Luka Garza Retired Number Celebration to be held Feb. 22
Darling, Marble, Wier Jerseys also to be retired
Credit Source: University of Iowa Athletics
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa Athletics Department will formally retire two-time National Player of the Year Luka Garza’s No. 55 at halftime of the Iowa-Michigan State men’s basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 22.
The athletics department will also be retiring the jerseys of former Hawkeye greats Charles “Chuck” Darling, Roy Marble and Murray Wier. Family member(s) of Wier and Marble will be in attendance for recognition, which will take place prior to the game at approximately 5:45 p.m. (CT).
Additionally, all other retired numbers and jerseys for the Iowa men’s and women’s basketball programs will be hanging from the Carver-Hawkeye Arena rafters beginning next week.
- Men’s Basketball: B.J. Armstrong (#10) Ronnie Lester (#12), Carl Cain (#21), Bill Seaberg (#22), Bill Logan (#31), Bill Schoof (#33), Chris Street (#40), Greg Stokes (#41), Sharm Scheuerman (#46)
- Women’s Basketball: Michelle Edwards (#30), Megan Gustafson (#10)
Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT). Approximately 3,000 tickets are available for purchase on hawkeyesports.com/tickets.
“Congratulations to Luka, Murray, Chuck and Roy. Their accomplishments are well documented, and this recognition is well deserved,” said Gary Barta, Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. “This conversation reemerged with the incredible success of Megan and Luka. I’m pleased we took the opportunity to look back at our history, and moving forward all of men’s and women’s honorees will be recognized in the rafters of Carver-Hawkeye Arena.”
“We look forward to honoring Luka Garza and his family,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. “Luka epitomizes everything that you want in your program. Not just Hawkeye fans, but college basketball fans across the country appreciated his achievements on and off the court for four years, and the way he pursued his dreams.
“It will be great seeing all the retired numbers and jerseys, including the additions of Chuck Darling, Roy Marble, and Murray Weir, hanging in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Chuck and Murray were our first consensus first-team All-Americans, while Roy was the program’s leading scorer for three decades and won nearly 100 games as a Hawkeye.”
LUKA GARZA
Garza swept all major postseason men’s basketball awards in 2021 (Wooden, Naismith, Associated Press, Oscar Robertson, NABC, Lute Olson, Sporting News) to become the program’s first consensus National Player of the Year. Garza is Iowa’s only two-time unanimous consensus first-team All-American and only recipient in program history of the Big Ten Jesse Owens Male Athlete of the Year. He led the nationally-ranked Hawkeyes to 22 victories in 2021.
Garza led the nation as a senior in total points (747), 30-point games (8), field goals made (281), and 20-point games (22). The native of Washington, D.C., also ranked 10th nationally in free throw makes (141) and 11th in double-doubles (13).
His 747 points extended the single-season school record that he set in 2020 as a junior (740). The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year broke Iowa’s 32-year-old scoring record held by Marble on Feb. 21, 2021. He finished his Hawkeye career with 2,306 points, which ranks seventh best in Big Ten history. Garza is the only men’s basketball player in Big Ten history to accumulate 2,250 points and 900 rebounds.
In addition to ranking first in career scoring, Garza is tops at Iowa in 30-point games (13), conference scoring (1,399), field goals made (870), field goal attempts (1,594), and 40-point games (2); second in rebounds (931); fourth in double-doubles (34); fifth in blocked shots (154); sixth in free throw makes (446) and attempts (636); and 16th in 3-pointers made (120).
“This is an honor my family and I will never forget,” Garza said. “I want to thank Mr. Barta, Coach McCaffery and the entire coaching staff, all my teammates, my family, and all of Hawkeye Nation because without them this would not have been possible. It’s a dream come true to have my name and number in the rafters among all of the other Hawkeye greats.”
MURRAY WIER
Wier, who was inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 1989, was a four-year starter from 1945-48. He averaged 7.8 points per game as a freshman in 1945, helping lead Iowa to a Big Ten championship. As a senior, Wier became the first officially recognized Division I NCAA scoring leader and Iowa’s first-ever consensus first-team All-American, averaging 21 points per game. He set a then-Big Ten record of 272 points in conference play, earning first-team all-league and team Most Valuable Player accolades in 1948. Additionally, Wier is one of only three Hawkeyes to earn the Chicago Tribune’s trophy as the Big Ten’s Most Valuable Player. Wier averaged 8.4 points as a sophomore and a team-best 15.1 points as a junior.
Wier passed away at the age of 89 in April, 2016.
CHUCK DARLING
Darling earned first-team All-America distinction and was awarded the Chicago Tribune Silver Trophy as a senior in 1952. A two-time all-conference selection, Darling led the Hawkeyes to second (1952) and third place (1951) Big Ten finishes as an upperclassman. He led the Hawkeyes in scoring in back-to-back seasons in 1951 (16.3 ppg) and 1952 (25.5 ppg), including leading the Big Ten in points per game as a senior. His 25.5 points per game average is the third highest scoring average in program history behind John Johnson (27.9 ppg in 1970) and Fred Brown (27.6 ppg in 1971). Darling who was inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 1990, averaged a staggering 17.6 rebounds in 22 games as a junior, a season average that is tops in school history.
Darling passed away at the age of 91 in April, 2021.
ROY MARBLE
A letterman from 1986-89, Marble scored 2,116 points in 134 games to become the first Iowa player to score more than 2,000 points. He also recorded 668 career rebounds and 281 assists as the Hawkeyes won 97 games during his career. Iowa earned four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight appearance in 1987 and a trip to the Sweet 16 in 1988. Marble shared team Most Valuable Player honors from 1987-89 and was inducted into the Iowa Athletics Hall of Fame in 2021. Along with being Iowa’s career scoring leader for 31 years, Marble currently ranks second in program annals in field goals made (787), field goal attempts (1,459) and free throws made (516); third in free throw attempts (707); and fourth in career steals (183). Marble led the team in scoring in 1986, 1987, and 1989.
Marble passed away at the age of 48 in September, 2015.
Current Men’s Basketball Retired Number Criteria:
- National Player of the Year on any of the following outlets: Associated Press, NABC, USBWA, Sporting News, Naismith Award and/or Wooden Award, and Consensus first-team All-America
- Graduate, or left University in solid program citizenship and academic standing
- Member of Varsity Club Hall of Fame, or have met competitive criteria for membership
Men’s Basketball Retired Jersey Criteria:
- Multiple years as Consensus first-team All-America
- Graduate, or left University in solid program citizenship and academic standing
- Member of Varsity Club Hall of Fame, or have met competitive criteria for membership
Women’s Basketball Retired Number Criteria:
- National Player of the Year on any of the following outlets: Associated Press, WBCA, USBWA, Honda, Naismith Award and/or Wooden Award, and consensus first-team All-America
- Graduate, or left University in solid program citizenship and academic standing
- Member of Varsity Club Hall of Fame, or have met competitive criteria for membership
Women’s Basketball Retired Jersey Criteria:
- Multiple years as Consensus first-team All-America
- Graduate, or left University in solid program citizenship and academic standing
- Member of Varsity Club Hall of Fame, or have met competitive criteria for membership
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