Final Notes - 2025-26 Season

OPENING TIP
• The Hawkeyes advanced to the fifth Elite Eight in program history -- the first since 1987 -- in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.  Iowa finished the year with a 24-13 overall record and a 10-10 mark in Big Ten play.  The 24 wins are tied for the fifth most in a single season in program history.
• Iowa downed three higher seeds -- No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida and No. 4 Nebraska to advance to the Elite Eight.  The Hawkeyes were the lowest seed in Big Ten history to reach the Elite Eight.
• The Hawkeyes became the ninth No. 9 seed all-time to knock off a No. 1 seed and the first since 2018.  The Hawkeyes were the sixth No. 9 seed all-time to advance to the Elite Eight.
• Iowa finished the season ranked 15th in the final Associated Press poll -- the highest final ranking since 2021.
• Junior Alvaro Folguerias’ 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds left sent Iowa to a Round of 32 win over defending National Champion Florida.  It was the program’s second win over the defending champion in program history.
• Iowa won three NCAA Tournament games in 2026; the program had four NCAA Tournament wins in the previous 24 seasons.
• Head coach Ben McCollum was the only first-year head coach in the nation to guide his team to the Elite Eight.
• McCollum joined Dr.  Tom Davis as the only two Iowa head coaches to win 20+ games, qualify for the NCAA Tournament and advance to an Elite Eight in year one.  
• Senior Bennett Stirtz was named to the South Regional All-Region team in Houston.  He also earned honorable mention All-America honors by The Associated Press and the USBWA and was a first-team all-region selection by the NABC.
• Stirtz became the first player in Iowa history to have 700+ points, 100+ assists and 50+ steals in a single season.  He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media; second-team by the Big Ten coaches.
• Stirtz was the only player in the nation to have 730+ points, 160+ assists, 95+ rebounds, 90+ 3-pointers and 50+ steals during the 2025-26 season.
• Stirtz played all but 28 seconds during Iowa’s four NCAA Tournament games.  He played a program record 1,396 minutes in 37 games this season, including 40+ minutes 17 times.

IOWA'S MAGICAL MARCH
• The Hawkeyes earned an at-large berth into the NCAA Tournament -- the 30th appearance in program history and the first since the 2022-23 season.
• Iowa won three NCAA Tournament games in a seven-day span; the program had four NCAA victories in the previous 24 years.
• The Hawkeyes advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987 and for the fifth time in program history.  Iowa’s Sweet 16 berth was the first since 1999 and the ninth all-time.
• Iowa became the lowest seed in the Big Ten to reach the Elite Eight all-time. The Hawkeyes were the sixth No. 9 seed to advance to the Elite Eight -- the first since Florida Atlantic in 2023.
• The Hawkeyes downed eighth-seeded Clemson (67-61), top-seeded Florida (73-72) and fourth-seeded Nebraska (77-71) en route to the Elite Eight.  The Hawkeyes fell short of the Final Four, falling to Illinois, 71-59, despite leading with seven minutes to play.
• Iowa now has two victories over No. 1 seeds in its history, downing Syracuse (88-77) in 1980 and Florida (73-72) in 2026.
• The Hawkeyes’ win over Clemson in the Round of 64 was the program’s first over a Power Conference opponent in the NCAA Tournament since 1999 (Arkansas).  

IOWA FINISHES 15TH IN AP POLL
• After not being ranked or receiving votes in the final poll prior to March Madness, the Hawkeyes finished the season ranked 15th in the final Associated Press poll and 19th in the Coaches’ rankings.
• It was Iowa’s highest end-of-year ranking since finishing eighth in the final AP poll in 2021. 
• Iowa made its debut in the AP poll in Week 8.  It was the program’s first time in the AP poll since Nov. 21, 2022 (No. 25 ranking). 
• The Hawkeyes were in the Coaches’ Poll for seven consecutive weeks before falling out of the rankings on Jan. 19. 

PROGRAM MOMENTUM
• Iowa sold out the Feb. 14 home game against Purdue.  It was the first sellout of the Ben McCollum era and the first since the regular season finale of the 2023-24 season against Illinois.
• The team’s home attendance grew 23 percent from 9,161 in 2024-25 to 11,279 during the 2025-26 season.
• The Hawkeyes’ social media engagement of men’s basketball accounts was second-best among Sweet 16 teams, trailing only Duke.  The social media value of the run was $1.05 million.  

ALL-AMERICA BENNETT
Senior Bennett Stirtz earned honorable mention All-America honors from The Associated Press and USBWA this season.  It was the second straight year he was an AP All-American.
• Stirtz was the first Hawkeye to earn All-America distinction since Kris Murray in 2023.
• He was also named an NABC first-team All-Central district honoree, a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media, second-team All-Big Ten honoree by the coaches and a second-team All-Big Ten selection by The Associated Press.  He was also Iowa’s recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
• Stirtz was also named to the 2025-26 John R. Wooden Award Late Midseason Top 20 and to the Naismith Trophy Men’s College Player of the Year Late-Season Team.  He was the second Hawkeye all-time to make the Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Midseason Top 10 list (Jeff Horner).

IOWA'S BENNETT STIRTZ FINISHED... 
• with the fifth-most points among active players (all levels) with 2,352 career points.  He eclipsed the 2,000-point mark on Feb. 1 at Oregon.
• as a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media and a second-team honoree by the league coaches.  He was the first Hawkeye to garner first team honors since the 2022-23 season.
• with a 17-5 record in win or go home games in his collegiate career (4-1 as freshman at Northwest Missouri State, 5-1 as sophomore at Northwest, 4-1 at Drake, 4-2 at Iowa).
• the 2025-26 season as the only player in the nation with 730+ points, 160+ assists, 95+ rebounds, 90+ 3-pointers and 50+ steals.
• as the 16th player all-time (first since 2019) to have a season with 730+ points, 160+ assists, 95+ rebounds, 90 3-pointers and 50+ steals.  He is the third power conference player to accomplish the feat (Trae Young, Jay Williams (2)) and he joins a list that includes Steph Curry.
• as the only player in the country this season with 730+ points, 160+ assists,  95+ rebounds and 50+ steals.
• as one of two players nationally (along with Arkansas’ Darius Acuff, Jr.) with 730+ points and 160+ assists.  
• as the first Hawkeye to have 700+ points, 100+ assists and 50+ steals in a single season. He is one of three Hawkeyes all-time to score 700+ points (Keegan Murray, Luka Garza (2)).
• with 1,396 minutes in 37 games -- the most minutes played in a single-season in program history.  His 38.53 career minutes per game average ranks eighth all-time.
• as the sixth Hawkeye all-time to have 500 points and 100 assists in a single season and the sixth Iowa player with a 500- point, 50-steal season. 

STIRTZ FINISHES FOURTH IN SINGLE SEASON SCORING
Senior Bennett Stirtz became the third Hawkeye all-time to score more than 700 points in a single season, joining Keegan Murray (2022) and Luka Garza (2020, 2021).  Stirtz finished with 734 points during the 2025-26 season, which are the fourth-most in a single season in program history.  

IN SELECT HAWKEYE COMPANY
In his first season as Iowa’s head coach, Ben McCollum became the second first-year Hawkeye coach, along with Dr. Tom Davis, to...
• win 20+ games
• guide the program to the NCAA Tournament and to a first-round victory
• advance to the Sweet 16. It was Iowa’s first Sweet 16 appearance since 1999.
• advance to the Elite Eight. It was the program’s first appearance since 1987.