Iowa

Hawkeyes Hammer Personal Bests at Musco Twilight

Published

2 years ago

April 19, 2024

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa track and field opened the 22nd-annual Musco Twilight with the three personal bests in the hammer throw at the Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track on Friday afternoon.

Sophomores Sean Smith and Austin Busch stood out in the men’s hammer throw, claiming the top two spots and moving up Iowa’s all-time lists with personal bests. Smith, a native of Webster, New York, came within two-tenths of a meter of the school record on his fifth attempt, throwing 67.78 meters (222’ 4”). In his final attempt from the circle, Busch launched the hammer a lifetime-best 65.22 meters (213’ 11”) and received a large roar from the Hawkeye faithful.

In the women’s hammer throw, senior Alivia Bauer fired a lifetime best for the top collegiate finish. Bauer’s 56.64 meter (185’ 10”) toss improves upon her seventh all-time standing in Iowa program history.

Senior Jamie Kofron placed third with a 52.33 meter (171’ 8”) throw.

QUOTING THROWS COACH RAY ROBINSON
“We had a really good day. We knew all week in training that Sean Smith and Austin Busch were ready to go. We are making the last push towards championship season. We manipulated their weight room activity and manipulated their ball set in the hammer to get them geared up for that. Today was a sneak peak. Sean had some much bigger fouls. Austin took awhile to get going, but he is still really young in just his second season throwing the hammer. To have the number two and five marks of all time at Iowa from a freshman and a sophomore is pretty impressive. Those two guys are going to get a lot better. It was exciting. It was a fun atmosphere.

“Jamie Kofron finished with a really nice throw in round six. I was proud to see that for her. Alivia Bauer getting the collegiate win was huge. She had a PR and her best collegiate series ever, by far. Much bigger throws are on the horizon for her. We are excited for where the group is at and are excited for tomorrow.”

UP NEXT
Iowa hosts the Musco Twilight on April 20 at Francis X. Cretzmeyer Track in Iowa City, Iowa.

HAWKEYE RESULTS

Men’s Hammer Throw
1. Sean Smith – 67.78 meters (222’ 4”), PR + 2nd at Iowa
2. Austin Busch – 65.22 meters (213’ 11”), PR + 5th at Iowa
10. Walker Whalen – 51.32 meters (168’4”)

Women’s Hammer Throw (Collegiate Standings)
1. Alivia Bauer – 56.64 meters (185’ 10”), PR + 7th at Iowa
3. Jamie Kofron – 52.33 meters (171’ 8”)

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Iowa

VOTE: Most outstanding wrestler at 2026 Iowa girls state tournament

Published

9 hours ago

February 7, 2026

Press Room

VOTE: Most outstanding wrestler at 2026 Iowa girls state tournament

The 2026 Iowa high school girls state wrestling tournament is in the books.

On Friday night, 28 individual state champions were crowned and two programs took home the coveted team title hardware.

Each one of those state title winners had a daunting challenge in front of them when arriving in Coralville at the start of competition on Feb. 5. But they all made it through the gauntlet unscathed to earn the right to call themselves a state champion.

While all 28 competitors are state title winners forever, the Des Moines Register has left it up to the fans to decide which one of the newly-crowned champs was the most impressive over the last few days of competition.

Readers will have until Feb. 15 to cast their vote in our fan poll for who they think the most outstanding wrestler at this year’s tournament was.

The results of this fan poll will not influence who the Register picks as its Wrestler of the Year at the end of the academic calendar.

Most outstanding wrestler at 2026 Iowa girls state wrestling tournament

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Iowa

Naturalization ceremony at Iowa Capitol welcomes 40 new citizens

Published

21 hours ago

February 6, 2026

Press Room

Naturalization ceremony at Iowa Capitol welcomes 40 new citizens

Beneath the Iowa State Capitol rotunda, 40 people from 20 countries raised their right hands, pledged allegiance to the United States and became American citizens.

The ceremony, held Friday, Feb. 6, as part of Iowa’s America 250 celebration, brought families and state officials into the marble-lined hall as the oath was read aloud and new citizens stood facing the flag.

The candidates came from Bhutan, Bosnia, Brazil, Canada, China, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Lithuania, Guatemala, Honduras, India, Ireland, Liberia, Mexico, the Philippines, Russia, Spain, Taiwan and Vietnam.

Gov. Kim Reynolds welcomed the group.

“Iowa has always been enriched by the hopes and hard work of immigrants, people who come here seeking a better life, who bring diverse experiences and a deep appreciation for the promise of freedom,” Reynolds said. “Each of you comes with your own story, your own journey and your own reasons for choosing America, and today, Iowa is proud to welcome you home.”

Secretary of State Paul Pate called on the new citizens to exercise their newly gained rights.

“In light of this, I have one request to make of you today,” he said. “Will you register to vote?”

He added: “Every vote counts, and so will yours.”

U.S. Magistrate Judge William P. Kelley, who presided over the oath, said that citizenship did not require abandoning personal identity.

“What you solemnly renounce in that oath is allegiance to the government of another land. You did not renounce, or need to ever renounce, the devotion you carry in your heart for your native land and its people,” Kelley said. “I hope you preserve your native language, heritage and culture. Doing so enriches not only the lives of those in your family, it also enriches America and the great state of Iowa.”

For many in the crowd, the ceremony marked the end of years or decades of waiting.

Augustine Cardenas, who came to the United States from Mexico at 19 and is now 53, said the setting made the moment feel even more significant.

“I feel great, it’s been too long, I’m so excited, I’ve waited for this day and am full of joy,” he said. Looking up at the rotunda ceiling, he said, “I just love Iowa, it’s so beautiful, the weather is crazy but I love it, you can live every season, and you can feel it too.”

Sonya Carminhato, originally from Brazil, said becoming a citizen was “a dream come true.”

“It’s a new step for my life,” she said. “Iowa is a great state, I love Iowa, and I love Fairfield.”

She has lived in Fairfield for more than a decade and now works as a human resources manager at Maharishi School, where her children studied. She now helps care for her three granddaughters.

Edwin Coplin, 44, said he moved from the Dominican Republic at 17 to play basketball at a Florida high school before attending Des Moines Area Community College and eventually settling in Iowa.

He said the day felt like relief after years of uncertainty.

“It’s been a long journey, but I’m finally here,” Coplin said. “It feels good, it feels great, it feels like taking something heavy off your shoulders … I love Iowa, the people are so nice, Iowa nice.”

Nick El Hajj is a reporter at the Register. He can be reached at nelhajj@gannett.com. Follow him on X at @nick_el_hajj.

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3 keys to the game for Iowa State women’s basketball vs Utah

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2026

Press Room

3 keys to the game for Iowa State women’s basketball vs Utah

AMES – When Iowa State women’s basketball’s long break in the Big 12 season arrived, the team had just gotten back on track.

The Cyclones picked up their fourth-straight win, had knocked off another ranked opponent and were getting some much-needed momentum.

But the way coach Bill Fennelly looks at it, the break couldn’t have come at a better time.

“Our team needed it,” Fennelly said.

The Cyclones (18-5, 6-5 Big 12) will find out if the extended break helped when they begin an important road trip that kicks off when they travel to Utah (16-7, 7-4) for a Feb. 7 game at the Jon M. Huntsman Center in Salt Lake City. The 6 p.m. CT contest will be the Cyclones’ first game since a Jan. 31 win over UCF.

“I think overall it came at a good time for us,” Fennelly said.

It’s easy to see why fans may not have wanted the break to come when it did. Iowa State just regrouped following a five-game losing streak that nearly derailed the season. The Cyclones picked up wins over Cincinnati and Arizona. They then knocked off No. 20 Texas Tech on Jan. 28.

But Fennelly believes his team needed a breather as the roster dealt with injuries. Point guard Jada Williams hadn’t been feeling well. Guard Reese Beaty had missed time with a foot injury. Fellow guard Arianna Jackson missed three games with a knee injury. Forward Addy Brown has been out indefinitely with a lower-body injury.

Those injuries took thier toll on the Cyclones, with Fennelly having to go deep into his bench as they tried to get back on track. With so many players dealing with so many things, simply practicing had gotten difficult. The time off allowed them to get some rest and regroup.

“We had some kids that were physically wobbling and the rest probably outweighed anything,” Fennelly said.

Players got the day after the win over UCF off. The team had light workouts over the next two days and then got another day off. Fennelly hopes that by keeping them off their feet for some time, the Cyclones will be able to sprint to the finish line of the regular season.

It could be a mad dash for Iowa State, which may still be trying to secure a spot in the NCAA Tournament. At the very least, the Cyclones will be trying to improve their seeding. There will be tons of shots to impress with seven regular season games remaining. The next few days will be huge with road games at Utah and then at BYU on Feb. 10.

“Definitely huge,” said Iowa State senior Sydney Harris.

Here are three things to keep an eye on during the Cyclones’ trip to Utah.

Don’t overlook Utah

Utah’s record doesn’t stand out, but the Utes’ resume certainly does. Utah took down now No. 12 TCU in overtime back on Jan. 3. The Utes also toppled West Virginia, currently ranked No. 20, on Jan. 27. They’re also coming off a 67-57 win at UCF. So, it won’t be an easy matchup for Iowa State.

Can the Cyclones survive the extended road trip?

This will be an important stretch for Iowa State, which won’t be home for a while. The Cyclones play at Utah on Feb. 7 and then travel to BYU on for a game on Feb. 10. Iowa State won’t make the trip back to Ames in between games. The next time the Cyclones play in Ames will be on Feb. 15 against Kansas State. Iowa State has had mixed results on the road, going 3-3 in true road games this season, though they are 2-0 in neutral-site games.

Will there be any rust to shake off for Iowa State women’s basketball?

The Cyclones are coming off one of their uglier wins of the season, a 65-62 victory over UCF on Jan. 31. Iowa State was in control for most of the game, but it still wasn’t pretty. It shot just 25% (9-of-36) from 3-point range and only 54.5% (6-of-11) from the free throw line.

So, with the ugly win and the long layoff, who knows what to expect from Iowa State early on?

Tommy Birch, the Register’s sports enterprise and features reporter, has been working at the newspaper since 2008. He’s the 2018, 2020, 2023 and 2025 Iowa Sportswriter of the Year. Reach him at tbirch@dmreg.com or 515-284-8468.

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