Iowa basketball forward Cooper Koch received approval for a medical-hardship waiver from the Big Ten Conference, granting him four years of college eligibility. The 6-foot-8 redshirt freshman, who played 10 games last season, averaged 4.6 points and 2.1 rebounds per game before his season was cut short due to a collapsed lung after a game in January.
Despite briefly considering a transfer, Koch decided to stay with the Hawkeyes as the sole scholarship player to return. Head coach McCollum praised Koch's skills and energetic personality, citing his potential success in Iowa's system. Koch, a four-star recruit ranked nationally, hails from Illinois and joined Iowa's 2024 class. For ongoing coverage of Iowa basketball news, follow @HawkeyesWire on social media.