Golden Herky Awards Winners Announced

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa Department of Athletics recognized the academic and athletic accomplishments of its student-athletes at the 10th annual Golden Herkys on Monday evening at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

The event, which was organized by UI student-athletes, was highlighted by the announcement of seniors Bennett Stirtz (men’s basketball) and Hannah Stuelke (women’s basketball) as Athletes of the Year. Stirtz and senior Kylie Feuerbach (women’s basketball) were named Hawkeyes of the Year, which encompasses the athletics department core values of WIN, GRADUATE, DO IT RIGHT.

Stirtz (Liberty, Missouri) earned AP and USBWA honorable mention All-America honors, while being a first-team All-Big Ten selection in his lone season as a Hawkeye. He averaged 19.8 points, 4.4 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game, while shooting 47.7 percent from the floor and making 92 triples. Stirtz is the first Hawkeye in program history to have 700+ points, 100+ assists and 50+ steals in a single season, while playing a program record 1,396 minutes, including 17 40-minute games. He became the 11th college player all-time with 2000+ points, 550+ assists, 450+ rebounds and 225+ steals in a career. Stirtz, who was awarded the prestigious Chris Street Award, led the program to the first Elite Eight since 1987 and 24 team victories.

Stuelke (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) earned WBCA honorable mention All-American distinction as a senior and was a three-time second-team All-Big Ten selection for the Hawkeyes during her career. She averaged 13.4 points per game and a team-best 9.0 rebounds per game in 2025-26, while tying the school NCAA Tournament game with 19 rebounds in her final game. Stuelke recorded the 14th-most points (1,565) and the fifth-most (910) rebounds in school history, while becoming fourth Hawkeye in program history to record 1,500+ points and 900+ rebounds in a career. She was named 2023 Big Ten Sixth Player of the Year as a true freshman.

Feuerbach (Sycamore, Illinois) is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, recognizing her contributions to Iowa as both a student and an athlete. On top of her bachelor's degree in marketing, she earned a master's degree in strategic communication and is completing a second bachelor's degree in entrepreneurial management. On the court, she is known for her elite perimeter defense, often guarding the opponent's top scorer. She served as team captain for the 2025-26 season, helping the Hawkeyes to 27 wins, including 15 in Big Ten play. Feuerbach volunteers in her community through Athletes in Action, Day of Caring, the Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and Habitat for Humanity. Feuerbach is also an ISAAC Representative. Her impact on the court, dedication in the classroom, and pride in representing Iowa make her the best example of a Hawkeye student-athlete.

The Hawkeye men's basketball team took home four additional Golden Herkys. Redshirt freshman Cooper Koch was named Men's Breakthrough Athlete, freshman Tate Sage was named Men's Freshman of the Year, and the team earned the awards for Men's Outstanding Team and Best Moment for defeating No. 1 seed Florida to advance to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

After being limited to just 10 games the previous year due to a collapsed lung and subsequent setback that led to a redshirt season, Koch (Peoria, Illinois) returned to have a breakout redshirt freshman campaign. He started all 37 games in 2025-26, averaging 7.8 points and 3.1 rebounds while emerging as one of the team’s top perimeter threats. He ranked second on the team with 66 triples, shooting 40.2 percent from beyond the arc and 43.7 percent from the field. Koch scored in double figures 14 times, including twice during Iowa’s Elite Eight run in the NCAA Tournament, and elevated his play late in the season, knocking down 29 treys over the final nine games.

As a true freshman, Sage (Weatherford, Oklahoma) put together a strong debut season for the Hawkeyes, averaging 6.1 points and 2.1 rebounds while shooting an efficient 49.3 percent from the field and 38.9 percent from 3-point range. Sage delivered his top performance of the season in Iowa’s Sweet 16 victory over Nebraska, posting career highs with 19 points, eight rebounds, and three assists while shooting 6-of-10 from the field, including four 3-pointers. He scored in double figures in eight games this season, including twice during the NCAA Tournament, highlighting his impact in key moments.

The men's basketball team was the "Cinderella" of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, downing higher seeds -- No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida and No. 4 Nebraska -- to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 1987. The Hawkeyes beat the defending national champion Gators in the Round of 32 and became just the sixth No. 9 seed to advance to the Elite Eight in tournament history. With a roster comprised of 12 first-year players, the team won 24 games (tied for fifth-most in program history) in Year 1 of the Ben McCollum era. Iowa became the lowest seed in the Big Ten all-time to reach the Elite Eight. The team finished the season 15th in the final Associated Press rankings.

The Best Moment Award recognized the team's upset of No. 1 seed Florida, 73-72, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Set up by an assist from Stirtz, junior Alvaro Folgueiras hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 4.5 seconds remaining, sending Iowa to its first Sweet 16 since 1999.

The women's gymnastics team won three Golden Herkys. Freshman Sophie Schriever was named Women's Freshman of the Year, while the team was named Women's Outstanding Team and recorded the top women's team grade-point average (GPA) for the 2025 spring and fall, posting a team GPA of 3.59 in the spring and 3.69 in the fall.

Schriever (Sandy, Utah), competed in the all-around in 10 of 12 meets this season, posting career best scores of 9.925 on vault, bars and floor, 9.900 on beam and 39.475 in the all-around. She earned second-team All-Big Ten and All-Freshman Team honors and ranked ninth in the conference and 25th nationally with a 39.345 National Qualifying Score.

The squad finished the regular season ranked No. 17 nationally and fifth in the Big Ten. The GymHawks captured the Session II title at the Big Ten Championships, upsetting higher-ranked conference opponents Ohio State and Penn State. Iowa also placed third in the Big Ten regular-season standings. During the 2026 season, the GymHawks broke the program team score record, set a new attendance record and established a program record on bars.

Sophomore Ava Heiden (women's basketball) was named Women's Breakthrough Athlete of the Year. Heiden (Sherwood, Oregon) delivered a dominant sophomore season for Iowa, starting all 34 games and emerging as one of the nation’s elite centers. She averaged 18 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals while shooting 64.1 percent from the field, totaling 612 points and 246 rebounds. Heiden recorded nine double‑doubles and scored in double figures against all 17 Big Ten opponents. She was a semifinalist for the Lisa Leslie Center of the Year, earned USBWA, AP, Big Ten and Naismith National Player of the Week accolades, voted first-team All‑Big Ten, was a USBWA and AP All‑American, WBCA All‑America Team finalist, and received Big Ten Honor Roll, All‑Academic Big Ten and CSC Academic All‑District recognition.

The Hawkeye men’s golf team took home the Golden Herky for men's top team grade-point average (GPA) for the 2025 spring and fall. The men’s golf team posted a team GPA of 3.04 in the spring, and a 3.10 in the fall.

Athletic trainer Jessica Amoruso won the Staff-lete Golden Herky, after being nominated by the soccer team. The team recognized her not only being skilled at her job, but for also building genuine, close relationships with the student-athletes in her care. She has played a pivotal role in elevating the program through her unwavering dedication to athlete recovery, health, and performance. She consistently goes above and beyond, seeking out new techniques, resources, and equipment to ensure the team has access to the best possible care, directly impacting the ability to compete at the highest level. After a coaching staff change this year, she organized practices, managed workloads, coordinated meals, supported players emotionally, and assisted in the head coach hiring process—all while continuing to excel as an athletic trainer.

The Hawkeye football and women's wrestling teams took home the Hawkeye Life Community Engagement Golden Herkys, while senior Will Ryan (men's track and field/cross country) won Hawkeye Life Community Engagement Golden Herky individual award for the most recorded hours from May 1, 2025-May 1, 2026 (109.33).

Football recorded the most total hours (1724.88) in all five Hawkeye Live pillars (Academic Success, Leadership, Career Development, Health & Well-Being, Community Engagement), while women's wrestling posted the highest team average - tallying a 10 hours per athlete average.

Ryan (Waukee, Iowa) embodies what it means to be a Hawkeye through excellence in the classroom, competition, and community. Academically, Ryan has maintained an impressive GPA while earning Academic All–Big Ten honors, successfully balancing rigorous coursework with the demands of Division I athletics. His discipline and commitment to learning reflect a drive for excellence beyond sport. Athletically, Ryan has been a consistent and impactful contributor to the Hawkeyes, delivering key performances at the Big Ten Indoor Track and Field Championships and on the national stage. He currently ranks tenth all-time at Iowa in the 5,000-meter run. In service, Ryan is deeply committed to giving back, volunteering at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital and founding the Hawks Supporting Hawks initiative, a charity dedicated to supporting patients in the Stead Family Children’s Hospital. Ryan and fellow student athletes raised over $16,000 this year for the cause.

2026 GOLDEN HERKY AWARD WINNERS
MEN’S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- Bennett Stirtz (Men's Basketball)
WOMEN’S ATHLETE OF THE YEAR -- Hannah Stuelke (Women's Basketball)
MEN’S HAWKEYE OF THE YEAR -- Bennett Stirtz (Men's Basketball)
WOMEN’S HAWKEYE OF THE YEAR -- Kylie Feuerbach (Women's Basketball)
MEN’S FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR -- Tate Sage (Men's Basketball)
WOMEN’S FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR -- Sophie Schriever (Gymnastics)
MEN’S BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE -- Cooper Koch (Men's Basketball)
WOMEN’S BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE -- Ava Heiden (Women's Basketball)
MEN’S OUTSTANDING TEAM -- Men's Basketball
WOMEN’S OUTSTANDING TEAM -- Gymnastics
BEST MOMENT -- Men's Basketball defeats No. 1 seed Florida to advance to the Sweet 16
SPRING & FALL 2025 MEN’S TEAM GPA -- Men's Golf
SPRING & FALL 2025 WOMEN’S TEAM GPA -- Gymnastics
HAWKEYE LIFE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (TEAM TOTAL HOURS) -- Football (1724.88 hours)
HAWKEYE LIFE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (TEAM AVG. HOURS) -- Women's Wrestling (10 hours avg. per athlete)
HAWKEYE LIFE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT (INDIVIDUAL) -- Will Ryan (Men's Track & Field/Cross Country)
STAFF-LETE -- Jessica Amoruso (Soccer Athletic Trainer)
BEST DRESSED -- Gabby Deery (Volleyball)