Iowa

Newman-Winfrey carries on 106-pound tradition for Southeast Polk wrestling

Published

1 month ago

February 21, 2026

Newman-Winfrey carries on 106-pound tradition for Southeast Polk wrestling

There’s a spot that’s stitched on the upper back of Amir Newman-Winfrey’s singlet he sported during the Iowa state wrestling tournament quarterfinal and semifinal rounds.

That stitch comes from Nico DeSalvo’s mom, who patched the singlet two years ago before DeSalvo won his first state title at 106 pounds. One year after that, Eddie Woody donned the same exact singlet during the season when he won the 106-pound weight class for the Rams. Now, it’s Newman-Winfrey’s turn to wear it. The same duds, with ‘Rams’ printed across the chest, the same weight class and the same goal.

Win a state title.

Thus far, Newman-Winfrey has lived up to the reputation being built by Southeast Polk at 106 pound wrestlers over the last two seasons. He’s in the state finals on Feb. 21, with two pins and a major decision during the tournament to get there.

The major decision he earned was over an elite wrestler, Fort Dodge freshman Knox Ayala, the younger brother of Iowa Hawkeyes and state tournament icons Drake and Dru Ayala. Knox Ayala’s slide-by attacks, speed and grit in the top position are all already at a high level, mirroring much of what his brother’s have done.

Still, Newman-Winfrey rolled to a 16-3 major decision and is one match away from making it three state championships in a row at 106 pounds for Southeast Polk. At a minimum, he’s already helped his team clinch the team title in Class 3A.

“It’s just passing down to generations,” Newman-Winfrey said. “We all work hard together, we all train together. It’s amazing.”

All three of DeSalvo (138), Woody (126) and Newman-Winfrey (106) are in the state finals for the Rams this year. But the energy the team has for their young freshman is obvious. His talent level is something they have a ton of confidence in, and it has been proven right by his performance so far.

“He’s going out there and wrecking people’s souls,” DeSalvo said. “He’s going out there, no matter who you are, he’s going to try to put his skull through your face.”

Newman-Winfrey got involved in wrestling at a young age, attracted to the physicality, family atmosphere at Southeast Polk, and the ability to travel the country for national tournaments. Right away, Newman-Winfrey was winning a ton at youth-level stages.

It was around middle school, however, where Newman-Winfrey hit a growth spurt. Trying to build his strength and figure out how to use his body saw him start to lose frequently for a period. For a moment, he considered quitting wrestling entirely and going to play football.

Southeast Polk continued to work with him on his mindset and body, putting him in the fire at big national tournaments to get him battle-tested so he could learn from losses. As time went on, he found his footing and has become an elite talent in Iowa.

“He’s made those changes and it’s really benefited him,” Southeast Polk head coach Jake Agnitsch said. “People are starting to see, like, how good he actually is.”

With one more win, Newman-Winfrey can turn back-to-back championships at 106 pounds into a three-year streak for the Rams. He’ll draw Dowling Catholic’s Cruz Gannon, whom he defeated by decision in a dual earlier this year by a 17-10 scoreline.

As a wrestler from a young age, winning on a stage like this is the opportunity he’s been waiting for.

“I’ve been wanting to be here for a long time now,” Newman-Winfrey said. “This is where I’m about to prove myself.”

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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Iowa

Jada Williams among eight Iowa State players headed to transfer portal

Published

8 hours ago

March 26, 2026

Press Room

Jada Williams among eight Iowa State players headed to transfer portal

Iowa State’s first-round exit from the 2026 Women’s NCAA Tournament has triggered a mass exodus, with a reported eight players leaving the team to enter the transfer portal.

Junior forward Addy Brown announced her decision to “move on” from Iowa State and enter the transfer portal in a social media post on Tuesday, March 24.

“This decision comes after a lot of thought about my future and goals,” Brown wrote in a post shared to social media. “While it’s never easy to move on, I believe this is the right step for me and I’m excited for what’s ahead as I continue to grow and chase my dreams.”

By Thursday, March. 26, several other players followed suit. Junior guard Jada Williams confirmed she’ll be “pursuing my dreams elsewhere” for her senior season. She added in a social media post, “Iowa State will always have a place in my heart and I’ll never forget the Iowa State way.”

Williams transferred to Iowa State for the 2025-26 season after playing for Arizona for the first two years of her career. William averaged career-highs in points (15.3), assists (7.7) and field goal percentage (41.7) in her lone season at Iowa State.

Iowa State freshman guard Reese Beaty, freshman guard Freya Jensen, sophomore guard Reagan Wilson, sophomore guard Aili Tanke, junior forward Alisa Williams and junior center Lilly Taulelei all intend to enter the transfer portal, according to On3’s Talia Goodman.

The transfer portal opens on Monday, April 6, following the NCAA Tournament championship game on Sunday, April 5.

Could Iowa State junior center Audi Crooks be next? Crooks declined to answer whether she would return next season following Iowa State’s 72-63 loss to Syracuse on Saturday, March 21. She instead said, “We’re all still processing everything and just being there for each other right now is the priority. That’s the main thing, making sure everybody is mentally OK through this tough time.”

Crooks had 37 points (17-of-25 FG) and five rebounds in the losing effort against Syracuse.

Reach USA TODAY National Women’s Sports Reporter Cydney Henderson at chenderson@usatoday.com and follow her on X at@CydHenderson.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Iowa

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20 hours ago

March 26, 2026

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Iowa

Iowa law enforcement issues thousands of citations under hands-free driving law

Published

1 day ago

March 25, 2026

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Iowa law enforcement issues thousands of citations under hands-free driving law

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) – Law enforcement has issued thousands of citations since Iowa’s hands-free driving law went into effect, according to the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The law went into effect in July 2025, prohibiting using phones while driving unless in hands-free mode. Citations started on January 1.

Since then, officers have issued over 2,400 citations and over 1,900 warnings.

The violation is a moving violation in Iowa, with a fine of $170.

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