Iowa

Four Iowans were inducted into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame. They are:

Published

1 year ago

September 23, 2024

Four Iowans were inducted into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame. They are:

Four remarkable Iowans were inducted into the Iowa African American Hall of Fame.

Since 1995, Iowans have been inducted into the African American Hall of Fame for their contributions to their communities and the state of Iowa. The 2024 class was inducted on Saturday.

They are:

Celeste M. Lawson

Celeste Lawson, the daughter of Gary Lawson, the founder of the Iowa African American Hall of Fame, is recognized for her 30-plus years of uplifting Black voices and awareness in Des Moines and throughout the state.

In April of this year, Lawson was recognized for her service and was inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame for her advocacy and push for recognition of Juneteenth and metastatic breast cancer.

From 1990 to 2015, Lawson volunteered with Iowa Juneteenth Observance, which her father founded in 1990, helping establish Juneteenth celebrations throughout Iowa. She also helped start the Iowa Juneteenth Observance exhibit at the State Historical Museum of Iowa and placed “Juneteenth: A Celebration of Freedom” in public libraries, middle and junior high schools in all 99 counties.

As a result of her work, Gov. Tom Vilsack in 2002 signed and declared the third Saturday in June as Juneteenth National Freedom Day in Iowa. Iowa was the seventh state to make Juneteenth an official state holiday.

In 2019, Lawson’s mother, Lois Lawson, died from metastatic breast cancer. Lawson worked to raise awareness for the disease, and, in 2020, Gov. Kim Reynolds declared Oct. 13 to be recognized as Metastatic Breast Cancer Awareness Day in Iowa.

Edith Renfrow Smith

Edith Renfrow Smith is Grinnell College’s first African American alumna.

The Renfrow family was one of few African American families in Grinnell while Renfrow Smith was growing up. According to a Grinnell College report, she is the granddaughter of an escaped slave who established himself in Grinnell as a barber and was the only one of six children to stay there for college. She graduated in 1937 with a major in psychology and minors in economics and history.

After graduation, Renfrow Smith worked at the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA), the University of Chicago, the state of Illinois, and the city of Chicago and was a public school teacher for over 20 years.

The Smith Gallery at Grinnell College is named after her, and the Edith Renfrow Smith Black Women’s Library was dedicated in 2019 in her honor in the Black Cultural Center on campus. She is the namesake of the soon-to-be-completed Renfrow Hall.

She currently resides in Chicago and recently celebrated her 110th birthday on July 14.

Barbara Woods

For over 30 years Barbara Woods worked with Iowa State Extension and Outreach as the special projects manager and was an adjunct professor of human development and family studies at Iowa State University.

Woods received her doctorate in home economics from Iowa State in 1981 and is credited with bringing county extension offices “into the computer age,” according to the American Association of University Women branch in Ames.

She received the Career Achievement in Outreach Award from the College of Human Sciences in 2017, the Distinguished Service Award from the Iowa affiliate of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences in 2016, as well as one from ISU Extension and Outreach in 2011.

Woods retired from the university in 2023.

Bridget Saffold

Bridget Saffold, a registered nurse in Waterloo, formed the Focus on Diabetes, a Waterloo nonprofit that aims to promote awareness of diabetes.

Each year, she helps host Cedar Valley Focus on Diabetes, where doctors share research and treatment options for diabetes and also offers free screenings for diabetic patients, their families and the Cedar Valley community.

During the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Saffold helped assemble Focus on Diabetes COVID-19 Assist, donating around 200 care packages to diabetes patients to help them stay safe at home. She was recognized by ABC for her efforts.

In 2021, she was inducted into the Iowa Volunteer Hall of Fame for her work in Waterloo for diabetes patients and raising awareness of the disease.

What is the Iowa African American Hall of Fame?

The Iowa African American Hall of Fame was founded in 1995 by the Connect Foundation, a nonprofit founded by Gary Lawson.

In 2023, the Connect Foundation transferred custodianship of the Hall of Fame to the Des Moines Urban Experience, run by Dwana Bradley. Bradley also is a chairperson for Iowa Juneteenth.

There have been over 70 inductees into the Hall of Fame, including Evelyn K. Davis, Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad and Rep. Ruth Anne Gaines.

Kyle Werner is a reporter for the Register. Reach him at kwerner@dmreg.com.

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Iowa

Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time

Published

1 hour ago

January 11, 2026

Press Room

Where to watch Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana today, TV, time

Looking for a second road win this week, No. 14 Iowa women’s basketball heads to Indiana for today’s 4 p.m. contest inside Assembly Hall. BTN will televise the game.

The Hawkeyes (13-2, 4-0 Big Ten Conference) remained perfect in league play with a 67-58 win at Northwestern on Jan. 5, a game in which Iowa survived despite enduring heavy foul trouble.

Meanwhile, Indiana (11-6, 0-5) has reached desperation territory. The Hoosiers have dropped four straight, including two at home, during this extended skid.

Here’s how to watch today’s game.

Watch Iowa vs. Indiana on Fubo (free trial)

What channel is Iowa women’s basketball vs. Indiana on today?

Iowa vs. Indiana time today

Date: Sunday, Jan. 11
Start time: 4 p.m. CT
Location: Assembly Hall in Bloomington, Indiana

Dargan Southard is a sports trending reporter and covers Iowa athletics for the Des Moines Register and HawkCentral.com. Email him at msouthard@gannett.com or follow him on Twitter at @Dargan_Southard.

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Iowa

Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals

Published

14 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals

CEDAR FALLS − The undefeated start to the Iowa women’s wrestling program has ended after the Hawkeyes lost a dual for the first time in program history at the NWCA National Duals on Jan. 10.

A 40-5 win over William Jewell College and a 39-3 victory over Sacred Heart set up a major semifinal clash with rival North Central College on Jan. 10.

Iowa won six of 10 matches in the semifinals. Karlee Brooks beat national runner-up Yele Aycock by a 8-4 decision, 138-pounder Skye Realin defeated a former national champion by a 6-6 score on criteria in Claire Dicugno with a four-point throw at the buzzer, Reese Larramendy knocked off No. 1 ranked and former Hawkeye teammate Bella Mir in a 10-4 decision at 145 and 180-pounder Kylie Welker wrestled and won in just her second match back after a period of rest to start the season.

All of those wins helped put Iowa in front, 21-18, going into the final bout at 207 pounds.

What did the Hawkeyes in was losses by fall at 110, 124 and 207. The 207 loss, with Dasia Yearby pinning Jaycee Foeller in the first period, gave North Central a 23-21 victory despite the Cardinals dropping six of 10 matches. North Central also scored team points in nine of 10 bouts because they scored match points and did not lose by fall.

As a result, the Iowa program’s 42-0 unblemished record in duals was broken.

The final result was eerily similar to the dual between the two teams at the same tournament two years ago, where the Hawkeyes also lost six of 10 bouts, but got crucial bonus points and at least one team point in all 10 bouts to escape with a 21-20 win.

Iowa women’s wrestling coach Clarissa Chun emphasized to her team two years ago that every point mattered in the win. This time around, it worked against them as the Cardinals got the upset victory.

“Every point does matter,” Chun said. “You can’t replicate those moments in those times, in certain moments and positions. We got to be better at finishing, that’s apparent. We can get to the legs, but we got to continue to wrestle through that to the strong finish.”

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Skye Realin discusses loss to North Central

Chun said the emotions were raw afterwards, with wrestlers in and out of the lineup taking the loss to heart. Welker, who won her bout 8-2 against Jael Miller, took it hard since she nearly had a pin that could have flipped the final result.

“There was a lot of us that felt it was hard to take a loss, especially for me, and there was a couple other girls that took it pretty hard,” Welker said. “I have girls that look to me, so I’m like, ‘I got to pull myself together and step forward with them, alongside them so we can finish this tournament.’”

Ultimately, the Hawkeyes finished with a win in the third-place bout shortly after by defeating a solid Grand Valley State team, 26-15. The main difference, they said, was the positive energy exuded from the coaching staff to not harp on the past and look for the next best thing.

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Karlee Brooks discusses loss to North Central

While the loss brings an unfamiliar feeling to the program, it’s something they knew would come eventually. While it was their main rival today, McKendree will also present a tough challenge to the field when the NCAA Championships come in March.

Behind stars Welker and Kennedy Blades, rising wrestlers like Brooks and Realin, as well as proven veterans in Larramendy, Brianna Gonzalez and Foeller, Iowa will have a good chance to win a third-consecutive team title this season.

Even in a crushing loss, they got some key wins from those like Realin, Larramendy and Brooks that bode well for the Hawkeyes in the future. The places they faltered were spots they’ll have confidence to bounce back or won’t apply come the NCAA Championships, like Nyla Valencia’s loss by fall after controlling most of the bout at 110 pounds, and Welker and Blades giving up team points in their matches.

Regardless, the third-place finish served as a reminder to the program and fans alike that this year is going to bring Iowa’s toughest challenge yet.

“Everyone on our team knows it, this sport has depth,” Chun said. “There are great wrestlers across the entire country.”

Iowa women’s wrestling’s results at NWCA National Duals

Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker’s National Duals press conference

VIDEO: Iowa women’s wrestling’s Kylie Welker discusses program’s first loss

Round of 16: Iowa 40, William Jewell College 5

103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Juliana Alejandro (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
110 – Nyla Valencia (Iowa) over Unknown (Unattached) Forf
117 – Alexandra Waitsman (William Jewell College) over Harlee Hiller (Iowa) Fall 1:04
124 – Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) over Miyah Palacios (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
131 – Emily Frost (Iowa) over Shelby Kemp (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
138 – Lilly Luft (Iowa) over Zainab Ibrahim (William Jewell College) Fall 2:01
145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Mckinzie Ross (William Jewell College) TF 11-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Paige Barber (William Jewell College) TF 10-0
180 – Katja Osteen (Iowa) over Jianna Chavez (William Jewell College) Fall 1:22
207 – Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) over Desiree Hall (William Jewell College) TF 10-0

Quarterfinal: Iowa 39, Sacred Heart University 3

103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Aaliyah Payne-Parris (Sacred Heart) Fall 0:54
110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Tiffany Stoshak (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Tatiana Walker (Sacred Heart) TF 11-0
124 – Cali Leng (Iowa) over Lauren Nguyen (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
131 – Bella Williams (Iowa) over Bella Sowards (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Elleahna Anderson (Sacred Heart) Fall 2:21
145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Selena Sifuentes shaffer (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Love Daley (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Madeline Hodges (Sacred Heart) TF 10-0
207 – Josephine Larson (Sacred Heart) over Libby Dix (Iowa) Dec 5-2

Semifinal: North Central College 23, Iowa 21

103 – Valarie Solorio (Iowa) over Brianne Graves (North Central College) TF 12-0
110 – Kaelani Shufeldt (North Central College) over Nyla Valencia (Iowa) Fall 5:38
117 – Riley Rayome (North Central College) over Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) Dec 3-3
124 – Sara Sterner (North Central College) over Cali Leng (Iowa) Fall 1:45
131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Yele Aycock (North Central College) Dec 8-4
138 – Skye Realin (Iowa) over Claire Dicugno (North Central College) Dec 6-6
145 – Reese Larramendy (Iowa) over Bella Mir (North Central College) Dec 10-4
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Taylor Graveman (North Central College) TF 11-1
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Jael Miller (North Central College) Dec 8-2
207 – Dasia Yearby (North Central College) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 1:38

Third-place dual: Iowa 26, Grand Valley State 15

103 – Sterling Dias (Iowa) over Rayana Sahagun (Grand Valley State) Dec 7-0
110 – Ava Bayless (Iowa) over Kiely Tabaldo (Grand Valley State) Dec 6-0
117 – Brianna Gonzalez (Iowa) over Libby Roberts (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
124 – Sage Mortimer (Grand Valley State) over Isabella Gonzales (Iowa) Fall 0:37
131 – Karlee Brooks (Iowa) over Aspen Blasko (Grand Valley State) Dec 8-3
138 – Katerina Lange (Grand Valley State) over Lilly Luft (Iowa) TF 10-0
145 – Cadence Diduch (Iowa) over Margaret Buurma (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
160 – Kennedy Blades (Iowa) over Noelle Gaffney (Grand Valley State) Fall 3:45
180 – Kylie Welker (Iowa) over Maddison Ward (Grand Valley State) TF 10-0
207 – Sabrina Nauss (Grand Valley State) over Jaycee Foeller (Iowa) Fall 4:47

Eli McKown covers high school sports and wrestling for the Des Moines Register. Contact him at Emckown@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @EMcKown23.

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