtz, on the other hand, gained a reputation in his first three years of college basketball for consistently being his team's leading scorer and go-to bucket getter, although he didn't neglect the rest of the statsheet, either. The guard is shaping up to be the Hawkeyes' primary option on offense, and has seen a swath of preseason award recognition.

Though he isn't the only transfer in the black and gold getting national attention. This week, junior forward Alvaro Folgueiras was named to the Karl Malone Award watchlist within a week of Iowa's season beginning at home. On X (Twitter), Iowa Men's Basketball shone a light on their new PF's achievement.

We see you, @AlvaroFolgue 💪 pic.twitter.com/xNlaNRz40r
— Iowa Men’s Basketball (@IowaHoops) October 30, 2025

Folgueiras Can Score From Anywhere

Folgueiras spent his first two seasons in college as a Robert Morris Colonial; coincidentally, the Colonials are set to stand at the Hawkeyes' first opponent of the year in Iowa City early next week. Not only will the game serve as the first real look at Ben McCollum's brand of basketball, but it'll give Folgueiras the opportunity to face his former team in a newer environment rife with higher-level spectacle.

In his 2024-25 run with Robert Morris, the stretch forward averaged 14.1 points per game, posting 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists to boot. What's more, Folgueiras shot a flaming 54.8% from the field on the whole, including a specifically impressing 41.3% rate from long range.

The latter metric rose nearly thirteen percent from his freshman year. Folgueiras defines the "forward who can do it all" trend that currently dominates basketball on all levels. Especially in a conference as physically focused as the B1G, having a player who can stretch the floor and force defenses to meet him wherever he is will do wonders for a Hawkeyes offense yet to be tested.

Folgueiras is one of many exciting aspect of the new regime taking hold in Iowa City. Fans have just days left to wait until he and the rest of the overhauled program take the floor for the first time.

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