Koch follows his father to Hawkeyes | College Sports

Cooper Koch, a 6-foot-8 all-point out ahead from Peoria Notre Dame final period as a sophomore, will abide by his father’s footsteps and participate in basketball for Iowa.

The son of former Hawkeye J.R. Koch declared on social media Thursday that he has committed to mentor Fran McCaffery’s system, generating him the very first member of Iowa’s 2024 recruiting course.

“I have developed up dreaming of taking part in for the Hawkeyes. Yesterday, I created that aspiration a truth,” Koch wrote in asserting his dedication. “I have dedicated to play for the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and coach McCaffery.”

Iowa, Purdue and Wisconsin were being the remaining three courses Koch regarded as from a collection of presents that also involved Illinois, Indiana, Wake Forest, Western Illinois and the initially Division I software to offer you him, Bradley.

The Hawkeyes have been the very first higher-key application to offer Koch, creating him a scholarship offer on May possibly 11, 2021.

Koch attained far more consideration on the court this past year, playing on a 22-7 group whilst averaging 16 points and seven rebounds per sport for the Irish as a sophomore.

Weighing in previous period at 205 lbs, Koch exhibited good shooting techniques in the paint and vary extending to the 3-issue line.

He gained first-team all-meeting recognition in the Large 12 Meeting and was awarded 2nd-staff Class 3A all-condition recognition from the Illinois Basketball Coaches Affiliation.

Koch is rated by 247Athletics as a 4-star prospect on a 5-star scale and is rated by that organization as the 51st-very best player nationally, the eighth-very best ability ahead and fourth-very best player in Illinois in the Course of 2024.

In addition to participating in for Peoria Notre Dame, Koch competes for Indiana Elite on the AAU circuit.

His father, a 6-10 submit participant, competed at Iowa from 1995-99 just before currently being selected in the second round of the NBA draft in 1999 by the New York Knicks.

He performed skillfully in the United States and Europe for 6 seasons just after averaging 11.4 points and 4.2 rebounds as a Hawkeye senior.

With Koch’s dedication, Iowa now has a few commitments in its foreseeable future recruiting classes.

Ahead Owen Freeman, who lately transferred to Moline, and Moline guard Brock Harding, who declared his verbal commitment to Iowa on Thursday evening, are customers of the Hawkeyes’ 2023 recruiting class.