Xavier Kurth

Xavier Kurth is in his second season as the director of player development for the University of Iowa men's basketball program.   

During his first season in Iowa City, Kurth helped guide the Hawkeyes to the program's first Elite Eight appearance in 39 years and first Sweet 16 since 1999. No. 9 seed Iowa downed three higher seeded teams -- No. 8 Clemson, No. 1 Florida and No. 4 Nebraska.  The Hawkeyes led their South Region title game with seven minutes remaining with a Final Four spot on the line.

Iowa's 73-72 win over top-seeded Florida gave the Hawkeyes their second win all-time against the defending national champion. Iowa became the ninth No. 9 seed to knock off a No. 1 seed and the sixth nine seed all-time to advance to the Elite Eight.

The Hawkeyes finished the 2025-26 season with a 24-13 overall record with the 24 victories being tied for the fifth-most in a single season in program history.  The team finished the season ranked 15th in the final Associated Press rankings.  

Iowa, which had 12 transfers among its 14-player roster, won three NCAA Tournament games in 2026; the program had four NCAA Tournament wins in the previous 24 seasons.

Senior guard Bennett Stirtz, who made the jump from Northwest Missouri State to Drake to Iowa City, was as good as advertised. Stirtz earned honorable mention All-America honors by The Associated Press and USBWA and first-team All-Big Ten honors by the media after averging 19.8 points, 4.4 assists and 2.6 rebounds.  He played 40 or more minutes 17 times during the season and finished with a program record 1,396 minutes.

Stirtz went from a second-team All-MIAA selection at the Division II level to an All-American in the Big Ten.  He was the only player in the nation to have 730+ points, 160+ assists, 95+ rebounds, 90+ 3-poiners and 50+ steals and he became one of three Power Conference players all-time to put up those numbers.

Stirtz became the first Hawkeye with 700+ points, 100+ assists and 50+ steals and the third Hawkeye to score 700+ points.  His 734 points were the fourth-most in a single season in Iowa history.

Kurth coached under Iowa head coach Ben McCollum at both Drake and Northwest Missouri State prior to becoming a Hawkeye.  He also played for McCollum with the Bearcats.  

The Saint Joseph, Missouri, native spent the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach/director of player development at Drake.  He helped the Bulldogs achieve unprecedented success as the team racked up a school-record 31 victories and claimed both the Missouri Valley Conference regular season and tournament titles.  The Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after defeating sixth-seeded Missouri, 67-57, in the Round of 64. 

Kurth assisted in Drake’s complete roster rebuild, as the Bulldogs brought in a combined 10 transfers and first-year players.  Stirtz was named the MVC Larry Bird Player and Newcomer of the Year, while being a finalist for the Riley Wallace Award and Lou Henson Awards.

Kurth served as a part-time assistant coach at Northwest from 2018-22 before being elevated to a full-time role from 2022-24.  He helped the program capture three NCAA Division II National Championships and compile a 191-16 record during his tenure on staff.

As a player, Kurth suited up for the Bearcats from 2014-18, helping the program capture its first NCAA title during his junior season when the team posted a 35-1 overall record.  Northwest won a total of 114 games during his four years.

Kurth earned his bachelor’s degree in education from Northwest Missouri State in 2018 and his master’s in applied health sciences from the school in 2020.