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Iowa football lands commitment from 2025 5-star specialist Scott Starzyk

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Iowa football lands commitment from 2025 5-star specialist Scott Starzyk


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IOWA CITY — The future of Iowa football special teams just got a boost.

Class of 2025 specialist Scott Starzyk announced his commitment to the Hawkeyes on Thursday. Starzyk is the No. 1 ranked kicker and No. 4 ranked punter in the class, according to Kohl’s Kicking. He is regarded as a five-star prospect in both categories.

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Starzyk, a product of The Woodlands High School in Texas, picked the Hawkeyes over other offers from Mississippi State, Syracuse, Texas A&M and Oklahoma, among others. Iowa offered Starzyk a full-ride scholarship, which is something it doesn’t always do for high school specialist prospects. He took a visit to Iowa in June.

Iowa kicker Drew Stevens has two seasons of eligibility remaining. So barring something unforeseen, Starzyk will be in his first season in the Hawkeye program while Stevens is in his last. The Hawkeyes also have placekicker Tripp Woody on the roster. Iowa just brought in a freshman punter, Rhys Dakin, to fill the departure of Hawkeye legend Tory Taylor.

Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods continues to do good work for the Hawkeyes. That facet of the game has been a strength for the program. Landing Starzyk is another step in continuing that standard.

Starzyk joins LeVar Woods’ son among the commitments in Iowa’s 2025 class. Iowa City West’s Mason Woods made his public pledge to Iowa in June.

The Hawkeyes continue to make progress in its 2025 recruiting class.

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Over the last few weeks, the Hawkeyes have landed verbal commitments from Mason Woods, 3-star offensive lineman Cameron Herron and Lucas Allgeyer, 3-star cornerback CJ Bell and 3-star defensive lineman Brad Fitzgibbon.

Iowa is still trying to fill out the class. Highly touted Hawkeye legacy recruit Iose Epenesa, brother of former Iowa star A.J. Epenesa, has yet to announce his college choice. If Epenensa were to commit to the Hawkeyes, it would be a headliner to Iowa’s 2025 recruiting class. The Hawkeyes are also still in the mix for receiver Terrence Smith.

Starzyk is now the 14th player to commit to Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz’s 2025 recruiting class.

He joins the following verbal commitments in the class:

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  • Defensive lineman Brad Fitzgibbon (Marist, Ill.)
  • Cornerback CJ Bell (St. Thomas More School, CT)
  • Offensive lineman Lucas Allgeyer (Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day, MO)
  • Offensive lineman Cameron Herron (Warren Central, Ind.)
  • Athlete Mason Woods (Iowa City West)
  • Defensive back Drew MacPherson (Loyola Academy, Ill.)
  • Quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald (Loyola Academy, Ill.)
  • Tight end Thomas Meyer (Clear Lake)
  • Linebacker Burke Gautcher (Sycamore, Ill.)
  • Linebacker Carson Cooney (Oswego, Ill.),
  • Tight end Eli Johnson (River Falls, Wis.),
  • Quarterback Jimmy Sullivan (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
  • Defensive lineman Joey VanWetzinga (Pleasant Valley)

Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com





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

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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.

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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 women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals

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Iowa women’s wrestling finishes third at National Duals


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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.

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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.

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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.”

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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

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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.

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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

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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.”

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

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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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Ben Kueter earns top-10 in return to Iowa men’s wrestling lineup

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Ben Kueter earns top-10 in return to Iowa men’s wrestling lineup








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Iowa heavyweight Ben Kueter is back and feels better than ever | The Gazette






























































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