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(AP Sports) Super Bowl MVP Patrick Mahomes is set to be part of the virtual graduation ceremonies for Texas Tech, his alma mater. The star quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs will address the graduates along with two students receiving their degrees in a ceremony to be livestreamed on May 23. Commencement ceremonies normally held at Texas Tech’s basketball arena were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

FILE – In this Feb. 2, 2020, file photo, Kansas City Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes, left, and Tyrann Mathieu celebrate after defeating the San Francisco 49ers in the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Kansas City Chiefs began talking about a repeat before they had even left the stadium following their Super Bowl triumph. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Mahomes was a record-setting passer for the Red Raiders before the Chiefs drafted him 10th overall in 2017. He just finished his second season as Kansas City’s starter by leading a fourth-quarter comeback in a 31-20 victory over San Francisco in the Super Bowl in February.

The 24-year-old Mahomes is the son of former major league pitcher Pat Mahomes. The younger Mahomes was a two-sport standout in high school in East Texas and briefly played baseball at Texas Tech before focusing on his football career.

Texas Tech President Lawrence Schovanec says, “Patrick’s story and his rise to stardom, both here at Texas Tech and in the NFL, have been a great source of pride for Red Raiders and an inspiration for thousands.”

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Iowa’s top academic students have been chosen for the 2020 Governor’s Scholar Program. The Governor’s Office, the Iowa High School Athletic Association, and its title sponsor, the Iowa Farm Bureau, are presenting this recognition which began in 2003.

The 425 seniors being honored were selected by their high schools as the highest academic achievers. All students will receive a recognition plaque and certificate to commemorate their achievement. The in-person ceremony for this year was canceled due to COVID-19 and the ongoing guidelines concerning public gatherings. With that in mind, the student honorees are being announced via news release, social media and the IHSAA website.

The recognition plaques and certificates are being sent to their home address this week.

“Iowa has a proud history of educational excellence, and this year’s honorees are a product of that tradition,” said Governor Kim Reynolds in a letter to the students. “You are a role model for your community and all students across the state. In these unprecedented times, it is your generation who will lead us into new opportunities in science, technology, agriculture, education and business in the coming years.”

Students have been encouraged to share their award utilizing #iahsseniors and the #IAGovScholar with social media posts. To date, the online footprint celebrating the students includes more than 140,000 people across Iowa.

“With schools closed, friends and family being kept at a distance and our lives abruptly put on hold, I can imagine how disheartened this year’s senior class feels,” said Craig Hill, Iowa Farm Bureau president, in remarks to the student honorees. “Please know it does not take away from your accomplishments or the incredible things you will achieve in the future.”

In addition to being recognized as the state’s brightest students, more than 99 percent of the group participates in school activities. More than 60 percent plan to pursue their post-secondary education in Iowa.

“The principles learned through academic success, like those learned from participation in school activities, help develop outstanding young leaders,” said IHSAA executive director Tom Keating.  “The partnership between the IHSAA and the Iowa Farm Bureau, along with the great cooperation of the Governor’s Office has made this prestigious program possible for many years.”

In addition to being recognized as the state’s brightest students, more than 99 percent of the group participates in school activities. More than 60 percent plan to pursue their post-secondary education in Iowa.

Local scholars on the list:

ACGC: Bryce Littler
AHSTW: Kaitlynne Henriksen
Ar-We-Va: Dalton Ehlers
Atlantic: Evan Brummer
Audubon: Bree Andreasen
Bedford: Brennan Sefrit
Boyer Valley: Kelsey Tremel
CAM: Benjamin Tibken
Carroll: Owen Perrin
Clarinda: Dara Brandt
Coon Rapids-Bayard: Colby Heithoff
Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln: Jared Kaufman
Council Bluffs, Abraham Lincoln: Taylor Wilson
Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson: Desrei Arbolente
Council Bluffs, Thomas Jefferson: Bryan Renteria Hernandez
Creston: Eli Loudon
Denison-Schleswig: Joshua Ahrenholtz
Denison-Schleswig: Sahira Vergara
Earlham: Olivia Nicholson
East Mills: Emma Seipold
Essex: Kelli Baker
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton: Kami Waymire
Fremont-Mills, Tabor: Lillian Mahaney
Glenwood: Delaney McMullen
Glenwood: Jaeda Wilson
Glidden-Ralston: Luke Handlos
Griswold: Kamryn Howell
Harlan Community: Lucy Borkowski
IKM-Manning: Will Jorgensen
Kuemper Catholic, Carroll: Kamryn Schreck
Lenox: Jaela Cox
Lewis Central: Phillip Cooper-Ohm
Lewis Central: Isabella Smith
Logan-Magnolia: Violet Lapke
Martensdale-St. Marys: Grace Wood
Missouri Valley: Emma Anunson
Mount Ayr: Jaycee Knight
MVAOCOU: Cody Rosburg
Nodaway Valley: Reagan Weinheimer
OABCIG : Sarah Petersen
Panorama, Panora: Molly Simmons
Paton-Churdan: Kaleb Fisher
Red Oak: Sophia Walker
Shenandoah: Roxy Denton
Sidney: Olivia Larsen
Southwest Valley: Adam Harris
St. Albert, Council Bluffs: Abby Barnes
Stanton: Easton Hultman
Treynor: Clarissa Weitzel
Tri-Center, Neola: Amanda Brich
Underwood: Zachery Teten
West Central Valley, Stuart: Kaila Findley
West Harrison, Mondamin: Karter Nelson
Winterset: Mikaela Hunter
Woodbine: Adam Sherer

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AMES, Iowa – Iowa State’s Cyclone Tailgate Tour, powered by MidAmerican Energy, is now coming to the homes of all Cyclone fans!

In order to continue this popular event during these uncertain times, the Iowa State Athletics Department announced today it will host a 2020 Virtual Cyclone Tailgate Tour on May 20th, bringing the Iowa State coaches into your living rooms for an entertaining, interactive fan experience beginning at 5 p.m. CT.

The live broadcast of this family-friendly event is FREE and available for all Cyclone fans, including a special activity for all children watching.

The Voice of the Cyclones John Walters will emcee the event with live interviews with Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard, Matt Campbell (football), Steve Prohm (men’s basketball), Bill Fennelly (women’s basketball), Christy Johnson-Lynch (women’s basketball) and Kevin Dresser (wrestling) and other special guests.

Fans can access the live event on cyclones.com, the Iowa State Athletics Facebook and Twitter (@CycloneATH) pages, or on Mediacom’s Cyclones.tv channel. This live broadcast is produced in partnership with Anthony Travel and On Location Live.

Participants are encouraged to RSVP in advance for a chance to win prizes during the live show, including the opportunity for a virtual “meet and greet” with Pollard or one of the coaches. Fans can also submit a question for the live show when completing their RSVP.

Fans should wear Cardinal and Gold to show their Cyclone spirit and are encouraged to share photos of their virtual tailgates on social media while watching the show. Upload your photos to Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and make sure to tag @CycloneATH with the hashtag #VirtualCycloneTour.

“The Cyclone Tailgate Tour is one of the best events our department hosts each year,” Pollard said. “We were disappointed the traveling event had to be postponed this season because we really enjoy visiting so many of our fans across the great state of Iowa. The good news is the inaugural virtual tailgate tour will provide our fans a great opportunity to still interact with our coaches and staff this spring.”

The 14th annual Cyclone Tailgate Tour was originally a six-day, 12-stop tour across the state of Iowa this May. However, due to the recent events surrounding COVID-19, the traveling tour was canceled for the health and safety of our staff, coaches and fans.

(Radio Iowa) — Governor Kim Reynolds is allowing more Iowa businesses to reopen, but her latest pandemic-related proclamation still prohibits sports gatherings of 10 or more until midnight on Wednesday, May 27th. Reynolds was asked specifically about high school baseball and softball today (Wednesday) during her daily news conference. Reynolds says she has not discussed SUMMER sports with the Iowa High School Athletic Union that governs boys sports or the Iowa High School Girls Athletic Union. but she’s not closed the door on the idea if coronavirus activity is contained or declines.

(as said) “Hopefully, if Iowans and businesses and everybody continue to do what we’re seeing that they do, we’re going to continue, in a very phased in approach, continue opening up and bringing more things online,” Reynolds says.

Atlantic School District Athletic Director Andy Mitchell said Wednesday evening during the school board meeting, that the Hawkeye 10 A-D’s have been meeting on a weekly basis. The Executive Director of the Girl’s Union joined a teleconference with those officials, Wednesday, but was just as uncertain as to what the summer has in-store as the governor, at this stage in the pandemic recovery process.

Bowling alleys are to remain closed statewide. The governor has lifted restrictions on fitness centers in 22 counties that required customers to make appointments and only one customer was allowed to be inside at a time.

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IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The Big Ten Conference has approved hardship waiver petitions for Iowa basketball players Jordan Bohannon and Jack Nunge to give each an extra year of eligibility. Bohannon averaged 8.8 points and 3.3 assists in 10 games before undergoing season-ending surgery on his left hip in December. He had the same procedure on his right hip last May. The Marion, Iowa, native holds the Iowa record with 284 career 3-pointers made. Nunge started five games last season before tearing the ACL in his right knee. Freshman forward Patrick McCaffery’s hardship waiver is still under review.

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