Iowa

’24 Iowa Football Preseason Awards

Published

2 years ago

August 3, 2024

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The preseason is for the fans and media. We talk about what’s going to happen in college football this fall, while the student-athletes sweat through the August heat preparing for it.

That’s the setup. We have our marching orders before the 2024 campaign kicks off later this month. That means previews and predictions from yours truly.

Check out the site for previous installments and check back for more with media and kids days coming next week. Here’s a staple of the football preview rubber chicken circuit – Preseason Awards.

Defensive Player of the Year

Jay Higgins, SR, LB

Who else, right? Actually, Jay would be the first to tell you he couldn’t do what he does without the tremendous talent around him. In Iowa’s scheme, the middle linebacker racks up tackles when things are going well.That starts with the line keeping him clean.

Rank the guys during the last quarter century however you like. Fred Barr, Abdul Hodge, Pat Angerer, Josey Jewell and Jack Campbell are all memorable. Higgins is in that conversation now.

He’s considered one of the country’s best defenders heading into 2024 after 171-tackle season. A similar tackle total can be expected.

More importantly, as a second-year starter, Higgins will play faster and with a greater knowledge of the defense can better help guys around him.

Offensive Player of the Year

Luke Lachey, SR, TE

Picking middle linebacker and tight end for these awards at Iowa isn’t exactly going out on a limb. Be that as it may, like Higgins, Lachey could be the best player at his position in the Big Ten and beyond.

While Higgins’ case can be made through last year’s production, we’re projecting with Lachey. He’s returning from a season-ending knee injury that cost him all but nine quarters of football, during which he already had caught 10 passes for 131 yards.

The Ohio native showed breakout potential at the end of ‘22, too. He was honorable mention All-Big Ten after catching 28 passes for 398 yards and four touchdowns. He was the No. 2 tight end behind Sam LaPorta, who finished third in the NFL’s Offensive Rookie of The Year voting in ‘23.

Iowa is TE U. Lachey is the next one. And, like Higgins, he has an opportunity to strengthen his place in pantheon of great performers at his position.

Redshirt Freshman of The Year

John Nestor, CB, Chicago

Nestor delivered in a special teams’ role last season and took another step forward in the spring. That growth led to him entering training camp as a starting cornerback.

Deshaun Lee and TJ Hall certainly aren’t conceding anything in their pursuit of the spot vacated by Cooper DeJean, now with the Philadelphia Eagles. They have more game experience than Nestor at the position.

They also have to overtake him this month and keep pushing if they don’t. No matter what happens, Nestor will play. And he’ll probably blow up some folks on special teams as well.

Iowa returns a lot of starters, reducing candidates for this category. But Nestor is a good one as is the guy in the next category.

True Freshman of The Year

Rhys Dakin, P, Australia

Dakin takes over for countryman Tory Taylor, who is a Chicago Bears rookie after becoming a Hawkeye folk hero. Yeah, that’s a tough act to follow.

Thing is, Dakin doesn’t need to be Taylor. He just needs to be a consistently efficient punter. Be a contributor to, dare I say, successful complementary football.

The unknown is how he’ll perform in a game in front of large crowds. You can’t practice that. But he’s been vetted by the staff and sure looks the part.

Most Pivotal Player

Cade McNamara, SR, QB

Yeah, I’m just making up awards now. This is an important one, though, one with a clear and obvious choice.

McNamara entered camp saying he felt better now than he had since the fall of 2022 at Michigan. If the Hawkeyes can keep him healthy, there’s chance for this offense to click. He seems like a great fit for new coordinator Tim Lester’s system.

The Hawkeyes are better prepared than this time last year should McNamara suffer another unfortunate injury. Northwestern transfer Brendan Sullivan has led a team to victory in the Big Ten, and redshirt freshman Marco Lainez got his feet wet in the bowl game.

The backups haven’t led a team to the College Football Playoff like McNamara, however. The former Wolverine gives Iowa its best opportunity to make the new 12-team CFP this season.

Best Position Group

Running Back

During some years, this category would be easier to pick. That it’s not is a good thing for Iowa. Tight end and linebacker are top-notch, while the lines and secondary could be pretty good.

Running back has three guys that have produced in meaningful games in Leshon Williams, Kaleb Johnson and Jaziun Patterson. Redshirt freshman Kamari Moulton is listed with Williams and Johnson on the preseason two-deep.

Having four capable running backs with experience is a luxury in portal era. Hopefully Lester can find ways to get them all involved.

Top NFL Prospect

Luke Lachey, SR, TE

We talked about Lachey above. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him in the running for the Mackey Award.

Top NFL Prospect Part II

Sebastian Castro, SR, S

The Chicago-area thumper is an impressive combination of skills that play well at Cash and strong safety. He’s talented enough to follow in the footsteps of previous players at the position, Amani Hooker and Dane Belton, recent NFL Draft picks still in the league.

Castro is stronger against the run than those guys at this stage and is gaining ground in matching their coverage ability. He holds his own in that area already.

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Man sentenced for killing 4 people appeals his sentence to the Iowa Supreme Court

Published

3 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Man sentenced for killing 4 people appeals his sentence to the Iowa Supreme Court

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – Luke Truesdell’s attorney has filed as of Sunday to appeal his sentence to the Iowa Supreme Court.

Truesdell was sentenced last week to three consecutive life sentences plus 50 years for the deaths of four people killed in rural Linn County.

A jury convicted Luke Truesdell, 36, in November on the first-degree murder of Brent Brown, 34; his girlfriend, Keonna Ryan, 26, of Cedar Rapids; and Amanda Parker, 33, of Vinton. They also found him guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Romondus Cooper, 44, of Cedar Rapids.

His attorneys previously argued multiple reasons for a retrial that could potentially be brought up again.

They said that one juror was overheard talking about news on the case.

They also said the prosecutors inflamed the jury, rather than focusing on the facts.

His lawyers said there is no direct evidence that Truesdell committed the murders.

Truesdell’s defense also pointed to Truesdell’s father, Larry Tuesdell, who was found covered in blood at the scene but never fully investigated. Authorities have not been able to locate Larry.

The state disagreed, citing overwhelming evidence including DNA on the murder weapon, eyewitness testimony and video of Truesdell entering the garage where the four people were found dead.

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2026 Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament brackets, schedule

Published

15 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

2026 Iowa high school boys basketball state tournament brackets, schedule

The Iowa high school boys state basketball tournament is just around the corner and the full field has now been set.

By March 13, four teams will be crowned state champions and there are plenty of worthy squads vying for the title. On Tuesday, the final brackets were released and we now have a clear picture of the eight teams in each class hoping to take home the trophy.

Here’s a look at the first-round pairings and the full state tournament schedule for next week’s IHSAA action.

Class 4A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals, Monday, March 9

No. 4 Dowling Catholic vs No. 5 Dubuque Senior, 5:30 p.m.
No. 1 Cedar Falls vs No. 8 Urbandale, 7:15 p.m.

Tuesday, March 10

No. 3 Waukee Northwest vs. No. 6 Johnston, 10:30 a.m.
No. 2 Waukee vs No. 7 Cedar Rapids Prairie, 12:15 p.m.

State semifinals, Thursday, March 12

TBD vs. TBD, 10:30 a.m.
TBD vs. TBD, 12:15 a.m.

State championship game, Friday, March 13

Class 3A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals: Monday, March 9

No. 1 Ballard vs. No. 8 Gilbert, 10:30 a.m.
No. 4 Pella vs. No. 5 Carroll, 12:15 p.m.
No. 2 ADM vs. No. 7 Xavier, 2 p.m.
No. 3 Storm Lake vs. No. 6 Solon, 3:45 p.m.

State semifinals, Wednesday, March 11

TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m.
TBD vs. TBD, 7:15 p.m.

State championship game, Friday, March 13

Class 2A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals: Wednesday, March 11

No. 1 Kuemper Catholic vs. No. 8 Union Community, 10:30 a.m
No. 4 Treynor vs. No. 5 Grundy Center, 12:15 p.m
No. 2 Unity Christian vs. No. 7 Western Christian, 2 p.m.
No. 3 Regina Catholic vs. No. 6 Aplington-Parkersburg, 3:45 p.m.

State semifinals, Thursday, March 12

TBD vs. TBD, 5:30 p.m.
TBD vs TBD, 7:15 p.m.

State title game, Friday, March 13

Class 1A Iowa boys state basketball tournament schedule

State quarterfinals: Tuesday, March 10

No. 1 St. Edmond vs. No. 8 Woodbine, 2 p.m.
No. 4 Notre Dame vs. No. 5 Bellevue, 3:45 p.m.
No. 2 MMCRU vs. No. 7 Boyden-Hull, 5:30 p.m.
No. 3 Bishop Garrigan vs. No. 6 Marquette Catholic, 7:15 p.m.

State semifinals, Thursday, March 12

TBD vs TBD, 2 p.m.
TBD vs TBD, 3:45 p.m.

State title game, Friday, March 13

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Iowa State announces gymnastics program will be discontinued

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Iowa State announces gymnastics program will be discontinued

Iowa State University announced March 3 that it is cutting its women’s gymnastics program, weeks after abruptly canceling the remainder of the season due to what athletics director Jamie Pollard said were “unreconcilable differences” in the program.

Cyclone gymnasts were informed of the decision to cut the program by ISU associate athletics director Shamaree Brown in a meeting on Tuesday morning, two people with direct knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports Network.

Iowa State gymnastics head coach Ashley Miles Greig and her three assistant coaches were told that their contracts would not be renewed, the university’s news release stated. Miles Greig’s contract was set to expire after the season on June 30, 2026.

Cyclones gymnasts will have the option to remain at Iowa State to finish their degrees, or to transfer to another NCAA school to compete in gymnastics. If they stay at Iowa State, ISU will honor their scholarships. Iowa State’s release said its compliance department would work with the NCAA on waivers to help gymnasts receive an additional year of competition.

Tuesday’s announcement ended weeks of speculation about the program’s future that began when Iowa State canceled its gymnastics season on Feb. 8. In a statement at the time, Brown said the decision was because the Cyclones did not have enough athletes available to compete. In a letter to the gymnastics team and alumni on Feb. 17, Pollard wrote that the cancellation resulted from “a series of complex internal conflicts between individual teammates, coaching staff members, and parents,” language that Iowa State repeated in Tuesday’s release.

In a video released by the school, Pollard said Iowa State would take the next several months to decide which women’s sport would replace gymnastics so that the athletics department remains compliant with Title IX, a federal law that requires NCAA schools to provide proportional participation opportunities to men and women.

“I also want to say, this is not a financial decision. This is a student-athlete experience decision,” Pollard said in the video. “Adding another women’s sport will probably cost equal or more than what we’re already spending on the gymnastics program. This is about student-athlete experience.”

Pollard said that Iowa State conducted reviews of its gymnastics program in 2018 and 2023 stemming from unspecified issues. The 2023 review, conducted by an external law firm, led Iowa State to part ways with then-head coach Jay Ronayne. Miles Greig was hired in April 2023.

On Tuesday, Iowa State denied USA TODAY Sports Network’s public-records request for the findings of the university’s 2018 and 2023 gymnastics probes. In an email denying the request, Ann Lelis, a member of Iowa State’s office of general counsel, cited portions of state open records law that prevent the disclosure of personal information of students or public employees. Lelis also said the requested records were not subject to disclosure because they contained confidential attorney privileged documents.

In the video, Pollard said he asked his senior leadership team “to meet with those individuals in our department that work really closely with our gymnastics program and make a recommendation to me about what we should do going forward.”

The leadership team recommended to Pollard that the school discontinue the gymnastics program, Pollard said, and use those resources for a different women’s sport. Pollard accepted the recommendation from his staff, and he spoke with university leaders. “We are all on the same page,” he said. “This is the right decision for our athletics program and for our student-athletes.”

Cyclone gymnast Samantha Schneider, a redshirt freshman, wrote in an Instagram post on Tuesday that she was heartbroken by the decision and criticized Iowa State’s administration for deflecting blame onto the gymnasts.

“Terrible that this is the result of the lack of support from Iowa State’s Athletic Administration,” Schneider wrote. “For the last 5 months, we have come forward as a team regarding (certain) situations and environment concerns and nothing has been done to protect us as athletes on this team. The gymnasts should NOT be blamed or be sharing any part of the responsibility for this decision being made.”

A former member of this season’s coaching staff also mourned the decision in a text message to USA TODAY Sports Network on Tuesday. The person requested anonymity for fear of repercussions.

“At the end of the day this is unfair to the athletes and the alumni that have built this program and have continued to ask for better,” the coach wrote. “It appears that the department was looking for an easy way out or an easy solution, not realizing they would hurt a lot of people in the process. My only hope is that the athletes can come back stronger than ever.”

Miles Greig could not be immediately reached for comment when contacted Tuesday morning by USA TODAY Sports Network.

The Iowa State gymnastics team participated in four competitions this season before the athletics department shut down the remainder of the season on Feb. 8. Nick Joos, Iowa State’s senior associate athletic director for communications, told USA TODAY Sports Network at the time that the cancellation was due to a “combination of injuries and other health issues.”

During what ended up as Iowa State’s final meet against Denver on Feb. 1, several Cyclone gymnasts fell off the uneven bars. The Cyclones forfeited their next meet on Feb. 6 against West Virginia, with Miles Greig saying in a statement, “At this time, we do not have enough student-athletes available to safely field a team against West Virginia, and regrettably must cancel this competition.”

Two days after that, Brown met with gymnasts on Feb. 8 at Iowa State’s on-campus practice gym and informed them that their season would not continue.

Iowa State’s annual financial report submitted to the NCAA for fiscal year 2025 showed the gymnastics program generated $287,392 in total operating revenues with $1.69 million in expenses, a gap of about $1.4 million. Iowa State allotted 14 scholarships to gymnastics. Football and men’s basketball are the only Iowa State sports in which revenue exceeds spending.

Cyclone gymnastics recruits who had committed to the program for the 2026-27 season can commit to a different school or attend Iowa State and have their scholarship agreements honored.

Former Iowa State gymnast Shea Mattingly, whose last name was Anderson when she graduated in 2012, said she had been in contact with other former members of the team after Tuesday’s announcement.

“We’re all frustrated. We’re all angry,” Mattingly said. “That (Pollard) video made us all really mad, honestly. … It places all the blame on these student-athletes whereas the administration’s accountability in this, they hired these coaches that maybe it seems like they couldn’t handle the program.”

Mattingly said she and other alums aren’t giving up hope on the future of the program.

“I think we’re still going to fight,” she said. “So we’re going to send emails. We’re going to call. We’re going to do all we can, even though it seems his mind has been made up.”

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