Iowa coach Fran McCaffery says the NCAA Tournament is a new beginning for the Hawkeyes. Iowa’s last two games were losses to Nebraska and Ohio State and they play Auburn in Birmingham Thursday afternoon.

Even though an early exit from the Big Ten Tournament mean extra rest for his team McCaffery would always prefer a deep run in the league tournament.

Iowa is 19-13.

Iowa State will be watching Tuesday night’s First Four action from Dayton with added interest. Mississippi State plays Pitt in the second of two games and the winner heads to Greensboro to play the Cyclones Friday night.

That’s senior guard Gabe Kalscheur. Fellow senior Jaren Holmes is back in the tournament. He went dancing while playing at. St. Bonaventure.

Holmes says he is excited to get started.

The IHSAA board of control and representative council met for their annual meeting at the end of last week. Some of the news to come out of the meeting was word that the two-year football assignment and scheduling process is moving forward as the Iowa Department of Education has finalized its data for school enrollment (BEDS) and free and reduced lunch percentages. These approved updates for football’s new socioeconomic factor have resulted in “final classification numbers” which are now available to view below as preliminary classifications for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.

Once these classifications are verified this week, the IHSAA will develop and share districts and groups (Class 5A) as early as next week.

Participating schools will then submit priority lists for their available non-district contests. Once received, IHSAA will assemble regular season schedules for all participating schools, with an estimated release of mid-April.

Here is a look at what class area schools fall into for this next cycle smallest to largest.

CLASS 8-Player

Ar-We-Va
Glidden-Ralston
Exira-EHK
Coon Rapids-Bayard
Boyer Valley
Sidney
CAM
Griswold
Lenox
Stanton
West Harrison
Woodbine
East Mills
Bedford
Audubon
Fremont-Mills
Southeast Warren

CLASS A

IKM-Manning
Riverside
Martensdale-St. Marys
Earlham
Southwest Valley
Logan-Magnolia
Mount Ayr
Panorama
ACGC
Tri-Center
Westwood
St. Albert

CLASS 1A

Nodaway Valley
AHSTW
Missouri Valley
East Sac County
West Central Valley
MVAOCOU
Treynor
Underwood
Shenandoah
Red Oak
OABCIG

CLASS 2A

Kuemper Catholic
Clarinda
Greene County

CLASS 3A

Atlantic
Harlan Community
Creston
Carroll

CLASS 4A

Winterset
Glenwood
Denison-Schleswig
ADM
Lewis Central
CB Thomas Jefferson

CLASS 5A

CB Abraham Lincoln

See the full listings here: Football-Prelim-Class-3.13.23

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa’s capitol city is among the hosts of the opening rounds of the N-C-double-A men’s basketball tournament this week. Catch Des Moines president and C-E-O Greg Edwards says the games Thursday and Saturday will feature eight of the nation’s top teams in college hoops.

This marks the third time Des Moines has hosted the March Madness games, which is a tremendous boost for the area’s restaurants, hotels and parking decks.

Since the tournament’s opening rounds have already been staged at the Iowa Events Center twice before, Edwards says he’s pretty confident they have all of the bugs worked out of the process.

This is the third time Des Moines has hosted the -opening- rounds of the tournament, and Edwards says it’s possible they’ll bid on hosting -regional- rounds in the future.

Could Des Moines host a Final Four? That would be a long shot, Edwards says, at least not until we have an N-F-L team here with an 80-thousand seat stadium. Iowa is sending six teams to the tournaments this year, both the men’s and women’s teams from Drake, Iowa State and Iowa, which is significant for a state our size.

Play opens at 1 P-M on Thursday with Howard versus Kansas, followed by Arkansas versus Illinois at 3:30 P-M, Colgate versus Texas at 6:25 P-M, and Penn State versus Texas A&M at 8:55 P-M.

The Iowa Basketball Coaches Association released their Boys All-Substate Teams and Girls All-Region Teams over the weekend. Here is a look at area honorees. A file link with all the honors across the state is included below.

IBCA All-Substate Teams

CLASS 1A

Substate 7
Josh Sanderson, Grandview Christian, SR
Frankie Chiodo, Grandview Christian, SR
Cal Heydon, Coon Rapids-Bayrd, FR
Brock Littler, ACGC, SR
Lance Clayburg, Coon Rapids-Bayard, SR
Seth Hensley, CAM, SR
Gabe Funk, Lenox, SO
Ross Kusel, IKM-Manning, JR
Coach of the Year: Lance Kading, ACGC

Substate 8
Koleson Evans, West Harrison, SR
Sage Evans, West Harrison, SR
Mason King, West Harrison, SR
Mason Crouse, East Mills, SR
Michael Turner, Tri-Center, SR
Carter Gruver, Woodbine, SO
Grady Jeppesen, Riverside, JR
Landon Blatchford, West Monona, JR
Coach of the Year: Rowdy Evans, West Harrison

CLASS 2A

Substate 2
Jacob Hargens, Sioux Central
Carter Boettcher, Sioux Central
Eli Wheelock, South Central Calhoun
Michael Kasperbauer, Kuemper Catholic
Kane Ladwig, OABCIG
Richard Daugherty, Greene County
Beckett DeJean, OABCIG
Tyler Lightner, South Central Calhoun
Coach of the Year: Steve Tjaden, Sioux Central

Substate 7
Brayden Lund, AHSTW, SR
Brooks Moore, E-B-F, JR
Kyle Sternberg, AHSTW, SR
Landon Craven, DM Christian, JR
Boston DeVault, Nodaway Valley, SR
Aydn Netten, Van Meter, SR
Carsen Wade, E-B-F, SR
Carter Durflinger, Van Meter, SR
Coach of the Year: Jason Van Mersbergen, DM Christian

Substate 8
Zach Lutmer, Central Lyon, SR
Reece Vander Zee, Central Lyon, JR
Mason Coppock, West Sioux, SR
Jace Tams, Treynor, JR
Jack Vanfossan, Underwood, JR
Max DeVries, Red Oak, JR
Tyce Van Beek, Unity Christian, SR
Ethan Dickerson, Treynor, SR
Coach of the Year: Ben Gerleman, Central Lyon

CLASS 3A

Substate 1
Matt Noll, Bishop Heelan, JR
Carson Seuntjens, Denison, SR
Jaime Grossoehme, Webster City, SR
Evan Hammer, Carroll, JR
Adam Bryte, ADM, JR
Carter Kuehl, Bishop Heelan, SR
Ty McKinney, Webster City, SR
Coach of the Year: Matt Hahn, Bishop Heelan

Substate 8
Colby Collison, Bondurant-Farrar, SR
Jaxon Fried, Bondurant-Farrar, SR
Colton Rasmussen, Atlantic, JR
Caden Johnson, Glenwood, SR
Jacob Birch, Harlan, SR
Jack Cooley, Clarke, JR
Brad Curren, Harlan, SR
Coach of the Year: Travis Evans, Bondurant-Farrar

CLASS 4A

Substate 9
Omaha Biliew, Waukee, SR
Vance Pfeiffer, Waukee, SR
Mathok Mathok, CB Abraham Lincoln, SR
Cailix Cahill, Dallas Center-Grimes, JR
Tryon Wright, Des Moines East, JR
Cooper Randall, Waukee, JR
Coach of the Year, Kevin Kenaskie, Waukee

IBCA All-Region Teams

CLASS 1A

Region 4
Mya Bunkers, Remsen St. Mary’s, JR
Shay Burmeister, Exira-EHK, SR
Sydney Doeschot, Kingley-Pierson, FR
Quinn Grubbs, Exira-EHK, SR
Lindsey Haken, George-Little Rock, FR
Whitney Jensen, Remsen St. Mary’s, JR
Payton Reimers, Harris-Lake Park, JR
Maddie Thomas, River Valley, SR
Coach of the Year: Tom Petersen, Exira-EHK

Region 5
Ashlyn Davis, Westwood, SO
Brenna Johnson, Westwood, FR
Eva Steffensen, CAM, JR
Maclayn Houston, West Harrison, JR
Charlie Pryor, Woodbine, SO
Addison Erickson, Woodbine, SR
Amanda Newton, Woodbine, JR
Nicole Sherer, Woodbine, SR
Coach of the Year: Vince Johnson, Westwood

Region 7
Brynnly German, Martensdale St. Marys, JR
Sadie Cox, Lenox, SO
Missy Evezic, St. Albert, JR
Sophia Shannon Martensdale St. Marys, JR
Taylor Henson Lamoni. SO
Taylor Lumbard Diagonal, SR
Clara O’Brien Wayne, JR
Emily Williams East Mills, SR
Coach of the Year: Tim Baker, Martensdale St. Marys

CLASS 2A

Region 7
Clara Teigland, Treynor, SR
Lindsey Davis, Nodaway Valley, JR
Jaidyn Sellers, Panorama, JR
Tyme Boettcher, Panorama, JR
Josie McCuddin, Interstate-35, SR
Izzy Eisbach, Nodaway Valley, FR
Tegan Streit, Mount Ayr, SR
Coach of the Year: Joe Chapman, Treynor

Region 8
Carly Janssen, Pocahontas Area, SR
Riley Batta, South Central Calhoun, SR
Akaysa Duitscher, Pocahontas Area, SR
Alizaebeth Jacobson, Underwood, SR
Kylee Schleisman, South Central Calhoun, SR
Catherine Mayhall, Kuemper, SR
Olivia Sturgis, Manson Northwest Webster, SR
COY Robert Maske & Eric Francis, Pocahontas Area

CLASS 3A

Region 5

Aubrey Schwieso, Harlan, SO
2 Kaitlyn Mumm, DM Christian, SR
3 Maren Miller, DM Christian, SR
4 Paytn Harter, Atlantic, SO
5 Jada Jensen, Atlantic, SR
6 Ali Henry, Clarke, JR
Coah of the Year: Brad Johnson, DM Christian

CLASS 4A

Region 8
Jenna Hopp, Glenwood, SR
Doryn Paup, Creston, SR
Lucy Scott, Lewis Central, JR
Presley Blommers, Oskaloosa, SR
Kylie Tauke, Pella, SR
Kennedy Van Vark, Pella, JR
Coach of the Year: Blaine Forsythe, Pella

IBCA2023AllSubstateandRegionTeams

It will be a busy week for officials at Drake University. Not only did the Bulldog men’s and women’s basketball teams qualify for the NCAA Tournament but the school is serving as host of first and second round games in Des Moines beginning Thursday. James Ericson is Drake’s Assistant Athletic Director of Facilities and will serve as tournament manager at Wells Fargo Arena.

Ericson says during the planning stages they prepared for a situation where staff members would be following the men’s and women’s teams out of town.

Ericson says it has not been difficult to find workers or volunteers.

Drake is a member of the Missouri Valley Conference and Ericson says the conference is helping out with some staffing needs. Ericson says the transformation of Wells Fargo Arena begins Monday afternoon following an Iowa Wolves basketball game.

Kansas, Texas, Texas A@M and Illinois are four of the eight teams who will be competing in Des Moines this week. It is the third time the city has hosted the NCAA men’s tournament.

Drake will play Miami Friday in Albany, New York in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs are the 12th seed in the Midwest Region. Drake is making its sixth trip to the NCAA Tournament after winning the Missouri Valley tournament crown.

That’s Drake coach Darian DeVries. Two years ago when the Bulldogs earned an at-large bid the tournament was played in a bubble in and around Indianapolis during the pandemic.

The Bulldogs are 27-7 and have won 13 of their last 14 games.

The last time Drake made the tournament they had to sweat it out to see if they would get an at-large bid.

That’s Drake forward Garrett Sturtz. The Newton native is part of a senior class that has been a key part in the turnaround of the program.

After playing in the tournament during the pandemic Sturtz says this will be a much different experience.

AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State women’s basketball team has been selected to play Toledo in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the team head coach Bill Fennelly led from 1988-95. Iowa State and Toledo will meet for the first time. The Cyclones will travel to Knoxville, Tenn. and play Saturday, March 18.

Iowa State earned the No. 5 seed and Toledo enters as the No. 12 seed. The winner will advance to play the winner of the No. 4-seed Tennessee vs. No. 13 Saint Louis game. The second round matchup will take place Monday, March 20.

ISU will play in its 21st NCAA Tournament for the 14th appearance in the last 16 NCAA Tournaments.

Iowa State is fresh off winning the Big 12 Tournament title earlier Sunday after beating the No. 1 seed Texas 61-51. The Cyclones enter the NCAA Tournament with a 22-9 season record and a 12-7 record in the Big 12.

More information including game times will be announced soon.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa women’s basketball team will be a No. 2 seed in the Seattle Regional and will host the 2022 NCAA First and Second Rounds in Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Friday, March 17 and Sunday, March 19.

Iowa earned its third two-seed bid since 2019 and the fifth time in program history. The Hawkeyes are 9-4 in the NCAA Tournament as a two seed (1993, 1996, 2019, 2022). 

The Hawkeyes (26-6; 15-3) will take on 15th-seeded SE Louisiana (21-9; 14-4) on Friday. Carver-Hawkeye Arena will also host a first-round matchup between seventh-seeded Florida State and 10th-seeded Georgia on Friday. The winner of the first-round games will meet on Sunday. Game times and TV designation will be released at a separate time. 

Fans are encouraged to buy tickets online at hawkeyesports.com/tickets. All session pricing begins at $30 for adults, $14 for seniors (50 and above), and $14 youth (18 and under).

Tickets will be available for purchase on March 13 at 9 a.m. (CT). As a reminder, tickets are all digital for the tournament so download the hawkeyesports app.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the 22^nd time in school history, the Iowa State men’s basketball team has earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones have reached nine NCAA Tournaments since 20212, one of 10 teams in the field this year to do so.

Iowa State (19-13, 9-9 Big 12) earned a No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region and will face the winner of a First Four game on Friday, March 17, in Greensboro, N.C. No. 11 seeds Mississippi State (21-12, 8-10 SEC) and Pittsburgh (22-11, 14-6 ACC) will face each other Wednesday, March 15, in a First Four game in Dayton, Ohio. Game time and TV information will be announced by the NCAA later tonight.

In his second season as head coach of the team, T.J. Otzelberger is the third coach in school history to take a team to the NCAA Tournament in his first two years at the helm. Otzelberger will be making his fourth appearance in the NCAA Tournament, as he also led South Dakota State to the 2017 and 2018 tournaments.