Iowa

Leistikow: Cade McNamara is back again, prepares to lead Iowa football into Maryland

Published

1 year ago

November 18, 2024

Press Room

Leistikow: Cade McNamara is back again, prepares to lead Iowa football into Maryland

Cade McNamara’s story as an Iowa football quarterback isn’t finished yet.

After losing his job and a two-game absence from a concussion, the sixth-year senior is preparing to lead the Hawkeyes once again.

McNamara has been cleared from his concussion, a source with direct knowledge of the situation confirmed to the Register on Monday, and the plan is for him to start in Saturday’s game at Maryland (11 a.m. CT, Big Ten Network).

The news of McNamara’s re-emergence to Iowa’s No. 1 quarterback comes in conjunction with Brendan Sullivan’s ankle injury being worse than initially thought. Sullivan exited Iowa’s 20-17 loss at UCLA in the third quarter after injuring his ankle on a third-down scramble.

Though Sullivan returned to that game for one more series, he was benched after throwing an interception and replaced by Jackson Stratton. Further testing last week showed a serious ankle injury that will cost him the rest of the regular season, the source confirmed. That news was first reported by CBS Sports on Monday.

So, it’ll be McNamara and Stratton, a walk-on, the rest of the way for the Hawkeyes (6-4, 4-3 Big Ten). They’re listed as 6½-point favorites to beat the Terrapins (4-6, 1-6).

For the Hawkeyes, the Sullivan injury is an unfortunate dose of bad news. Despite his three-turnover game at UCLA, he gave the Iowa offense some juice with his dual-threat ability. Sullivan came off the bench to lead a 40-14 shellacking of Northwestern and then a 42-10 rout of Wisconsin before the trip to Pasadena, California. And even when McNamara was the starter, Sullivan offered Iowa a very successful goal-line quarterback option that offensive coordinator Tim Lester was delighted to deploy.

For McNamara, this is one final chance to finish his underwhelming Hawkeyes career on a high note. He committed to Iowa nearly two years ago, as a high-profile transfer from Michigan after leading the Wolverines to the 2021 College Football Playoff. Excitement about McNamara’s arrival was off the charts, and on a subsequent podcast McNamara dared outsiders to doubt the Hawkeyes’ beleaguered offense.

But his Iowa career has been a major disappointment to date.

A combination of major injuries slowed McNamara’s runway in 2023. A quad issue that August left him mostly immobile, and a torn ACL in late September ended his season altogether after just four-plus games.

McNamara came into 2024 with a clean bill of health after knee surgery, and he simply underperformed. His disastrous second half against Iowa State was costly in a dispiriting 20-19 home loss. He committed three second-half turnovers in a 35-7 loss at Ohio State, then was an ugly 3-for-9 in a decisive first half of a 32-20 loss at Michigan State.

Video: Iowa QB Cade McNamara on moving forward from Michigan State loss

QB Cade McNamara discusses a variety of topcis ahead of Iowa’s matchup with Northwestern.

McNamara has not topped 150 yards passing in any of his nine starts against power-conference competition as a Hawkeye.

Now, though, comes a chance to finish strong as a supporting cast also regains health following the team’s second off week. McNamara will face the nation’s 123rd-ranked passing defense in Maryland, one that allows more yards per game (262.7) than any other Big Ten team.

Iowa also is expected to get the return of linebacker Jay Higgins on Saturday, a Register source confirmed. Head coach Kirk Ferentz expressed optimism after the UCLA loss that tight end Addison Ostrenga also would be back after missing five games with an upper-body injury. If Ostrenga and No. 1 tight end Luke Lachey (quad bruise; nine snaps at UCLA) are back in the fold, that plus the Big Ten rushing leader in Kaleb Johnson should give McNamara every chance to succeed. It’s possible that starting wide receiver Reece Vander Zee (stress fracture) could return at Maryland, too.

A Black Friday home game against reeling Nebraska (5-5, 2-5) closes Iowa’s regular season. There is a path for Iowa to finish 8-4, in which case it’s almost certainly a trip back to Tampa for the Dec. 31 Reliaquest Bowl against a Southeastern Conference team to be determined. A 9-4 season, with McNamara finishing the deal, is not out of the question.

The Hawkeyes being a nearly touchdown favorite in College Park, Maryland, shows that oddsmakers are optimistic that Iowa won’t be held back by quarterback play.

No, McNamara will not be able to do enough to suddenly make his two-year Iowa career a resounding success. But he does have captain-level support from his teammates, who will undoubtedly be prepared to rally around McNamara to the 2024 finish line.

Hawkeyes columnist Chad Leistikow has served for 30 years with The Des Moines Register and USA TODAY Sports Network. Chad is the 2023 INA Iowa Sports Columnist of the Year and NSMA Co-Sportswriter of the Year in Iowa. Join Chad’s text-message group (free for subscribers) at HawkCentral.com/HawkeyesTexts. Follow @ChadLeistikow on X.

Source link

Click to comment

Iowa

NCAA Wrestling Championships at-large bids announced

Published

15 minutes ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

NCAA Wrestling Championships at-large bids announced

The 330 wrestlers competing in Cleveland at the NCAA Championships are now set.

After the conference tournaments established the lion’s share of wrestlers, the NCAA announced the at-large bids on Tuesday, March 10, completing the rest of the field.

Brackets and seeds will be announced on March 10, but here’s a look at the contingents each state of Iowa program will be sending after the at-large bids were announced.

Iowa wrestling NCAA qualifiers

For the third year in a row, Iowa wrestling will be sending nine to the NCAA Championships. Victor Voinovich did not earn an at-large bid at 157 pounds after finishing ninth at the Big Ten Championships, one place outside of NCAA automatic qualification. He concludes his season with a 12-6 record.

Voinovich narrowly earned the starting job over Jordan Williams at 157, with Iowa coach Tom Brands saying it was very close, but Voinovich had shown a little more “fight” this year. Now that Voinovich hasn’t qualified for NCAAs, it’s a decision that will go further under the microscope.

What’s done is done, however, for Iowa. They’ll take Dean Peterson (125), Drake Ayala (133), Nasir Bailey (141), Ryder Block (149), Michael Caliendo (165), Patrick Kennedy (174), Angelo Ferrari (184), Gabe Arnold (197) and Ben Kueter (285) to Cleveland in hopes of salvaging what has been a tough season.

Iowa State wrestling NCAA qualifiers

For the first time since 2010, Iowa State will send all 10 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Vinny Zerban earned an at-large bid at 157 pounds despite falling short of the automatic qualifying threshold at the Big 12 Championships. Zerban suffered a concussion and medically forfeited out of the tournament after his first match in Tulsa. His health status will be worth monitoring NCAAs inch closer, from March 19-22.

The Cyclones look poised for one of their best postseasons in recent memory with their 10 qualifiers ―Stevo Poulin (125), Garrett Grice (133), Anthony Echemendia (141), Jacob Frost (149), Zerban, Connor Euton (165), MJ Gaitan (174), Isaac Dean (184), Rocky Elam (197) and Yonger Bastida (285). The loss of Evan Frost hurts the Cyclones, considering his pedigree and season as a whole, but Grice’s has earned several ranked wins since entering the lineup in February and could still add some much-needed team points as the team chases a team trophy.

Behind title contenders Elam and Bastida, proven podium threats in Poulin, Echemnedia, Jacob Frost and Zerban (if healthy), Iowa State will be in the mix for a top-four finish in Cleveland.

UNI wrestling NCAA qualifiers

Northern Iowa will send five to the NCAA Championships. Automatic qualifiers Julian Farber (133), Caleb Rathjen (149) and Ryder Downey (165) will be joined by Jared Simma (174) and Nick Fox (184), who each earned at-large bids. The number of qualifiers could extend to six, with Trever Anderson (125) being the alternate at 125 pounds for NCAAs. However, he had to medically forfeit out of the Big 12 Championships, so his health status would be in question if he got called up.

With that, Max Brady (141), Cael Rahnavardi (157), John Gunderson (197) and Adam Ahrendsen (285) will have their seasons come to an end. Brady, a true freshman, will still have three NCAA chances in his career after showing promising moments in relief of Cory Land’s season-ending injury. Gunderson, a U23 World team member, will return for next season as well. Rahnavardi and Ahrendsen were both in their final seasons of eligibility.

Following injuries to Land and Wyatt Voelker, it’s been a hard year for the Panthers. This is half the number of NCAA qualifiers that UNI had last season when they qualified 10 for the first time since 1986. The last time UNI had five or fewer qualifiers was 2016.

However, all five of their wrestlers have each shown moments of brilliance, either this season or in prior NCAA Championships. They may be a smaller crew than normal, but Downey, Rathjen, Farber, Simma and Fox are all ones to watch in Cleveland.

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.

Source link

Iowa

DCI agent say he was fired for questioning Iowa college gambling probe

Published

12 hours ago

March 10, 2026

Press Room

DCI agent say he was fired for questioning Iowa college gambling probe

A former Iowa investigator is suing the state, claiming he was fired for criticizing a high-profile college sports gambling probe.
Mark Ludwick alleges his termination was retaliation for testifying that investigators conducted illegal searches and were told to mislead students.
The gambling investigation, which led to charges against dozens of student-athletes, has faced legal challenges over its methods.

A longtime investigator for the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says he was forced out of the agency because he voiced reservations about a high-profile investigation into gambling in college athletics.

Mark Ludwick was hired by Iowa’s top investigative agency in 1997 and was terminated in November 2024, according to a lawsuit filed Feb. 20 in Polk County. According to his complaint, Ludwick was fired after two “frivolous” investigations, one claiming he’d exceeded the speed limit driving to a murder scene, and the other for assistance he provided to a domestic abuse victim.

The real reason, Ludwick alleges, is that officials were embarrassed after Ludwick testified under oath about what he regarded as weaknesses in their sports wagering investigation, which resulted in dozens of Iowa State University and University of Iowa student-athletes facing suspensions, 25 being criminally charged and 19 pleading guilty to underage gambling.

Ludwick testified in early 2024 he believed investigators had conducted illegal searches to identify the online gamblers and that he and other agents had been directed to lie to students about whether they were subjects of the investigation. He also alleged that stress about the case contributed to another agent’s fatal heart attack, although the agent’s relatives disputed the connection.

Now Ludwick is accusing the state of violating Iowa’s whistleblower protection statute. He declined through his attorney to comment. The Iowa Attorney General’s Office also declined to comment, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety, which includes the DCI, did not respond to an inquiry about the case.

Gambling investigation raised constitutional concerns

In the gambling investigation, DCI investigators used software tools provided by GeoComply, a Canadian company that contracts with online sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings, to look for evidence of illegal gambling activity. Using a GeoComply system, the investigators created a so-called “geofence” around college athletic facilities that allowed them to detect student athletes using wagering accounts registered to parents and friends to place bets ― sometimes on their own games.

Although the investigation resulted in numerous arrests and suspensions, it also drew controversy, in particular for agents’ failure to obtain warrants before conducting their location searches. GeoComply, which had encouraged Iowa to use its service, responded by cancelling the state’s access.

A large group of current and former students sued the state, accusing investigators of violating their constitutional rights. In November 2025, a federal judge ruled that the state’s investigation “does not comport with the Fourth Amendment,” which provides protection from illegal searches.

Nonetheless, the court dismissed the lawsuit, finding the officers involved were entitled to immunity. An appeal is pending.

Ludwick’s reservations emerge in depositions

Ludwick was an experienced investigator for the DCI, working on high-profile cases including the 2015 murder of Shirley Carter, whose son was tried and acquitted, and the 2017 deaths of two girls in a fire started by a relative.

While not the lead agent on the 2023 gambling investigation, Ludwick was tapped to assist by interviewing some of the student athletes. He later testified he grew concerned that the state’s geofence searches amounted to illegal, warrantless searches, and declined to participate in the case any further. He alleges that other DCI agents shared his concerns and also maneuvered to avoid being involved in the case.

Ludwick says he reported his concerns to his superiors. In January 2024, he was deposed by defense attorneys for four of the students, and “testified truthfully during his deposition that he believed an illegal search had been conducted.” Defense attorneys cited Ludwick’s remarks within days in filings covered by numerous media outlets, including the Des Moines Register, which “caused embarrassment and increased scrutiny for the Iowa Department of Public Safety, Commissioner Bayens, and other employees,” Ludwick’s suit states.

According to the complaint, officials launched an investigation into Ludwick for speeding on March 5, weeks after the embarrassing testimony was reported. On Aug. 8, officials initiated a second investigation after, Ludwick says, “he attempted to help a victim of domestic abuse flee her abuser.” He denies his actions violated Iowa law or department policy.

William Morris covers courts for the Des Moines Register. He can be contacted at wrmorris2@registermedia.com or 715-573-8166.

Source link

Iowa

Official Site of The ECHL | ECHL announces Voluntary Suspension of Iowa Membership for 2026-27 Season

Published

1 day ago

March 9, 2026

Press Room

The ECHL announced today that the League’s Board of Governors has approved the request of the Iowa Heartlanders’ Membership for a Voluntary Suspension for the 2026-27 Season.

During the suspension period, the organization will evaluate strategic alternatives aimed at ensuring a sustainable long-term future for professional hockey in the Corridor, including potential investment or ownership partnerships that support the continued success of the Membership.

The ECHL will continue to work with the Heartlanders’ ownership group during the suspension period as the organization evaluates its future. The League remains committed to the continued growth and stability of its member teams and markets.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision that followed months of careful evaluation,” said Heartlanders owner Michael Devlin. “Despite significant efforts to stabilize and strengthen the organization, we concluded that stepping back for a season is the most responsible course while we review long-term solutions. As stewards of the team, we believe this step gives the organization the best opportunity to return on a stronger and more sustainable footing.”

“We worked through every potential path that might have allowed us to continue uninterrupted,” Heartlanders President Matt Getz said. “Ultimately, we believe this pause provides the organization the best opportunity to position the Membership for long-term success.”

The Iowa organization expresses deep gratitude to the fans, partners, players, staff and the City of Coralville who have supported the Heartlanders since the team’s founding.

The ECHL will play with 30 Members during the 2026-27 season.

About the ECHL

Formed in 1988-89 with five teams in four states, the ECHL has grown into a coast-to-coast league with 30 teams in 23 states and one Canadian province for its 38th season in 2025-26. There have been 778 players who have gone on to play in the National Hockey League after starting their careers in the ECHL, including 10 who have made their NHL debuts in the 2025-26 season. The ECHL has affiliations with 30 of the 32 NHL teams in 2025-26, marking the 28th consecutive season that the league has affiliations with at least 20 teams in the NHL. Further information on the ECHL is available on its website at ECHL.com.