Iowa
University of Iowa Athletics expects to break revenue records in upcoming year • Iowa Capital Dispatch
The University of Iowa is expecting another record-breaking year for its athletics department while Iowa State University Athletics is working to handle changes to expected revenues as a result of collegiate athletic conferences shifting, university budget documents show.
With revenues slated to increase in football, women’s basketball, wrestling and volleyball, among other areas, the UI is projecting a total income of more than $150 million for fiscal year 2025, just over a 7% increase from last year.
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According to budgets submitted to the Iowa Board of Regents, which are set to be discussed at the board’s meeting next week, Hawkeye Football ticket revenue should increase this fall due to “a favorable home schedule and price adjustments,” and budgeted income for women’s basketball went from $1.3 million to $1.65 million in fiscal year 2025 because of “additional guarantees received for away contests.”
The university athletics department saw record-breaking revenue last fiscal year as well, prompted by soaring popularity in the women’s basketball team. Iowa women’s wrestling is projected to make $80,000 in fiscal year 2025.
Renegotiated television contracts from the Big Ten Conference will give athletic conference revenue at the UI a $13.4 million bump from the $61.8 million the university saw last year.
ISU Athletics is expecting to earn around $114.2 million in revenue for fiscal year 2025, $2.7 million more than the fiscal year 2024 budget. Cyclone Football is also expecting increased ticket sales due to an additional home game, and the athletic department is also planning to see increased ticket sales for women’s basketball and wrestling. The biggest bump is expected to come from women’s basketball, with the budget line increasing from $450,000 to $700,000.
However, with changes to collegiate athletics conferences and tournaments, ISU Athletics has put certain projects on hold and “is continuing to make operational and personnel changes as necessary,” according to the budget document.
With four universities added to the Big 12 Conference as of July 1, ISU and the other continuing conference members will receive $40 million less in Big 12 contributions through fiscal year 2031 than what was previously expected, according to the regents document.
Also impacting the ISU athletic department’s budget is the College Football Playoff expansion, which makes it so playoff revenues aren’t equally distributed among the different conferences, according to the document.
“With two athletic conferences essentially receiving the contractual increases in television revenue resulting from the new playoff format, the revenue allocations to members of the Big 12 conference will remain flat,” the document stated. “The financial impact of this change is approximately $5M per year (through FY 2031) when compared to earlier projections.”
The University of Northern Iowa, the only state university to provide support to its athletics department, is also the only university to expect a decrease in revenue for its athletics this upcoming fiscal year. According to the budget document, athletics revenue is projected to fall from around $14.8 million to just under $14.7 million.
As with previous years, UNI men’s basketball doesn’t have game guaranteed revenue to include in the budget yet.
“Sports income for football includes game guarantee revenue resulting in a budgeted revenue increase when compared to the FY 2024 budget,” the budget document stated. “Conversely, men’s basketball has no game guaranteed revenue on the schedule at this time.”
The university will also see a more than $1 million reduction in revenue from marketing due to its new contract with sports marketing company Learfield. The UI will only see a $150,000 decrease in its income from the contract it holds with Learfield, according to the document.
UNI will allocate $3.26 million in operational support, $1.28 million in scholarship funding and $485,000 for “one-time support,” according to the regent document.
The university included an almost $100,000 increase in income from UNI football, but decreases in other men’s and women’s sports.
Iowa
Iowa man charged in connection to horse-drawn buggy crash that killed teen
CLARKE COUNTY, Iowa (KCRG) – An Iowa man was charged Friday in connection to a deadly horse-drawn buggy crash that killed a teenager last month.
Jacob Wright, 41, of Grand River, is facing charges including involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of a deadly accident.
The crash happened in Clarke County on November 12. According to the crash report, Wright’s car hit the back of the buggy and ran it into a ditch.
Elmer Borntrager, 16, was thrown from the buggy and died at the scene.
Police found Wright’s damaged vehicle days later about five miles from the crash scene.
Copyright 2025 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
How much snow did we get? See Iowa snowfall totals from Thursday.
See Iowa DOT snowplow camera capture moment SUV rear ends plow
An Iowa DOT snowplow was hit while clearing snow along Iowa Highway 60 in Sioux County on Nov. 29, 2025. The crash was caught on the plow’s cameras.
Another round of snow swept through Iowa, leaving more than 3 inches in some parts of the state.
Flurries began falling in Des Moines around noon on Thursday, Dec. 11, and persisted until late in the evening.
Here’s a look at the highest snowfall totals in Iowa as of 8 a.m. Friday, Dec. 12, according to the National Weather Service.
What were the highest Iowa snowfall totals?
- West Burlington: 4 inches
- Parnell: 3.8 inches
- Salem: 3.8 inches
- Mooar: 3.6 inches
- Webster City: 3.5 inches
- Muscatine: 3 inches
- Yarmouth: 3 inches
- Williamstown: 3 inches
- New London: 2.8 inches
- Riverside: 2.8 inches
- Ottumwa: 2.8 inches
How much snow did Des Moines get?
Over an inch of snow fell at the Des Moines International Airport, with the National Weather Service reporting 1.1 inches as of 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11.
Grimes reported 1.3 inches of snow and other reports from the Des Moines area were around 1 inch.
Nevada in Story County reported 0.5 inches
How much snow did Iowa City get?
No reports were received from Iowa City, according to the National Weather Service. Nearby University Heights reported 1.5 inches. Oakdale reported 2 inches and North Liberty reported 1.3 inches of snow.
When is the next chance for snowfall in Des Moines?
Another round of snow is expected to begin Friday night and continue into Saturday, Dec. 13, in the afternoon.
Des Moines is projected to receive between 2 and 4 inches of snow during this time. A winter weather advisory is in effect for Des Moines from 12 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The advisory is also in effect in cities spanning from Sioux City to Davenport.
Temperatures are also expected to drop during the weekend, with daytime highs of 9 degrees on Saturday and Sunday, and lows of 10 degrees below zero on Saturday and 1 degree below zero on Sunday.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
Iowa
Iowa women’s wrestling goes on the road to defeat Grand View
Iowa’s Clarissa Chun breaks down win over Oklahoma State
VIDEO: Iowa’s Clarissa Chun breaks down dual win over Oklahoma State
Iowa Athletics
While Iowa women’s wrestling rolled Grand View, 32-10, on Dec. 11 at Waukee Northwest High School, the Vikings provided a worthy challenge in Central Iowa.
The Hawkeyes and Grand View were the second leg of a doubleheader, with a high school dual between Raccoon River Wrestling and Ankeny, the top two teams at last season’s IGHSAU state meet, happening earlier in the night.
The Hawkeyes won each match that was held, but did not send a wrestler at 160 pounds, while Grand View did not participate at 180, so each team took one forfeit. In the eight matches held, Iowa won all of them and two by bonus points at 131 and 145. A sizeable chunk of Iowa’s top starters didn’t wrestle, but Grand View fought tough nonetheless.
“They’re (Grand View) scrappy and they fight hard,” said Iowa coach Clarissa Chun.
The Hawkeyes opened with four wins by decision from 103 to 124 against top-end wrestlers in the NAIA division. Sterling Dias earned a 3-0 decision over Judy Sandova (No. 2 in NAIA) at 103, followed by an 8-2 victory for Nyla Valencia over Tristan Nitta (No. 5 in NAIA) at 110 and a 9-2 decision for Brianna Gonzalez over Mayangelie Colon (No. 3 in NAIA) at 117.
In one of the best wins of the night, Cali Leng downed Catharine Campbell (No. 3 in NAIA) at 124 by a 9-1 decision. Her front headlocks and control of the hand fight led to her rotating behind Campbell for multiple takedowns.
“She’s got a big gas tank and a big heart,” Chun said. “She found ways to adjust and put points on the board.”
Emily Frost won at 131 pounds as she normally does, locking up a headlock and tossing Maya Davis for a win by fall in the first period. Iowa native Lilly Luft followed that pin with a tough win by decision, trailing by criteria at 6-6, but securing two takedowns late in the second period to defeat Adrienna Turner, 10-6. Before the two forfeits, Cadence Diduch rolled in a 10-0 technical fall of Sofia Delgado at 145 pounds.
In the final bout of the night, Libby Dix gave fans at Waukee Northwest a show. Trailing by criteria at 2-2, Dix scored a late step-out point with just a few seconds remaining to clinch the win. While she hadn’t wrestled a ton of freestyle before her college career, she won with her awareness late to score on the one-point action unique to freestyle.
“She’s a gamer,” Chun said. “She’s competitive. If she wasn’t, she would’ve been hung up on losing the match 2-2, but she wanted to go get one.”
The Hawkeyes have one more test before going off on winter break, traveling to Naperville, Ill. on Dec. 14 for the North Central Open.
Iowa women’s wrestling vs. Grand View box score
- 103: Sterling Dias (IOWA) over Judy Sandoval (GVU) (Dec 3-0)
- 110: Nyla Valencia (IOWA) over Tristan Nitta (GVU) (Dec 8-2)
- 117: Brianna Gonzalez (IOWA) over Mayangelie Colon (GVU) (Dec 9-2)
- 124: Cali Leng (IOWA) over Catharine Campbell (GVU) (Dec 8-1)
- 131: Emily Frost (IOWA) over Maya Davis (GVU) (Fall 2:21)
- 138: Lilly Luft (IOWA) over Adrienna Turner (GVU) (Dec 10-6)
- 145: Cadence Diduch (IOWA) over Sofia Delgado (GVU) (TF 10-0 2:08)
- 160: Kami Senlycki (GVU) over (IOWA) (For.)
- 180: Katja Osteen (IOWA) over (GVU) (For.)
- 207: Libby Dix (IOWA) over Andjela Prijovic (GVU) (Dec 3-2)
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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