IOWA CITY, Iowa – The National Wrestling Coaches Association announced Friday that 10 University of Iowa wrestlers have earned All-America honors for the 2020 NCAA wrestling season.

Nine Hawkeyes — Spencer Lee, Austin DeSanto, Max Murin, Pat Lugo, Kaleb Young, Alex Marinelli, Michael Kemerer, Jacob Warner, and Tony Cassioppi — were named first-team All-Americans. Abe Assad was named a second-team All-American.

Iowa was the only NCAA Division I school in the country with 10 All-Americans, and the only team with nine first-teamers. It marks the seventh time in school history, and first since 1995, that nine Hawkeyes earned first-team All-America honors. This year is the first in program history that all 10 Hawkeyes were named to an All-America team.  

Each year the NWCA names its All-America teams based on a wrestler’s performance at the NCAA Championships. Because the national tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, All-America honors were based on each wrestler’s overall body of work through the conference tournaments and up to the national championships.

“Officially naming All-Americans is the right thing to do,” said Iowa head coach Tom Brands. “Our guys were consistent and earned their results. They earned their seed at the national tournament. They were dominant and based on their entire body of work they deserved to be recognized.”

Iowa’s 10 All-Americans combined for a record of 184-29 (.864). They scored bonus points in 90 matches and defeated 79 ranked opponents.

Iowa was ranked at the top of every national poll entering the national tournament and was expected to win the 2020 NCAA Championships by more than 50 points based on point totals calculated from seeds. The Hawkeyes had three top seeds, nine wrestlers seeded eighth or better, and another seeded 11th. A team title would have been the 24th in program history.

Iowa posted a 13-0 dual record and 9-0 Big Ten Conference record. The Hawkeyes won the 2020 Big Ten Championships, crowing three individual champions and scoring 157.5 points, its highest total since 1995. Brands was named NWCA and Big Ten Coach of the Year, and junior Spencer Lee was named winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy and Big Ten Wrestler of the Year.

Following Friday’s recommendations to keep Iowa schools closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year due to the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19), all spring activities of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union and the Iowa High School Athletic Association are canceled.

The cancellation of all four boys’ and girls’ sports – golf, soccer, tennis, and track and field – was made by the IGHSAU and IHSAA in cooperation with the Iowa Department of Education and state officials. The decision was also approved by the IGHSAU and IHSAA boards.

Guidance from Governor Kim Reynolds, the Iowa Department of Education, and the Iowa Department of Public Health had previously suspended spring activities through April 12, then through April 30. Governor Reynolds announced the extended closure of in-person schooling and school activities with Department of Education executive director Dr. Ann Lebo at a news conference Friday.

This cancellation is effective for all spring practices, competitions, and postseason events.

“While we are disappointed that student-athletes will not have the opportunity to compete this spring, we remain committed to our primary goal of keeping students, coaches, officials and communities safe,” IHSAA executive director Tom Keating said. “This cancellation comes out of an abundance of caution for the well-being of all. Conducting our spring season would involve moving groups of people in and out of various communities for competition. At this time we believe that is a risk we should not take.”

The spread of COVID-19 has caused an unsatisfying and unfortunate end to the 2019-20 school year as students across Iowa and the United States have faced cancellations and suspensions of school and athletic competition.

The IGHSAU and IHSAA would like to thank all spring sports participants, coaches, administrators, officials, and spectators for their passion, patience, and effort during this unprecedented time.

“We understand the important role that athletics and activities play in the lives of our students, schools and communities,” IGHSAU executive director Jean Berger said.

“But during this time of uncertainty, we must support the health and safety recommendations of our state and national leaders. This decision is especially heartbreaking for our senior competitors, and we thank them for all they have done to represent their schools throughout their careers.”

Summer sports (boys’ baseball, girls’ softball) are suspended pending an assessment made in collaboration with state officials before June. Practice, competition, and postseason dates will be announced when they become available.

Both organizations will continue to follow guidelines from health and government officials in determining when it is safe to resume school activities and mass gatherings.

In the 2018-19 school year, the four spring sports accounted for over 45,000 participants among Iowa high school boys and girls. Track and field was the second most popular sport by participation for both the IHSAA (12,012 boys) and the IGHSAU (9,908 girls).

The IGHSAU and IHSAA continue to encourage member schools and communities to follow the guidance of Governor Kim Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Public Health via https://idph.iowa.gov/ and https://coronavirus.iowa.gov/.

Updates will continue to be made online and shared with member schools on summer and 2020-21 activities.

GRINNELL, Iowa — Ned Postels, a three-year basketball letterman at the University of Iowa and a member of Iowa’s 1945 Big Ten championship team, passed away on April 8. He was 96.

A native of Mankato, Minnesota, Postels graduated from Loyola High School in Mankato. He attended South Dakota State for one year, where he was a member of the North Central Conference championship team. He then transferred to Iowa, where he was a letterman from 1944-46. The Hawkeyes posted a three-year record of 45-9, including a 17-1 mark during the 1945 championship season. Under Hall of Fame coach Pops Harrison the Hawkeyes finished second, first, and third in the Big Ten over the three-year period. Postels served as co-captain on the 1944-45 team.

Postels earned his bachelor’s degree from Iowa in civil engineering and was a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity. During his career, Postels was employed as a civil engineer for Caterpillar in Peoria, Illinois, where he was a part of their College Graduate Program and worked in field research for two years. He was employed by Beatrice Foods from 1949 until 1975. Returning to Grinnell in 1975, he took ownership of Grinnell Beverage, while he and his wife, Reba, also owned and operated Wayside Florist and the Grinnell Nursery. The Postels endowed the Ned & Reba Postels Family Basketball Scholarship at the University of Iowa.

During his time with Caterpillar, Postels played basketball for Caterpillar’s AAU team, which won an Illinois State AAU championship and competed in the national tournament in Denver.

Postels is survived by his two children, Dick (Bev) Postels of Montezuma, Iowa, and Joanie (Arnie) Heimsoth of Grinnell; six grandchildren, three great-granddaughters, two step-grandchildren, and three step-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife, Reba; and a brother, Benjamin Postels.

Memorials may be designated to St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, UICA (University of Iowa Center for Advancement), or to Carver Family Center for Macular Degeneration Enrichment Fund, mailed in care of the Smith Funeral Home, PO Box 368, Grinnell, Iowa 50112. Memories and condolences may be shared with Ned’s family online at www.smithfh.com.

A celebration of his life will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, July 1, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Grinnell. Interment will be held at Hazelwood Cemetery in Grinnell. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, at the Smith Funeral Home in Grinnell. A full obituary can be found at https://legcy.co/2XKmSJj.

TRAER, Iowa – James Youel, a three-year football letterman at the University of Iowa in the 1940’s, passed away on April 9. He was 98.

Youel was born February 13, 1922 in Vinton, Iowa, before growing up in Fort Madison. He graduated from

Fort Madison High School, where he lettered in football, basketball and track. He attended Iowa on a football scholarship as a freshman in 1939 and later becoming a three-year letterman. He earned his degree in mechanical engineering.

Youel served in the United States Navy from 1944-45. He was stationed at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, where he played quarterback for Coach Paul Brown, later of the Cleveland Browns. After his time in the Navy, Youel was drafted into the National Football League, where he played for the Washington Redskins and served as the understudy for three seasons to NFL Hall of Famer Sammy Baugh.

After retiring from the NFL in 1948, Youel worked in Washington, DC as an engineer. In 1954, Jim returned home to Fort Madison, and started a career at Ft. Madison High School as a mathematics teacher and head football coach, eventually adding athletic director to his duties.

Fort Madison has had three undefeated football seasons, including Youel’s teams of 1961 and 1966. He finished his teaching and coaching career at Danville High School prior to retiring in 1987. In 1988, Youel was inducted into the Iowa Football Coaches Hall of Fame and the Fort Madison High School Athletics Hall of Fame. In 2008, FMHS honored Youel by naming the high school’s football stadium field ‘Jim Youel Field’.

Youel is survived by four children, seven grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and his long-time friend and companion, Carolyn Elwell of Fort Madison. He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Jolie Youel of Paisley, Florida, in 2019, and his granddaughter, Maggie Youel of Crystal Lake, Illinois in 2015.

In accordance with his wishes, Youel’s body has been donated to the anatomy department of the University of Iowa and there will be no service or memorial fund. Sympathy cards can be sent to: Josh Youel, 209 Taylor St., Traer, Iowa 50675.

A full obituary can be found at https://legcy.co/3csRDH0