Iowa snags commitment from All-MVC forward via transfer portal

The Iowa Hawkeyes will be looking to improve on their 19-14 record from last season, a campaign that included a fifth-place finish in the Big Ten as well as a first-round exit to Auburn in the NCAA Tournament.

With starting guard Ahron Ulis and backup center Josh Ogundele both leaving Iowa City via the transfer portal, there have been some spots on the roster that have opened up for head coach Fran McCaffery and the Hawkeyes—and they just filled one of them in a big way.

The transfer portal taketh away, but it also giveth.

Forward Ben Krikke, formerly of Valparaiso, announced his commitment to Iowa on social media. 

"Let's get it Iowa. Excited for this next chapter," he wrote on Instagram.

Krikke will be a massive addition to Iowa, and he comes with an impressive resume. He's 6-foot-9, 235 pounds and is coming to Iowa City with four years of good experience in the Missouri Valley Conference for Valpo.

He's played in 122 games since 2019, starting in 90 of those appearances. Krikke has averaged 13.1 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game for Valpo, but it was his senior season that should have Hawkeyes fans excited.

Krikke averaged 19.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.1 assists for the Beacons as a senior.

He projects to be a valuable addition to the Hawkeyes, though he'll undoubtedly have a learning curve going from the MVC to the Big Ten.