Freshman Cooper Koch has announced that he is withdrawing from the transfer portal and returning to Iowa basketball, a decision he made public on Sunday.
Koch missed most of the season due to an undisclosed health issue but played in 10 games for the Hawkeyes, averaging 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 42.9% from beyond the arc.
His return is considered a significant recruiting win for new head coach Ben McCollum.
Koch shared his decision on social media, stating, “After speaking with Coach McCollum, I believe his vision for the Men’s Basketball Team aligns with mine.” He continued, “With that being said, I have decided to withdraw my name from the transfer portal and stay HOME. Go Hawks!”
A four-star recruit from Metamora Township High School in Illinois, Koch was one of only two scholarship players in Iowa’s 2024 recruiting class. He also has strong ties to Iowa, as his father, J.R., played for the Hawkeyes from 1995 to 1999.
Koch’s freshman season was disrupted by his health issue, preventing him from consistently showcasing his potential. However, he did have standout moments, such as scoring a career-high 14 points against New Hampshire in December, including three 3-pointers. He also hit two 3-pointers in Iowa’s win over Washington State in November.
The last game Koch played this season was against Wisconsin on January 3, where he scored two points.
Koch entered the transfer portal after Fran McCaffery’s departure but kept the option open to return to Iowa. McCollum made it a priority to convince Koch, along with teammates Pryce Sandfort and Josh Dix, to return to the program.
McCollum mentioned in his March 25 press conference, “See if we can get them some support as well… Maybe just text them or tweet them or anything like that and get them excited about coming back to the University of Iowa and making this thing grow. That would be good support to start.”
He added, “How cool would it be for some of them to be a part of — obviously they finished towards the bottom, but now moving up towards the top, and they’re the reason for the change. That to me is as cool as it gets. And that’s our sell to them. And we’re going to continue down that path, and we’re going to fight for them.”
McCollum has the task of rebuilding a roster that has seen several players exhaust their eligibility, such as Payton Sandfort, Drew Thelwell, and Even Brauns, along with others entering the transfer portal. Key departures include Owen Freeman (Creighton), Riley Mulvey (Siena), and Brock Harding (TCU).
To address the roster changes, McCollum has already made a significant move in the transfer portal by bringing in Drake’s Bennett Stirtz, a player who followed McCollum from Northwest Missouri State to Drake and now to Iowa. Stirtz, who was named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Year, plans to enter the 2025 NBA Draft but will maintain his college eligibility to play for Iowa next season.
“ If he’s not the best point guard in the country, he’s top two or three,” McCollum said of Stirtz. “So that’s a pretty good fit right there.”
Koch’s return adds depth to Iowa’s projected 2025-26 roster.
Given that Koch only appeared in 10 games, he is expected to seek a medical redshirt, which would grant him an extra season of eligibility, allowing him four full seasons to play.
While his freshman season didn’t go as planned, Koch still has significant potential. Standing at 6-foot-8, he has the physical tools to be an effective wing. His ability to shoot from beyond the arc was evident in his limited playing time, and he could become an important asset for Iowa’s program.
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