IOWA CITY, Iowa – Three University of Iowa women’s gymnasts were named Women’s Collegiate Gymnastics Association Scholastic All-America Award recipients, it was announced Tuesday by the WCGA.

Iowa’s honorees include freshmen Gianna Masella and Kaia Vanney and junior Allison Zuhlke.

WCGA Scholastic All-Americans have a 3.5 overall grade point average or a 3.5 grade point average for 2022-23 academic year.

Vanney, a health studies major, was one of 223 student-athletes in the nation who received a 4.00 GPA. Masella is carrying a 3.83 GPA while majoring in dentistry and Zuhlke has a 3.70 cumulative GPA in enterprise leadership.

Sophomores Cartevious Norton and Eli King are the most experienced running backs in a group that is missing senior Jirehl Brock at Iowa State. Norton appeared in eight games last season but was hampered by a hamstring injury he suffered in the season opener.

Norton says with experience he has learned to be patient.

Though still early in his career Norton has become one of the leaders of the running back group.

King also appeared in eight games last year and feels he has improved during the offseason.

King says he has become a better student of the game.

Injuries plagued the running backs last year and King says they are trying to do a better job of taking care of their bodies.

The Cyclones open at home on September second against UNI.

Iowa’s offense is motivated to stop being a liability this season. The Hawkeyes were 8-5 last season but it could have been much better had they averaged more than a measly 17.7 points per game. An influx of transfers are being counted on to make the offense more productive, including former Michigan quarterback Cade McNamara.

That is senior receiver Nico Ragaini who says the offense has something to prove.

Ragaini says McNamara has been a great addition.

Offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz had a 25 points per game incentive added to his contract, but the son of head coach Kirk Ferentz is focused on winning.

The added pressure of being the head coach’s son has always been there.

He says McNamara has shown the ability to extend plays in practice.

The Hawkeyes open the season at home on September second against Utah State.

Today, we continue our preview of the upcoming Big Ten football season with a 14-team preview over 14 weekdays. Tanner Hoops previews the 2023 Michigan State Spartans:

Tomorrow, we will preview Penn State.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa men’s golf welcomes sophomore Cale Leonard for the 2023-24 season. Leonard, an Iowa native, joins the Hawkeye program from Drake University.

“We are happy to welcome Cale to the team,” says Head Coach Tyler Stith. “He had a very strong junior record and established himself as one of the best players in the state of Iowa. Cale is a strong, athletic player with tons of upside potential.”

Last season, Leonard posted a pair of top-25 finishes, including a tie for 24^th place at the Iowa Fall Classic, hosted annually by the Hawkeyes at Blue Top Ridge Golf Course in Riverside, Iowa. His 18-hole round low was a 71 (-1) at the Zach Johnson Invitational. Leonard qualified for the U.S. Amateur this summer.

Leonard was a prep standout at Ottumwa High School, winning the individual 4A State Championship as a senior during the 2021-22 season. Leonard outpaced the field by two strokes at five-under par (139) at Beaver Hills Country Club in Cedar Falls, Iowa, for his second top-10 finish at the state golf meet.

Leonard won the 2022 Midwest Junior Championship at Glen Oaks Country Club. In 2020, he was named Iowa Golf Association Junior Player of the Year.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State soccer program will officially open the 2023 campaign on Thursday, August 17, against future Big 12 opponent Arizona. The Cyclones and Wildcats are set to square off at 6 p.m. and the match will be broadcast on Big 12 Now on ESPN+.

This marks the second straight season that Arizona and Iowa State will face off in the opening match of the regular season. Last year’s lid-lifter saw the Wildcats secure a 2-1 victory over ISU in the desert.

The Cyclones enter regular season play after completing a 2-0 preseason which featured wins over both UNI (2-1) and Minnesota (1-0).

The Matchup: Iowa State vs. Arizona

Where: Cyclone Soccer Complex // Ames, Iowa

When: August 17 – 6 p.m.

Watch: Big 12 Now on ESPN+

Live Stats: cyclones.com

What To Watch For 

• Iowa State will open up the 2023 season on a brand new playing surface at the Cyclone Soccer Complex on Thursday, as ISU made the offseason swap from a turf field to natural grass.
• The Cyclones will look to implement 11 newcomers into the fray this season, as five freshmen and six transfers will look to find their place in the rotation.
• The Cyclones will have a new face in the net for the first time in since 2019, as program legend Jordan Silkowitz was drafted into the NWSL in January.
• ISU has just one returning player who started all 17 games last season in Mira Emma and only four players (Mira Emma, Lauren Hernandez, Hanna Reid, Sophia Thomas) competed in every outing.
• The Cyclones lost 50% of their scoring production from 2022, so finding offensive production and contributors will be paramount.
• The Cyclones return five players who notched goals in 2022 (Emma, Hernandez, Salomé Prat, Leia Khairy and Thomas).
• Besides the new player faces on the sidelines, ISU fans may also notice a new pair of coaches as Kathleen Duwve (assistant/goalkeepers coach) and Olivia Seddon (soccer development coordinator) joined the team over the summer.
  • Though not a new face, CC McGrath was promoted from assistant coach to associate head coach in the summer.

Series History 

Iowa State and Arizona will meet for the fourth time on Thursday, with the Wildcats holding a 2-1 series advantage. This will be the second time Arizona has visited Ames, with the previous visit coming back in 2004. Iowa State is 0-1 when hosting the Wildcats at home.

Up Next
Following the final exhibition match, Iowa State will turn its attention to the regular season and prepare for Arizona. The Cyclones and Wildcats are set to square off on August 17 at 6 p.m. on Big 12 Now on ESPN+. 

Drake football coach Todd Stepsis hopes the ends of last season carries over to this fall. After starting 2022 with an 0-8 record the Bulldogs won their final three games, including a win over a Butler team that was trying to lock up a spot in the FCS playoffs.

Stepsis credits team character for rescuing the end of last season.

The Bulldogs have always played a challenging non-conference schedule and this season is no different.

From 2004 to 2019 Drake enjoyed 14 winning seasons and three Pioneer Football League titles but the program has struggled the past two seasons since the pandemic. Improvement begins with an offense that averaged less than 18 points per game a year ago.

Drake opens September second at North Dakota.

The race is on at Iowa State where the Cyclones are in search of a new starting quarterback. Redshirt freshman Rocco Becht, junior college transfer Tanner Hughes and true freshman J.J. Kohl are competing to replace Hunter Dekkers, who was charged in a gambling probe. Offensive coordinator Nate Scheelhaase has been impressed with all three.

Scheelhaase says all three have limited experience in the program.

Scheelhaase says while they are different from a physical standpoint their styles are similar.

The Cyclones open at home on September second against Northern Iowa.

Irving, Texas – The Big 12 Conference has announced its 2023 Spring Scholar-Athletes of the Year. The following student-athletes have been selected as award winners for their respective sports based on the votes of each sport’s respective head coaches.

Big 12 Baseball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Braden Barry, West Virginia, Jr., Louisville, Ky.

• Finance major with a 3.73 GPA who participated in every contest this season.
• Hit .290 with eight home runs, 19 doubles, four triples, 44 runs batted in and 57 runs scored.
• Three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection (2021-23) and a two-time CSC Academic All-District selection.

Big 12 Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Johnny Keefer, Baylor, RJr., San Antonio, Texas

• Major in Accounting with a 3.68 GPA and participated in every tournament this season.
• Averaged 71.62 strokes per round with five top-10 finishes, and made the cut at the NCAA Championships.
• Four-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree (2020-23) who earned a CSC Academic All-District nod in 2023.

Big 12 Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Anna Dong, Texas Tech, Sr., Guangzhou, China

• Posted a 4.00 GPA while majoring in Sport Management and participated in 75% of tournaments.
• Averaged 73.67 strokes per round, including a tie for medalist honors at the Columbia Classic.
• Named to Academic All-Big 12 teams five times (2019-23).

Big 12 Rowing Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Kaitlin Knifton, Texas, Gr., Austin, Texas

• Graduate in sport communication with a 4.00 GPA and 100 percent participation.
• Named Big 12 Rower of the Year as she led Texas to a Big 12 Championship.
• Five-time Academic All-Big 12 selection (2019-23) and four-time CRCA National Scholar-Athlete (2020-23).

Big 12 Softball Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Grace Lyons, Oklahoma, RSr., Peoria, Ariz.

• Held a 3.89 GPA while pursuing an MBA and 89 percent participation this season.
• Hit .331 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs, earning her third consecutive Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year honors as the Sooners went 61-1 to win the Big 12 regular season title, the Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship and the NCAA Championship.
• A three-time CSC Academic All-American (2021-23) and a five-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree (2019-23).

Big 12 Men’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Eliot Spizzirri, Texas, Sr., Greenwich, Conn.

• Majoring in finance with a 3.79 GPA and competed in every match this season.
• Named ITA National Player of the Year and Big 12 Player of the Year, posting a 36-5 singles record and reaching the NCAA Championship match in doubles.
• Three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree (2021-23) and 2023 CSC Academic All-American.

Big 12 Women’s Tennis Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Miska Kadleckova, Iowa State, Jr., Banska Bystrica, Slovakia

• Maintained a 3.76 GPA as an kinesiology and health major with 100 percent participation in contests this season.
• Earned All-Big 12 second team honors in both singles and doubles, posting records of 29-11 in singles and 30-10 in doubles.
• Three-time ITA Scholar-Athlete (2021-23) and three-time Academic All-Big 12 selection (2021-23).

Big 12 Men’s Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Yusuf Bizimana, Texas, Jr., London, England

• Holds a 3.23 GPA while majoring in advertising with 100 percent participation.
• Was the NCAA Champion in the indoor 800m and was runner-up in the outdoor 800m.
• Two-time Academic All-Big 12 selection (2022-23).

Big 12 Women’s Track and Field Scholar-Athlete of the Year
Julien Alfred, Texas, Gr., Castries, St. Lucia

• A graduate student in youth and community studies with a 3.34 GPA and 71% participation.
• Named Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year after winning five national titles and helping UT win the outdoor NCAA Championship.
• Earned USTFCCA National Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors.

The Big 12 Conference established its Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award in 2012-13. A recipient is named in each conference-sponsored sport. Every Big 12 institution nominates one individual per sport with the winners selected by a vote of the league head coaches for that sport, who are not allowed to vote for their own student-athletes. Scholar-Athlete of the Year nominees must be a junior or senior (athletic and academic standing), have a cumulative grade point average of 3.20 or higher, participate in at least 20 percent of the team’s scheduled contests and have a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.

Northern Iowa volleyball coach Bobbi Peterson says versatility will be a strength heading into the new season. The Panthers lost five seniors off last year’s team that finished 27-8 and made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Peterson is entering her 24th season as head coach and has led the Panthers to 16 trips to the NCAA Tournament.

Peterson has put together another challenging non-conference schedule.

UNI opens with tournaments at Western Michigan, Creighton and Texas A&M.

The Panthers play Villanova at the Western Michigan Tournament on August 25th. UNI is the preseason favorite in the MVC volleyball poll. Drake has been picked to finish second.