Iowa's Bennett Stirtz Has Case for Big Ten Player of Year

Bennett Stirtz has had one heck of a season for the Iowa Hawkeyes. After transferring from Drake, the senior guard has lit up the scoreboard almost every single night and has often been the sole reason why the Hawkeyes have been competitive. As such, it’s right to wonder what sort of awards will come his way once the season comes to an end, with one of the most prestigious being the ever-coveted title of Big Ten Player of the Year.

Luka Garza was the last Hawkeye to be named Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year when he did it back in 2020 and 2021. His run of play those two seasons was extremely impressive and set a benchmark that few Iowa men’s basketball players can ever hope to reach. Still, Stirtz has put up a convincing case. But will it be enough?

Stirtz Has a Strong Case, But Not a Winning One

Mar 5, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) controls the ball as Michigan Wolverines guard Trey McKenney (1) defends during the second half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

In 31 games — all starts — with Iowa this past season, Stirtz averaged 20.2 points per game, 2.5 rebounds and 4.4 assists. He shot 49.8 percent from the field and an impressive 38.2 percent from beyond the arc. All in all, it was a fantastic campaign for the senior, one that will surely enable the Hawkeyes to make the NCAA Tournament field.

Even then, Stirtz’s efforts to claim the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year award are probably going to come up short. Yes, his statistics are impressive — mind-boggling at times, even — but his failure to come up in the big moments in some of Iowa’s biggest games might come back to haunt him. For instance, Stirtz had just 11 points in Iowa’s loss to Nebraska and only 16 at Penn State in one of the team’s most debilitating defeats of the season. The Hawkeyes needed him, and he came up short.

Mar 8, 2026; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Yaxel Lendeborg (23) celebrates in the second half against the Michigan State Spartans at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Compared with some of the other standout stars in the conference, Stirtz’s lack of big moments, at least in the last several weeks, makes it hard to believe that this award will end up in his trophy case. While Stirtz did put up more points versus Michigan and Yaxel Lendeborg, the Hawkeyes still came up short while Lendeborg’s Wolverines went on to pick up another clutch win. Additionally, Lendeborg shot the lights out against archrival Michigan State in the Wolverines’ next time out, only adding to his case. Perhaps the stain on Lendeborg’s résumé is his tendency to disappear in some games, but his team’s ability to consistently rack up wins overshadows that to some degree.

But Lendeborg is one of the most versatile defenders and best offensive rebounders in all the land, making the box score somewhat irrelevant in deciding if he should be the Big Ten’s best player or not. He just simply is. As such, Stirtz, despite all his scoring accolades, will most likely come up short to Lendeborg — and maybe some other players like Illinois’ Keaton Wagler and Purdue’s Braden Smith — when everything is said and done.

What can’t be taken away from Stirtz is the undeniable impact he’s had on Iowa men’s basketball. Without him, the Hawkeyes would be nowhere near the NCAA Tournament. For that, Iowa City and the rest of the Hawkeye faithful should be forever grateful. That accolade is far more valuable than a little trophy.

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