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Iowa State’s 2023-24 Big 12 Athlete of the Year Nominees

Sports

June 19th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

(big12sports.com) Each institution nominated one male and one female athlete of any classification that competed for their institution during the 2023-24 school year. Student-athletes were required to be in good academic standing and had to be from a league-sponsored sport.

The 14 schools that competed during the 2023-24 academic year are eligible.

The winners will be announced Wednesday, June 26. Stay tuned to Big12Sports.com and the league’s social media platforms to see the rest of the candidates.

This afternoon’s featured candidates are Iowa State’s David Carr and Sydney Willits.

Iowa State Male Athlete of the Year Candidate
David Carr, Wrestling
Sr., Canton, Ohio
Accomplishments

  • 2024 NCAA Championship at 165 pounds (his second career national title).
  • He scored 22.5 team points at the NCAA Championships, leading ISU to its best finish (fourth) and highest-point total (68.5) since 2010.
  • Compiled a 27-2 record, including 14-0 in duals and a 10-2 mark against top-10 opponents.
  • Graduated in May with his master’s in higher education with a 3.81 GPA and was named a 2024 National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American along with making the Fall 2023 Big 12 Commissioner’s Honor Roll.

Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year Candidate
Sydney Willits, Track and Field
Jr., Glenview, Illinois
Accomplishments

  • The long jump NCAA Indoor National Champion after improving her record by a full foot and the school record by six inches (22-1 ½, 6.74m).
  • She was named the USTFCCCA Midwest Region Field Athlete of the Year.
  • Earned Honorable Mention All-America honors after finishing 18th in the long jump at the NCAA Outdoor National Championship.
  • Holds a leadership position in the SAAC Event Subcommittee at Iowa State while working towards her degree in kinesiology and health.

2023-24 Big 12 Athletes of the Year Nominees
Baylor – Johnny Keefer and Alexis Brown
BYU – Kenneth Rooks and Brecken Mozingo
UCF – RJ Harvey and Rayniah Jones
Cincinnati – Ty Gingerich and Juliette Laracuente-Huebner
Houston – Jamal Shead and Kelly-Ann Beckford
Iowa State – David Carr and Sydney Willits

Posted in Sports |

Hawkeyes Head to U.S. Olympic Trials

Sports

June 19th, 2024 by Asa Lucas

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa track and field will be represented by seven current members of the roster at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team Trials from June 21-30 at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.

Athletes that finish within the top three of their respective events and have met the qualifying standard will make the Olympic roster. There have been 25 track and field Olympians in program history. Kineke Alexander (400 meters), Troy Doris (triple jump) and Diane Nukuri-Johnson (10,000 meters) were the latest Hawkeyes to make the Olympic team, competing at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Competition begins on Friday, June 21, when senior Austin West begins the decathlon at Noon (CT). Reigning Big Ten Champion Mike Stein participates in the qualifying round of the men’s javelin on Friday night at 5:30 p.m.

Kalen Walker returns to the track, competing in the first round of the 100-meter dash on June 22.

Seniors Kat Moody and Gratt Reed open in their respective events at the trials on June 24. Moody steps into the circle for the qualifying round of the women’s discus at 7 p.m. Reed follows with the first round of the 110-meter hurdles at 7:05.

Tionna Tobias and Paige Magee are the final two Hawkeyes to compete at the Olympic Trials. On June 27, Tobias beings with the first round of the long jump at 8:15 p.m. The following day, Magee gets set for the opening round of the 100-meter hurdles at 7:25 p.m.

Seven alumni will also be competing at this year’s trials. Jamal Britt (110-meter hurdles), Brittany Brown (200 meters), James Carter Jr. (triple jump), Nik Curtiss (shot put), Erin Dowd (400-meter hurdles), Laulauga Tausaga (discus) and Reno Tuufuli (discus) will vie for spots on the U.S. Olympic team. 

The 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials will be broadcast on NBC, Peacock and USA. Additional coverage can be viewed on USATF.TV.

Posted in Sports |

Cass County Democrats host a fundraiser to aid in Greenfield recovery

News

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Atlantic, Iowa) – Cass County (IA) Democrats are hosting a “Green for Greenfield” garden party fundraiser this Sunday, June 23rd, from 5-until 7-p.m. The event is being held to assist the Greenfield community with tornado recovery. It takes place at the home of Dave and Barb Chase (2824 Country Club Dr.) in Atlantic.

All money raised at this event will be donated to the Greenfield Community Foundation. Enjoy good food and company in a relaxed garden setting for a good cause. The fundraiser will feature mini pizzas and bruschetta catered by The Flour Mill. There will also be a variety of beverages available.

Susan Olesen, a former teacher and long-time Greenfield resident, will be a guest speaker, providing an update on the status of the cleanup and recovery efforts. Be sure and bring your favorite lawn chair. In the event of rain, the fundraiser will be held indoors.

Anyone who wishes to support the recovery effort is welcome to attend, regardless of party affiliation.

Posted in News |

Registration deadlines approaching for the Iowa Summer Games

News, Sports

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The next three Monday’s will feature registration deadlines for next month’s Iowa Summer Games. The competition in Ames and the surrounding area will be the weekend of July 12th through the 14th and the 18th through the 21st. Spokesman Cory Kennedy says the first registration deadline is for many of the team sports.

Kennedy says the registration deadline for many of the team sports is June 24th

Kennedy says an official roster may be submitted at a later date.

Registration deadlines for many of the individual sports are July first and the eighth.

Posted in News, Sports |

Iowans need to pamper their pooches after the doggies take dips

News

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Tomorrow (Thursday) is the first day of summer, and high temperatures across Iowa are forecast to be back in the 90s by the weekend. Iowans who own dogs likely know that most pooches love to take a swim when it’s hot. If your canine likes to cool off in the water, the Humane Society’s Michelle Casey says there are a few things you should do to protect your pet.

Radio Iowa photo

Casey says you’ll need to do more than just towel off your dog after a swim to make sure the hound stays healthy.

She notes, there are also vaccines to help protect dogs from some parasites.

Posted in News |

Sioux City police to use license plate reading cameras

News

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – Sioux City’s police department is the latest in the state to acquire license plate reading cameras. Captain Ryan Bertrand says the cameras are not used to write tickets like speed cameras.

He told the city council this week the cameras will help them find targeted vehicles.

Bertrand says there are currently 13 departments in Iowa that use plate reading cameras. South Sioux City, Nebraska uses them, and they recently helped find a suspects who crossed the border out of Sioux City.

Sioux City police received an 85-thousand dollar grant to purchase the Flock System cameras along with Woodbury County. The city council in Sioux City approved a one-year contract to use the cameras.

Posted in News |

Iowa’s Scholastic Clay Target Program crowns youth sporting clays champions

Sports

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Iowa DNR News) – Athletes from 36 Iowa teams participated in the 2024 Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) Sporting Clays Championships held June 13-15 at Black Oak Clays near Pella. The course was set by Dave Koch of Little Fox River Sporting Clays in Missouri.

Trenton Hol of North Mahaska Shooting Sports won the Men’s Varsity Division, Erin Mathes from the Pella Shooters Club won the Ladies Varsity Division, Pella Christian won the Varsity Squad Division, and Harlan won the Junior Varsity Squad Division. Find the complete list of all results online at  https://app.sssfonline.com/nationals/4148.

Men’s Varsity Individual Sporting Clays

  1. Trenton Hol, North Mahaska Shooting Sports
  2. John Boender, Pella Christian Eagles
  3. Logan Sease, Ankeny Centennial Jaguars
  4. Owen Playle, Ankeny Centennial Jaguars
  5. Hunter Uitermarkt, PC Eagles
  6. Kaden Miller, Des Moines Clay Crushers

Women’s Varsity Individual Sporting Clays

  1. Erin Mathes, Pella Shooters Club
  2. Quincy O’Donnell, Underwood Youth Trap Club
  3. Madalynn Schroder, Pella Shooters Club
  4. Makenna Six, Pella Christian Eagles
  5. Lauren Harmon, Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Shooting Sports
  6. Megan Vos, Oskaloosa Shooting Team

Sporting Clays Varsity Squads 

  1. Pella Christian Eagles Varsity Gold Squad, 514 points
  2. Ankeny Centennial Jaguars Squad, 506 points
  3. Pella Christian Eagles Varsity White, 480 points
  4. Des Moines Clay Crushers Varsity 1 Squad, 463 points
  5. Ankeny Hawks Shooting Sports Squad, 456 points

Iowa’s SCTP teams will attend the last competition of the season on June 20-23 at the New Pioneer Gun Club in Waukee, for the Iowa Scholastic Clay Target Program Skeet Championship.

Posted in Sports |

You have until July 1st to nominate a State Fair ‘Iowan of the Day’

News

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – The deadline is approaching to submit nominations for the 2024 Iowan of the Day Awards at the Iowa State Fair. Ten people will be singled out for the title during this year’s August event. The fair’s Chloe Hamaker says the Iowan of the Day program is an opportunity to recognize those people who are positively impacting their towns and their neighbors.

Winners of the Iowan of the Day receive a day of recognition at the fair, gate admission for four, 200-dollars in cash, use of a golf cart at the fair, V-I-P parking, and more. Hamaker says they have seen individuals from six to 90 years old receive the recognition.

Nominations from 2021, 2022 and 2023 will also be reconsidered. While there are no age limitations, Hamaker says nominees do need to be Iowa residents, and nominating someone is easy.

Nomination forms are available at blueribbonfoundation.org. All nominations are due by July 1st.

Posted in News |

Enjoy BBQ & Brew for a good cause this Saturday

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Clive, Iowa) – The 2nd annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark takes place this Saturday, June 22 at Principal Park in Des Moines. Attendees can consume numerous offerings of delicious Iowa pork, sample Iowa craft beers and ciders, learn barbecue tips from a grill master, vote for their favorites in the Backyard BBQ Contest, meet local celebrities, and enjoy live music performances.

Your purchase of a ticket gets you all of that, and you’ll also be helping fight food insecurity in our state. Proceeds from BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark will benefit Iowa food banks, who are struggling to keep up with demand from families in need.

Linda Gorkow, Executive Director of the Iowa Food Bank Association, said “In the state of Iowa, we have an increase in food insecurity. Pork is a very valuable protein and every ounce makes a difference. 10 percent of Iowans are food insecure. The Iowa Food Bank Association works with 1,200 pantries across the state of Iowa and six food banks. We all work to help serve, and we couldn’t do it without friends like the Iowa Pork Producers and every individual that donates.”

Advance tickets cost just $20 at IowaPork.org. The second Annual BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark begins at 2pm Saturday, brought to you by the Iowa Pork Producers Association and Iowa Cubs, there is something for everyone at this event.

30 backyard barbecuers will be competing for more than $10,000 in cash prizes. For attendees, you get to sample the competitors’ delicious pork, plus Smokey D’s BBQ & Berkwood Farms will provide grilled pork loin sandwiches, and you receive 15 samples of beer from Iowa’s top craft breweries. Netflix Barbecue Showdown Champion Thryon Mathews, an Iowa resident, will be offering grilling tips in his Barbeque Boot Camp.

A panel of celebrity judges will pick their favorite pork offering from the 30 competitors. Iowa musicians will be performing throughout the event. Raffle prizes, including a Traeger grill, a Blackstone grill, Iowa Cubs package, and more will be available.  Attendees who prefer not to partake in the “brew” portion of BBQ & Brew can get in for just $15. Kids 5 and under get in free.

Fareway Stores is also serving as a sponsor of BBQ & Brew at the Ballpark and will provide resources and support for the donations to local food pantries. Visit IowaPork.org to purchase your ticket today. Tickets are $20 in advance, $30 at the door.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |

Eight counties involved in investigation that leads to arrest for livestock theft

Ag/Outdoor, News

June 19th, 2024 by Ric Hanson

(Radio Iowa) – A man from Pocahontas has been charged with stealing livestock and a number of other felonies after an investigation involving law enforcement agencies in eight northwest Iowa counties. Twenty-six-year-old Corey Edward Goeders (GOH-ders) was arrested Friday, and has been released on bond.

According to the Palo Alto County Sheriff, investigators linked Goeders to livestock thefts that primarily took place between June of last year and February of this year. Goeders faces 20 felony charges. He’s been accused of money laundering, tax evasion and ongoing criminal conduct and as well as theft.

Sheriffs’ departments in Palo Alto, Kossuth, Buena Vista, Calhoun, Clay, Pocahontas, Webster and Woodbury Counties all worked on the cases against Goeders, as did agents from the Iowa Department of Public Safety and the Iowa Department of Revenue.

Posted in Ag/Outdoor, News |