Darius Stokes earns Iowa scholarship

IOWA CITY -- Iowa junior Darius Stokes was awarded with a men's basketball scholarship for the 2013-14 season, Coach Fran McCaffery announced today.

Stokes, a 6-foot-7 forward from Linn-Mar High School, played in 24 games the last two years. McCaffery said Stokes has grown and improved over his three years with the program. Stokes red-shirted his first season and will have two more at Iowa.

“Darius is an incredibly hard worker who brings energy and enthusiasm on a daily basis,” McCaffery said in a news release. “It's rewarding to see his growth and improvement since his freshman year. Darius is a valuable member of this team and has earned this scholarship.”

“This is a dream come true,” Stokes said. “I am extremely grateful for this opportunity. Coach McCaffery has always believed in me and pushed me in every practice. Having the opportunity to be part of this team as a walk-on and now earning a scholarship after working hard every day is an amazing feeling.

Stokes' father, Greg, was a three-time all-Big Ten center at Iowa and ranks third in school history in scoring. Stokes' sister, Kiah, is a junior at UConn.

Iowa now is up to a full scholarship allotment for the upcoming season. The program will have three available scholarships for the 2014-15 season.