Iowa State corner T.J. Tampa says most of the progress he made in the off-season was away from the field. Tampa started all 12 games last season in earning second team All-Big 12 honors. He has been focused on strength and condition as well as nutrition.

Tampa says his approach to nutrition is much different than past years.

As he prepares for his final season Tampa is taking on more of a leadership role.

The 25th ranked Iowa baseball team will be in bounce back mode getting ready for the start of Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes had their 10 game winning streak snapped Tuesday night with a 5-3 loss at Illinois State. Iowa pitchers walked five batters and hit three in falling to 19-4 on the season.

That’s Iowa coach Rick Heller. The Hawkeyes host preseason favorite Maryland in a three game series beginning Friday. The starting rotation is set and Heller says a key will be the Hawkeye bullpen.

Pitching will be crucial against a Maryland team that has slugged 47 home runs in a 15-9 start.

Maryland ranks 18th nationally in homers and is averaging nearly nine runs per game.

Heller says against power hitting teams limiting walks is a must.

DALLAS — University of Iowa junior Caitlin Clark is the recipient of the 2023 Naismith Trophy, the most prestigious individual basketball honor presented annually to women’s college basketball’s most outstanding player. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Eric Oberman, Atlanta Tipoff Club executive director.   

“Winning this award is a huge accomplishment,” Clark said. “This is such a huge honor for our family and program. None of this would be possible without my tremendous support system. I was to thank Lisa Bluder and her staff for giving me the opportunity to play basketball at the University of Iowa. It is place I have thrived in since I stepped on campus.”

The most dominant player in women’s college basketball, Clark has already been recognized as the Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season, as well as The Athletic National Player of the Year. A unanimous first team Associated Press and All-Big Ten honoree, Clark also excels in the classroom being voted the 2023 Academic All-American of the Year. Clark is also a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, Wade Trophy, Ann Meyers Drysdale, Dawn Staley and Nancy Lieberman awards.

Clark has captivated audiences with her style of play, posting unprecedented numbers of 984 points, 311 assists, 262 rebounds, 127 three-pointers, 56 steals and 20 blocks in leading the Hawkeyes to a historic season. She is the first Division I women’s basketball player to record more than 900 points and 300 assists in the same season. Her 984 points are second most in a single season in Big Ten history (1,001 by Gustafson in 2019).

The West Des Moines, Iowa, native has registered +25 points, +5 rebounds and +5 assists in 18 games this year (most in Division I) and 40 times in her career; most in NCAA women’s basketball history.

Clark leads the nation’s best offense averaging 27.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game. She accounts for 57 percent of Iowa’s offensive output in points and assists.

She leads Division I in several statistical categories including assists per game (8.6), three-pointers made (127), and triple-doubles (5). She has scored 30 or more points in 12 games, including three 40-point performances. Clark broke Iowa’s junior single season records in scoring and assists. She also became the Big Ten single season statistical champion in assists (311).

In Iowa’s four NCAA Tournament games this March, Clark is averaging 30 points, 11 assists, 5.8 rebounds, 4.8 three-pointers and 2.5 steals.

In Iowa’s last outing against Louisville, Clark recorded her 11th career triple-double totaling 41 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds. She became the first player in NCAA Tournament history to record a 40-point triple-double. The 41-point performance ties for the third most points scored in NCAA Tournament Regional Final history. Her 41 points and eight 3-pointers made are Iowa NCAA Tournament single game records.

Clark is one of three Hawkeye recipients of the Naismith Trophy since 2019, and the second women’s player. Megan Gustafson was the 2019 honoree, while Luka Garza was chosen in 2021. Iowa is one of just six institutions to have both a men’s and women’s Naismith Trophy honoree (Duke, LSU, Notre Dame, Texas and Virginia).

Clark and the second-ranked Iowa women’s basketball team (30-6) will face top-ranked South Carolina (36-0) on Friday in the national semifinals at American Airlines Center in Dallas. Tipoff is scheduled for approximately 8:30 p.m. (CT). The game will be televised on ESPN and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

The Rod Smith Co-Ed Invitational was held at Woodbine on Tuesday night. Official results from the meet were delayed due to a timing issue in one event due to lighting. Officials with the school released the results on Wednesday afternoon.

On the girls side Vanessa Koehler of Glidden-Ralston won the 100M, 200M, 100M Hurdles, and the High Jump. Tri-Center’s Isah VanArsdol won the 400M and 800M. The Trojans also won the Sprint Medley.

For the boys Brodyn Pryor of Woodbine won the 200M and 400M. Landon Bendgen won the 1600M and 3200M for the Tigers. CB Thomas Jefferson won the 4x100M Relay, 4x200M Relay, and 4x400M Relay.

Full results here: RodSmith2023Results

The Atlantic boys track and field team is ramping up for the outdoor season and early results have been very promising for the team. The Trojans have gotten to participate in a couple of indoor meets at Northwest Missouri State and Iowa State to get their feet wet and they are anxious to get the outdoor season rolling. Head Coach Abby Becker said she’s seen really strong times and some personal bests to start the season.

Some good experience returns in the upper classes. The Trojans qualified 6 events for the State Meet last year and all but one relay participant are back for this season to try to build on that. Coach Becker said it’s a good group to lead the way.

The team has some good participation numbers and that should help the team effort.

Early on in the season she said they are just looking to focus on the details and achieve great form so those habits can help produce results later in the season.

Atlantic will kick off the outdoor season at Denison on Thursday.

(Radio Iowa) – Some speculate Friday night’s Final Four match-up between Iowa and South Carolina will be the most-watched college women’s basketball game in U-S history. Iowans who’d like to see the game in Texas in person will need to shell out at least a thousand dollars, probably more, according to Dubuque travel agent Angie Harter. She tells K-C-R-G-T-V that price includes the cost of a round-trip flight, a Dallas hotel room, and a ticket to the game — and the costs are rising.

The University of Iowa plans to open Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a free watch party on Friday night. If you’d just like to show some black-and-gold spirit, there are plenty of t-shirts, sweatshirts, hats and other apparel for sale. Jonathan Sevilla, co-manager of the Iowa Hawk Shop in Iowa City, says they’ve already sold around 100 shirts to customers — which was nearly their entire initial supply, though more are on the way.

It’s the first Final Four appearance for the Iowa women since 1993.

Junior guard Caitlin Clark could be the second Iowa player in four years to be named the Naismith (nay-smith) Women’s College Player of the Year when the winner is announced in Dallas this(Wednesday) afternoon. Clark averages better than 27 points and eight and-a-half assists for a Hawkeye team that is 30-6 and plays top ranked South Carolina in the Final Four Friday night. Clark plays with emotion and can be fiery but says it all stems from the joy the game brings her.

Clark says basketball is more than wins and awards.

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder says Clark’s stardom comes at the right time. Television ratings are surging and next week’s national title game will be carried by ABC.

Bluder says Clark enjoys performing on the biggest stage.

Bluder says Clark is excelling in the spotlight.

Iowa center Megan Gustafson was named the Naismith Award winner in 2019.

Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley believes the Panthers have enough depth to close out spring drills with an intrasquad game. UNI is scheduled to close out drills the night of April 21st in the UNI-Dome.

Farley says they hope to make it as game-like as they can.

Farley says the depth for the Panthers is the best it has been since before the pandemic.

UNI was 6-5 last season.

Bedford Bulldog Relays
03/28/2023

Girls Team Scores

1. Fremont-Mills 170
2. Nodaway Valley 102
3. Wayne 100
4. Griswold 52
5. Lenox 42
6. Southwest Valley 41
7. Bedford 36
8. East Union 30
9. CAM 6
10. Orient-Macksburg 5

Fremont-Mills scored relay wins in the Shuttle Hurdles, 4x400M, and 4x800M. Hannah Nelson won the 800M, 1500M, and 3000M for the Knights. Teagan Ewalt won the 400M and Izzy Weldon won the 100M Hurdles.

Nodaway Valley won the 4x100M Relay in 53.23. Annika Nelson won the 100M in 13.34 and Jorja Holliday won the Discus 96-02.

Boys Team Scores

1. Bedford 97
2. Lenox 88
3. CAM 82
4. Fremont-Mills 66
5. Wayne 63
6. Nodaway Valley 53
7. Southwest Valley 51
8. Griswold 34
9. East Union 31
10. Orient-Macksburg 24

Bedford picked up wins in the 4x100M Relay, 4x200M Relay, 4x800M Relay, Garrison Motsinger in the 200M, and Kasen Churchill in the 800M.

CAM picked up wins in the Shuttle Hurdle Relay (Jack Follmann, Collin Bower, Sam Foreman, Cale Mass 1:02.61) and 4x100M Relay (Follmann, Foreman, Bower, Maas 3:44.52) Maas also won the 400M in 53.80 and Corbin Peach won the Discus 118-05.

Nodaway Valley’s Doug Berg won the 3200M and 1600M. Trenton Warner won the Shot Put for the Wolverines.

Peyton Cook of Griswold won the 100M in 12.17.

Full results HERE

The Audubon Boys Early Bird Track Meet was held on Tuesday. IKM-Manning led the way with four event winners and Treynor had three.

IKM-Manning’s Caden Keller won the 1600M and 3200M. The Wolves also won the Distance Medley and the 4x800M Relay.

Treynor got a win from Karson Elwood in the 400M Hurdles and the Cards won the 4x200M Relay and 4x100M Relay.

Kuemper Catholic got a win from Benjamin Gerken in the High Jump and Evan Adams in the Discus.

Exira-EHK’s Cash Emgarten won the 200M in 23.57. Audubon’s Zeke Konkler won the 800M in 2:10.34.

Check out the full results here: AudubonBoysEarlyBird2023