Iowa
Iowa Transfer Forward’s Versatility Provides Major Advantage
Among the Iowa Hawkeyes’ incoming class – the fist under new head coach Ben McCollum – transfer forward Alvaro Folgueiras has consistently, at least to some extent, been lost in the hectic craze that naturally comes with a new leading man.
Folgueiras, entering just his junior year, spent his first two seasons at the collegiate level at Robert Morris, where he was consistently a primary scoring option for the Colonials and a constant candidate for the sort of transfer-pool involvement that eventually landed him in Iowa City.
Last season specifically, Folgueiras nearly averaged a double-double, posting 14.1 points, 9.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game; to boot, he shot a scorching 54.8% clip from the field in the process, including a bolstered 41.3% tally from long range that had risen nearly 15 percent from the previous season.
At 6’10, 230, the Spanish forward might be one of the most intriguing additions to the Hawkeyes’ roster, in spite of his apparently having flown under the wider radar thus far. Interestingly enough, in Iowa’s first game of the year, he’ll be facing off against his former team, Robert Morris, on a new home floor.
In his media day news conference earlier this week, HC McCollum spoke at length about Folgueiras as a player and, more specifically, how he intends to utilize him.
“How we’ll use him, he can play anywhere from the 3, 4 and 5, depending upon if we want to go big or if we want to play small,” McCollum said, “because of his ability to pass and his ability to stretch the floor with his shot, and then his just overall basketball IQ.”
In basketball’s modern form, the so-called “stretch big” has become invaluable due to the overt reliance from most every major competitor on the three point shot. Folgueiras, being able to both pass the ball and score from anywhere on the floor, sets himself apart as a malleable piece in a newly formed offense.
On his defensive capabilities, McCollum honed in on his game plan, saying, “I think the big thing for us is we have to be a little bit unique in that it’s more of a keep-it-out-of-the-paint type of thing, keep it out of that 15-foot, keep it out of that 18-foot area so it just doesn’t get there so you don’t necessarily have to protect the rim, so you kind of protect the paint rather than protecting the rim and shot blocking.”
Folgueiras looks to head a completely revamped Hawkeyes unit come November in what is perhaps the program’s most anticipated season in nearly two decades. Alongside the rest of the transfer-heavy team, the forward’s role appears to have been carved out before he even arrived.
Coach McCollum has a plan, and it’s almost time to see whether or not it’ll pay off in his inaugural attempt.
Don’t forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!
Iowa
Minnesota Wild Recalls Tyler Pitlick From Iowa | Minnesota Wild
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin today announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has recalled forward Tyler Pitlick from the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Pitlick, 34 (11/1/91), has tallied two goals, 24 penalty minutes (PIM) and 26 shots in 31 games with Minnesota this season and ranks fourth on the team with 76 hits. He has also collected 11 points (8-3=11) and 31 shots in 12 games with Iowa. The 6-foot-2, 201-pound native of Minneapolis, Minn., owns 111 points (58-53=111) and 565 shots on goal in 451 career NHL games over 11 seasons with the Edmonton Oilers (2013-17), Dallas Stars (2017-19), Philadelphia Flyers (2019-20), Arizona Coyotes (2020-21), Calgary Flames (2021-22), Montreal Canadiens (2021-22), St. Louis Blues (2022-23), New York Rangers (2023-24) and Minnesota (2025-26). He has tallied three points (2-1=3) in 22 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. Pitlick has also recorded 140 points (60-89=149) in 289 career AHL games in parts of eight seasons with the Oklahoma City Barons (2011-15), Bakersfield Condors (2015-16), Hartford Wolf Pack (2023-24), Providence Bruins (2024-25) and Iowa (2025). He was originally selected by the Edmonton Oilers in the second round (31st overall) of the 2010 NHL Draft. Pitlick was signed by Minnesota as a free agent on July 2, 2025, and wears sweater No. 19 with the Wild.
Minnesota hosts the St. Louis Blues tomorrow at 4 p.m. CT on FanDuel Sports Network and KFAN FM 100.3.
Iowa
Iowa Boys High School Basketball Substate Finals Locked In For 4A
The fourth and final bunch of Iowa high school boys basketball substate championship games are now set after the second round of Class 4A games were completed on Friday, February 27.
Substate championships in Iowa’s largest classification will take place on Tuesday, March 3, with the higher seed serving as host in all eight games. Winners advance to Des Moines, Iowa and the Casey’s Center to compete in the Iowa High School Athletic Association Boys State Tournament beginning March 9.
Three-time defending 4A state champion Valley was eliminated by Ankeny, 72-36. The Tigers, who lost all five starters from a year ago, won just one game prior to earning a victory in the opening round of postseason play.
Cedar Falls, who has held the No. 1 spot in 4A throughout the season, scored a dominating 78-45 decision vs. Iowa City High to move on.
Colin Rice, a Nebraska commit for Fred Hoiberg, scored a single-game school-record 50 points as Waukee Northwest topped Iowa City Liberty, 101-58.
Council Bluffs Lincoln, Ames, North Scott, Dowling Catholic, Dubuque Senior, Johnston, Linn-Mar, Muscatine, Norwalk, Cedar Rapids Prairie, Des Moines Roosevelt, Urbandale and Waukee all joined them in the next round after winning games at home.
The 1A and 2A substate finals will take place on Saturday, February 28 while the 3A games go down on Monday, March 2.
Here are the Iowa boys high school basketball Class 4A substate finals for Wednesday, March 3.
Wednesday, March 3
Class 4A
Iowa
The One Game That Will Define Iowa’s 2026 Season
When it comes to the Iowa Hawkeyes 2026 football season, it doesn’t get much bigger than Ohio State coming to Kinnick Stadium.
No one knows at this stage where the Buckeyes will be come Oct. 3, but Iowa has a chance to make an early impression against a team that is no stranger to winning the big one.
Iowa’s B1G schedule couldn’t get off to a worse start as they head to Michigan and then welcome the Buckeyes to Kinnick.
Hopefully for Iowa’s sake, their first three games against Northern Illinois, Iowa State, and Northern Iowa are enough to get them prepared. If not, things could get ugly.
ESPN Believes Ohio State is Iowa’s Biggest Opponent in 2026
The Michigan game will certainly be a test, but hosting the Buckeyes is a different animal. That gives the Hawkeyes an advantage like no other, and if there was ever a time to give OSU a run for their money, it’s in Iowa City on Oct. 3.
“The Hawkeyes haven’t faced Ohio State at Kinnick Stadium since 2017, when Nate Stanley threw five touchdowns as they stunned the Buckeyes 55-24. An early October win over Ohio State could propel Iowa into the Big Ten title and playoff conversations,” Jake Trotter wrote.
To put things into perspective, Indiana and Oregon were the other two teams that had the Buckeyes listed as their defining game in the 2026 season. Shockingly, Iowa was actually selected against a team, that being Minnesota. Seeing as that’s for the Floyd of Rosedale, it makes complete sense.
Iowa Can’t Let Regular Season Opportunities Go To Waste
Last year was seemingly the Hawkeyes’ first time to actually make the College Football Playoffs. They came up short as their losses to No. 16 Iowa State, No. 11 Indiana, No. 9 Oregon and No. 17 USC all added up. Sure, those were by a combined 15 points, but that doesn’t matter, as it’s bad enough that a three-loss team made the playoffs.
Iowa ended with a bang as they took down No. 14 Vanderbilt in the ReliaQuest Bowl, 34-27. Now, all eyes are on either Jeremy Hecklinski or Hank Brown. One of those men will have a chance to make their first B1G start at the Big House in Michigan.
It doesn’t get any tougher than that, as Iowa is immediately putting their new QB into deep water. They’ll have three games prior to that to get up to speed, but other than that, it’s go time as OSU awaits after their trip to Michigan.
Don’t forget to bookmark Iowa Hawkeyes on SI for the latest news. exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage and more!
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