Sometimes you see something you like and go right after it. That was the case with Iowa when it watched Dima Petrov kick a football last week. The Hawkeyes offered a full-ride scholarship to the specialist.

While the days of top kickers and punters walking on in hopes of maybe earning a scholarship when they were upperclassmen are gone, a junior picking up a scholarship is still uncommon. Iowa doing it gives it a leg up on whatever the competition might end up being.

“Iowa is definitely my No. 1 school at the moment,” he said. “Although it’s too early for me to make any big decisions, the likelihood of me becoming a Hawkeye is very high.”

Petrov (6-2, 190) also worked out for Wake Forest and UConn this month. The Hanover (N.H.) High all-stater was invited to camp at Virginia Tech, Arizona, Michigan State, Florida State and others. Interest in him is on the rise.

“Right now, it’s too early for me to make any big decisions. My plan is to commit in the next year or so, as soon as I’m 100 percent certain that I’ve found the right place. A lot of factors go into that, with the most significant one being education,” he said.

Petrov plans on majoring in Business. Iowa has a good one in the Tippie Business School.

“That was what my parents studied and then built their careers in, and I see my future in that same sphere,” he said.

The Hawkeyes did well in impressing a prospect visiting a state half a country away from his home.  

“I had a fantastic time exploring all the incredible facilities and campus. Coach (Chris) Polizzi and the rest of the Hawkeyes’ special teams staff were absolutely amazing and made the visit unforgettable. I also loved how proud and passionate the whole city seemed about the program, which is something that you don’t see often.”

Access to advanced technology at Iowa also stood out.

“The workout with the Trackman system helped me identify other areas for improvement in my kicking by providing precise numbers,” he said.

After leaving Iowa, Petrov was invited to the Chris Sailer Kicking Showcase on Sunday. Following his performance, he’s now the second-ranked kicker nationally in the 2028 Class. Perhaps more offers will be on the way.

For now, the Hawkeyes are the leaders in the clubhouse. Petrov is looking forward to visiting them again.

“I can’t wait to come back to Iowa, hopefully very soon. I’d love to go on a game-day visit and see how electric Kinnick (Stadium) gets. Although I don’t know the exact dates yet, my plan is to be back there in the next few months,” he said.

Iowa State basketball forward Joshua Jefferson sat in the stands of the Barclays Center, the site of the 2026 NBA Draft, before he was selected in the first round on June 23.

Now he’ll be taking the court and calling that arena home. The Barclays Center is also the home venue for the Brooklyn Nets. Jefferson was drafted 28th overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but he was traded to the Nets shortly thereafter.

“Just seeing what they need for their team, they felt that I fit in a lot of spots because of my versatility,” Jefferson said of his pre-draft communication with the Nets organization. “I think I’m where I need to be. The Nets took a great chance with me, and I’m very thankful for that.”

The versatile 6-foot-9 Jefferson continues to put himself in exclusive Iowa State basketball company. A consensus All-American, Jefferson is the first Cyclone to be drafted since Tyrese Haliburton was taken 12th overall in the 2020 NBA Draft. Dating back to 2000, Jefferson is the sixth Iowa State product to be a first-round draft selection, joining Marcus Fizer, Jamaal Tinsley, Craig Brackins, Royce White and Haliburton.

He’s looking forward to playing alongside other versatile big men, new Nets teammates Julius Randle and Michael Porter Jr.

“So much knowledge between the two, and I’m just going to be a sponge,” Jefferson said. “Asking them questions all the time and learning as much as I can. They’ve been through the ups and downs of the league, and it’s going to be on me to make sure that I’m seeking information.”

SPIRIT LAKE, Iowa (KUOO) – The Iowa Department of Natural Resources continues to recommend no swimming at one beach in the Iowa Great Lakes.

Iowa DNR officials say Crandall’s Beach on the north shore of Big Spirit Lake continued to have high levels of E. coli bacteria in the latest tests conducted last week.

The agency says Emerson Bay, which was on the list of recommended no-swimming locations a week ago, has been removed from the designation as the levels there had dropped below the advisory guideline. Ainsworth Beach on the south side of Big Spirit Lake, along with those at Gull Point, Pikes Point and Marble Beach, were all listed as safe for swimming.

Officials caution that bacteria levels can change quickly depending on weather and other conditions.

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