Ash excited about opportunity

Mount Vernon guard Austin Ash saw an opportunity come to walk on at Iowa and it was something he decided to accept quickly.

"It really just came on kind of quick," said Ash. "I wasn’t sure how serious it was but it was a dream to go there. A couple of days ago, I got a call and they talked to me about walking on. We talked about it and we came to a family decision. It was something I jumped on right away."

Ash had spent a lot of time following the University of Iowa since he was a child.

“As a kid, I really dreamed of playing for Iowa," Ash said. "I grew up a big fan. I like all the players at Iowa and their coaches. It is close to home. I’ve always loved the Hawkeyes.”

A handful of other schools were also following Ash and his progress on the basketball court.

"Clarke was a strong option, Grand View, and I took a visit down to Northwest Missouri State and they were really recruiting me pretty hard," he said. "Coe was really close to home. Those were the main ones."

Ash know what to expect over the next few years and how he can help this team excel.

"Obviously being a really good shooter they told me they would probably redshirt me to get me up to 175-180 pounds," said Ash. "I would be a practice player to help them in early years. Maybe by my junior or senior year I could play here and there and get a couple of shots."

Living this dream is something that Ash knows is hard to believe at this point.

“Right now, it just feels unreal," Ash said. "I have looked up to the Iowa players. Being an Iowa player is now something that will be true. It is unreal. I am loving it right now.”

Ash has heavy praise for the coaching staff at Iowa.

"They seem like really great guys," he said. "I have always liked their system because they play fast. They get a lot of shots. They develop players really well."

There are some areas of his game that Ash is going to continue working on this off-season.

"I'm just getting bigger and stronger," said Ash. "I want to be able to handle contact better and get to the free throw line more often during the season."