The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs began their offseason program in earnest, though quarterback Patrick Mahomes II has been at it for a while. The second-year pro is taking over following the trade of Alex Smith to Washington, and already he’s taken on a big leadership role by gathering his skill position teammates for impromptu workouts at local high schools.

CHICAGO (AP) — The series opener between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals was postponed because of poor weather, Monday. With light snow falling and the temperature around 30 degrees, the game was postponed about six hours before the scheduled first pitch. It will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on July 21.

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays have postponed their series opener against Kansas City because of chunks of ice crashing down from the nearby CN Tower following a weekend of freezing rain. The teams will play a doubleheader on Tuesday. It’s the first postponement at Rogers Centre since a game against the Royals was called off following a collision between two panels of the stadium’s moving roof on April 12, 2001.

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled for an Iowa youth basketball coach who’s accused of secretly recording some of his players undressing. Federal court records say 42-year-old Greg Stephen has pleaded not guilty to knowingly transporting child pornography. His trial is scheduled to begin June 4.

The NAIA Council of Presidents has voted to merge divisions for men’s and women’s basketball beginning in 2020. The NAIA has offered championships in division one and division two since 1992. Corey Westra is Commissioner of the Great Plains Athletic Conference which competes at the division two level.

The GPAC has enjoyed a run of success, especially in women’s basketball.

It also brings about a change in scholarships. Currently, division one teams may offer 11 scholarships in basketball and six for division two.

Basketball was the lone remaining sport in the NAIA offering multiple divisions. Football made a similar move two decades ago.

Westra says the plan is for 64-team tournament for the men and women. Graceland won the NAIA men’s division one tournament this past season.

(Learfield Sports)

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — A former University of Iowa wrestler has pleaded guilty to a federal computer fraud charge related to actions he took that let him access university computers and change course grades. The U.S. Attorney’s Office says Trevor J. Graves pleaded guilty Monday to transmission of a command to damage a protected computer.

In a plea agreement, Graves admitted that from March 7, 2015, to Nov. 15, 2016, he manipulated the university’s computer network and obtained professors’ user names and passwords. He then changed course grades for himself and five other students.
Graves, who will be sentenced Aug. 23, last participated on the Iowa wrestling team in the 2015-2016 season.

The opener of a three game series between National League Central Division rivals the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs has been postponed tonight due to the forecast for inclement weather throughout the day and wind chills in the 20’s this evening in Chicago.

Tonight’s game will be made-up on Saturday, July 21 as the first game of a split doubleheader at Wrigley Field.  The make-up game will be played at 12:05 pm CDT and will be followed by the regularly scheduled night game at 6:15 pm.

We will have the other games of this series on KJAN, with Tuesday’s game time at 7:05 pm and Wednesday afternoon game at 1:20 pm.

Alabama-Birmingham guard Nick Norton has announced on Twitter that he is transferring to Drake for his senior season.

Norton averaged 7.5 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.9 assists per game this past season playing in Conference USA.

As a graduate transfer, Norton is immediately eligible and will not be required to sit out a year.

Norton will help fill some holes for first year coach Darrian DeVries.

ST. LOUIS, MO – April 16, 2018 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced prior to tonight’s game that they have activated both right-handed pitcher Luke Gregerson  (left hamstring strain) and infielder Jedd Gyorko (right hamstring strain) from the 10-day disabled list.  Right-handed pitcher Mike Mayers and infielder Yairo Muñoz were optioned to Memphis (AAA) following  yesterday’s game.

Gregerson, who began the season on the disabled list, will be making his Cardinals’ debut with his first game appearance after having been signed as a free-agent last December.   Gregerson appeared in four games for Palm Beach (A) during his injury rehabilitation assignment, the most recent on April 13, and worked 4.0 scoreless innings, allowing four hits with no walks and six strikeouts.

Gyorko appeared in three games with the Cardinals to begin the season, batting .500 (3-for-6) with one RBI.   He was placed on the 10-day disabled list on April 3.

Mayers earned a 3.0 inning save in the Cardinals win last Thursday (April 12) at Cincinnati after having been recalled that same day from Memphis.

Muñoz, a rookie, appeared in 11 games after having made the team out of Spring Training.

Iowa quarterback Nate Stanley is working on becoming more efficient next season. As a sophomore, Stanley had 26 touchdown passes and eight interceptions in leading the Hawkeyes to an 8-5 record. He is hoping to boost a completion percentage that finished at just under 56 percent.

Stanley is the established starter but he has been approaching spring drills as if he is competing for the job.

The Hawkeyes close out spring drills on Friday night.

(Learfield Sports)

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (AP) — A trial has been scheduled for an Iowa youth basketball coach who’s accused of secretly recording some of his players undressing. Federal court records say 42-year-old Greg Stephen has pleaded not guilty to knowingly transporting child pornography. His trial is scheduled to begin June 4. Court documents say the ex-Iowa Barnstormers co-director has acknowledged taking secret videos of three players disrobing in a hotel bathroom in Illinois in January. He’s told investigators he recorded the adolescents in an attempt to monitor their physical development.

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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