(Anita) — The defending Rolling Valley Conference champs are gearing up for the upcoming volleyball season. Last year saw a conference title, a (24-8) record, and a short run in the Class 1A Region 2 Quarterfinal where they were knocked out 3-0 by the Tri Center Trojans. This offseason for Coach Jenna McDonald and the CAM Cougars has been about working hard. Their gymnasium was under renovations, but Coach McDonald still saw positive progress from her squad.

CAM volleyball is a program that continues to see success thanks to Coach McDonald. They have garnered 3 Rolling Valley Conference titles in the last 3 years. However, Coach McDonald credits the Cougars history of winning to the players and the attitudes they bring each and every day.

The Cougars are also bringing back a swarm of seniors and talent with them. Senior, Eva Steffensen is one name that stands out. Steffensen started all 32 matches last year, had 237 kills on 749 attempts, and a kill efficiency of .190. Alongside Steffensen, senior Emma Follmann is another player who has continued to progress and will play a big role in the upcoming season. Follman played in all 32 matches last season, had over 150 kills, and a solid kill efficiency of .148.

Regardless of individual talent, Coach McDonald noted that this year’s squad has something special. Their class has been together and played with each other for so long in various sports. That they seem to be glued to each other.

CAM starts their season at the AHSTW Varsity Volleyball Tournament on August 26th.

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AMES, Iowa – Iowa State sophomore punter Tyler Perkins has earned a spot on the Ray Guy Award Watch List. The award is annually given to the nation’s top punter.

Perkins, a Norwalk, Ohio, native, earned Second Team Freshman All-America honors from The Athletic last season after serving as the Cyclones starting punter.

He averaged 42.2 yards per punt, the fourth-best freshman average in school history. Perkins was fifth in the Big 12 Conference in punting average.

Of his 50 punts, 19 were downed inside the 20 and nine traveled 50 or more yards.

Kirk Ferentz is entering his 25th season as Iowa’s football coach and says the feeling enter fall camp never changes. The Hawkeyes hit the practice field on Wednesday to begin preparations for their September second opener against Utah State.

Ferentz added 13 newcomers, including Michigan transfer Cade McNamara at quarterback, in hopes of improving an anemic offense that ranked 130th out of 131 FBS teams during last year’s 8-5 campaign. The Hawkeyes were picked to finish second in the west division in the Big Ten preseason poll.

(Radio Iowa) – Iowa State University quarterback Hunter Dekkers has been accused of betting on one I-S-U football game and 25 other Cyclone sporting events. Dekkers was last season’s starting quarterback for the Cyclones and expected to be the starter this coming season. The Des Moines Register was first to report that the Story County Attorney’s Office has filed a criminal complaint charging Dekkers with tampering with records by trying to conceal his identity in electronic sports wagering records.

The complaint accuses Dekker’s parents of engaging in a scheme to make it look like the bets were coming from Dekker’s mother. The document alleges Dekkers used a DraftKings account to place 366 bets and 80 percent of those wagers were made when Dekkers had not reached the legal gambling age of 21. The I-S-U football game Dekkers is accused of betting on was against Oklahoma State in 2021. Dekkers was the back-up quarterback and did not play. Under N-C-Double-A rules, college athletes caught betting on games that involve their own teams face a lifetime ban from college sports.

Two other I-S-U athletes — both sophomores — face a similar charge of tampering with records related to sports gambling. One is on the Cyclone wrestling team. The other is an offensive lineman who’s accused of placing a dozen bets on I-S-U football games. This spring, Iowa State announced approximately 15 students on the university’s football, wrestling and track teams were suspected of violating N-C-Double-A rules by betting on sports.

The University of Iowa also announced 26 students on Hawkeye football, basketball, baseball, wrestling and track teams were suspected of alleged gambling violations. A lawyer representing Dekkers released a statement saying: “Hunter Dekkers denies the criminal charge brought against him. He will plead not guilty to that charge because he is in fact not guilty of that charge.”

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Iowa State had placed 14 student-athletes on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-America Scholar-Athlete team following the 2022-23 academic year.

To earn the honor, a student-athlete must earn a 3.5 grade point average or higher.

Players that earned the honors from the 2023 Cyclone softball team were Angelica Gonzalez, Angelina Allen, Ashley Minor, Carli Spelhaug, Ellie Spelhaug, Janessa Jasso, Lea Nelson, Makaylin Powers, McKenna Andrews, Milaysia Ochoa, Natalie Wellet, Olivia Wardlow, Sarah Tyree and Sophie Maras.

Angelica, Lea, Carli, Ellie and Olivia all earned the recognition for the second straight season.

Over 8,000 collegiate softball players from NAIA to Division One earned the honor.

Football (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
9/2 Utah State
9/9 at Iowa State *
9/16 Western Michigan
9/23 at Penn State
9/30 Michigan State
10/7 Purdue
10/14 at Wisconsin
10/21 Minnesota
11/4 vs. Northwestern ^
11/11 Rutgers
11/18 Illinois
11/24 at Nebraska
* Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series
^ Wrigley Field – Chicago, Ill.

—

Volleyball (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
8/19 Black & Gold Scrimmage
8/25 vs. Cal Poly *
8/26 at Sacramento State *
8/27 vs. Nevada *
9/1 Middle Tennessee State ^
9/2 Kent State ^
9/3 South Dakota State ^
9/6 Iowa State +
9/8 Central Michigan $
9/9 Missouri State $
9/10 Grand Canyon $
9/15 at Syracuse %
9/16 vs. Cornell %
9/20 Minnesota
9/24 Ohio State
9/29 at Indiana
9/30 at Illinois
10/4 Wisconsin
10/7 at Purdue
10/13 Penn State
10/14 Michigan State
10/20 at Penn State
10/21 at Maryland
10/27 Rutgers
10/28 Maryland
11/3 at Michigan
11/4 at Michigan State
11/10 Illinois
11/12 Northwestern
11/17 at Minnesota
11/19 Nebraska
11/24 at Northwestern
11/25 at Wisconsin
* Sacramento State Invite – Sacramento, Calif.
^ FryFest Invite – Iowa City, Iowa
+ Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series
$ Hawkeye Invite – Iowa City, Iowa
% Syracuse Invite – Syracuse, N.Y.

—

Soccer (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
8/5 at South Dakota (Exhibition)
8/12 at Drake (Exhibition)
8/17 at Florida Gulf Coast
8/20 Kansas City
8/24 Iowa State *
8/31 at Mississippi State
9/3 Southeast Missouri State
9/7 at Virginia
9/10 at George Mason
9/17 Illinois
9/21 at Wisconsin
9/24 Minnesota
9/28 at Purdue
10/1 Rutgers
10/7 at Nebraska
10/12 Northwestern
10/15 Maryland
10/19 at Michigan
10/22 at Michigan State
* Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series

—

Men’s Cross Country
9/1 Hawkeye Invite
9/9 at Badger Classic
9/22 at Redbird Invite
9/29 at Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite
10/13 at Bradley Pink Classic
10/27 at B1G Championships *
11/10 at NCAA Midwest Regional ^
11/18 at NCAA Championships +
* Madison, Wis.
^ Stillwater, Okla.
+ Charlottesville, Va.

–

Women’s Cross Country
9/1 Hawkeye Invite
9/9 at Badger Classic
9/22 at Redbird Invite
9/29 at Joe Piane Notre Dame Invite
10/13 at Bradley Pink Classic
10/27 at B1G Championships *
11/10 at NCAA Midwest Regional ^
11/18 at NCAA Championships +
* Madison, Wis.
^ Stillwater, Okla.
+ Charlottesville, Va.

—

Field Hockey (0-0, 0-0 B1G)
8/12 at Saint Louis (Exhibition)
8/19 Northwestern (Exhibition)
8/25 vs. Wake Forest *
8/27 at North Carolina *
9/1 Fairfield
9/3 at Albany
9/8 Central Michigan
9/10 UMass Lowell
9/15 Merrimack College
9/22 at Michigan
9/29 Ohio State
10/1 Michigan State
10/6 Northwestern
10/13 at Indiana
10/15 at Louisville
10/20 at Maryland
10/22 at Penn State
10/27 Rutgers
11/2-5 at B1G Championships ^
11/10-19 at NCAA Championships
* ACC/Big Ten Challenge – Chapel Hill, N.C.
^ Ann Arbor, Mich.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior defensive back Cooper DeJean has been named to the 2023 Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List, announced by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) on Tuesday.

Presented by the FWAA and the Charlotte Touchdown Club, the Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football. Former Hawkeye linebackers Josey Jewell (2017) and Pat Angerer (2009) were finalists for the award.

DeJean (6-foot-1, 209 pounds) was a first-team All-Big Ten selection by the media and second team by the coaches in 2022 after finishing with 75 tackles, five interceptions and eight pass breakups. He set Iowa’s single season record with three pick 6’s in 2022. He also averaged a team-best 16.5 yards on 10 punt returns a year ago.

The Odebolt, Iowa, native was voted the 2022 Music City Bowl Most Valuable Player after notching seven tackles (six solo), including one for loss, and notching a 14-yard pick-6 against Kentucky. DeJean was named the Rose Bowl Defensive Player of the Week versus Wisconsin (Nov. 12, 2022) after totaling 10 tackles (seven solo), including one for loss, and returning an interception 32 yards for a score. He was the recipient of Iowa’s Reggie Roby Special Teams Award (overall) and Team Hustle Award (defense) last season.

DeJean has also been named to the Athlon Sports and Phil Steele 2023 preseason All-America second teams, as well as being voted to the Big Ten Conference Preseason Honors List and first-team All-Big Ten accolades by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports and Pro Football Focus.

The award is named after Bronislau “Bronko” Nagurski and his legendary talents. He was a consensus All-American defensive tackle in 1929, and also an All-American fullback in 1929, becoming the only player ever picked at two positions in the same season.

The FWAA All-America Committee, after voting input from the association’s full membership, selects a 26-man All-America Team and eventually the Nagurski Trophy finalists. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy winner will be chosen from the five finalists named in November. Committee members, by individual ballot, select the winner they regard as the best defensive player in college football.

DeJean and the Hawkeyes open their season against Sept. 2 against Utah State. The sold-out game is set for an 11 a.m. (CT) kickoff.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa women’s basketball team earned honorable mention in the 2022-23 WBCA Academic Top 25 Team Honor Roll announced today by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association. The Hawkeyes combined for 3.416 GPA.

The WBCA Academic Top 25 recognizes NCAA Division I, II and III, NAIA and two-year college women’s basketball teams across the nation that carry the highest combined GPAs inclusive of all student-athletes on their rosters for the entire season. The 2022-23 season is the 28th in which the WBCA has compiled the honor rolls.

“The WBCA is pleased to recognize those women’s basketball programs that have committed themselves to excellence on the court and in the classroom,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew.  “The 119 teams we honor this year strive to achieve all-around success and we commend their efforts. Congratulations!”

Teams having a 3.0 combined GPA and qualifying for consideration in their respective divisions are also listed as special mentions.

CHICAGO Ill. – The Big Ten Network and FOX Sports today announced the 2023 Big Ten Volleyball television schedule, headlined by the first-ever Big Ten Volleyball match on the FOX broadcast network. Additionally, BTN will televise at least 55 matches, the most in network history. In total, more than 60 matches will appear across FOX, FS1, BTN and FS2, in addition to more than 145 streaming exclusively on B1G+.

Television broadcasts:

For the first time ever, the FOX broadcast network will carry a Big Ten volleyball match on Sunday, Oct. 29. Markets receiving an early NFL game (1:00 PM ET) will be shown the Minnesota vs. Wisconsin rivalry following the conclusion of the NFL game on FOX, while markets receiving a late NFL game (4:00 PM ET) will be shown the Ohio State vs. Michigan game at 2:00 PM ET on FOX. Both matches will also simulcast in full on FS2 and the FOX Sports App.

Four additional matches will be carried on FS1, beginning with Arizona vs. Wisconsin on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 8 p.m. ET.

BTN’s coverage begins on Friday, Aug. 25, as perennial powers Wisconsin and Baylor begin the season in the Big Ten vs. Big 12 Challenge at 5:30 p.m. ET.

On Tuesday, Aug. 29, at 8 p.m. ET, defending champion Texas visits a Minnesota squad which finished last season ranked in the top 10. The following day at 8 p.m. ET, BTN will televise the first-ever outdoor volleyball match from Lincoln, as nearly 100,000 fans pack Memorial Stadium for Volleyball Day in Nebraska featuring Omaha versus the Cornhuskers.

Non-conference play concludes on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET, when Kentucky visits Nebraska. Big Ten competition on BTN begins with a doubleheader on Sept. 20, as Rutgers visits Penn State at 6 p.m. ET and Illinois takes on Indiana at 8 p.m. ET. FS1 hosts its first Big Ten battle on Thursday, Sept. 21, as Minnesota travels to Iowa City at 7 p.m. ET.

Streaming on B1G+

More than 145 matches will be streamed exclusively on B1G+, BTN’s subscription service for non-televised events and archives of classic games and original content. From now until Aug. 3, fans can purchase a B1G Volleyball sport-specific pass for $10 off – a price of $44.99 – by utilizing the code VBMEDIADAYS23 via web purchase. The volleyball sport pass includes live events exclusively streamed on B1G+, as well as an archive of classic matches and original content.

New this year, a multi-view option via the web will allow for streaming of four concurrent matches. Apple TV users will also have access to the multi-viewer option via their connected devices.

B1G Volleyball on Social Media

At The Net – Presented by State Farm – is the Big Ten Network’s multiplatform, behind-the-scenes look at the personalities and programs across Big Ten volleyball. Additionally, season long highlights will be available on Big Ten Network’s Twitter (@B1Gvolleyball), Instagram (@B1Gvolleyball), Facebook and YouTube pages as well as BigTen.org.

2023 Big Ten Volleyball Broadcast Schedule:

The Big 12 Conference has nominated Oklahoma’s Olivia Trautman (gymnastics) and Texas’ Logan Eggleston (volleyball) for the prestigious 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year award.

The NCAA Woman of the Year program honors the academic achievements, athletics excellence, community service and leadership of graduating female college athletes from all three divisions. To be eligible, nominees must have competed and earned a varsity letter in an NCAA-sponsored sport and must have completed eligibility in their primary sport.

Trautman and Eggleston were selected by the Big 12 Senior Woman Administrators.

The 2023 NCAA Individual Champion in vault, Trautman led the Sooners to their second consecutive team national championship and the third overall during her time in Norman. She guided OU to its second straight Big 12 Team Championship while winning individual league titles in vault and uneven bars.

After tearing her patellar tendon in September 2022, Trautman underwent surgery to return for the season and finished the year as an NCAA First Team All-American in vault and balance beam.

The 10-time NCAA All-American procured the 2023 University of Oklahoma Athletics Council Achievement and Leadership Awards. The Achievement Award honors graduating student-athletes who have overcome great personal, academic and/or emotional odds to achieve academic success while participating in intercollegiate athletics while the Leadership Award is presented to student-athletes who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in representing the University of Oklahoma and their teams.

Trautman collected 2023 First Team College Sports Communicators Academic All-American honors and was a four-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 member. She spent time volunteering at Food and Shelter, Inc. and a local elementary school during the year.

The three-time individual Big 12 champion graduated with Distinction with a Bachelor of Science degree in Health and Exercise Science and is pursuing a Master of Education degree in Adult and Higher Education beginning Fall 2023.

Eggleston capped her career by leading Texas to its fourth National Championship and was named the 2022 NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player. Also named UT’s first AVCA National Player of the Year, Eggleston led the Longhorns with 407 kills and 4.28 kills per set. She finished with a team-high 42 service aces and broke the Big 12 career record with 208 total aces.

In her five-year Texas career, Eggleston played in 141 matches and 493 total sets. She had 1,921 career kills and hit .305 for her career. Eggleston also had 981 career digs and 293 total blocks.

The 2023 Honda Sport Award winner for volleyball served as president of the Texas Athletics Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for two years. She helped create the DNA fund, a donation-based initiative that raised money for athletic equipment and sports opportunities for underprivileged youth in the Austin, Texas area. Eggleston also helped found and played a key role with the LEAD Initiative, which allocates funds from Texas Athletics revenue to nonprofit organizations doing positive work for diverse communities.

The three-time Big 12 Player of the Year is the first-ever Texas volleyball player to earn both First Team All-American and First Team Academic All-American honors in the same season.

Eggleston led UT to a 76-4 overall record in league play during her time on the Forty Acres while collecting five-straight Big 12 Championships.

The four-time First Team Academic All-Big 12 member graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration and Management and is currently working toward a Master of Education degree in Sport Management at Texas.

A record-breaking 619 female student-athletes were nominated by NCAA member schools in consideration for the 2023 Woman of the Year award.

The Woman of the Year Selection Committee, made up of representatives from the NCAA membership, will choose the Top 30 honorees – 10 from each division – from the conference-level nominees. The Top 30 honorees will be announced in October.

The selection committee will then determine the top three honorees in each division from the Top 30, and the nine finalists will be announced in November.

From those nine finalists, the NCAA Committee on Women’s Athletics will choose the 2023 NCAA Woman of the Year. The honorees will be celebrated at the Woman of the Year Award Ceremony at the NCAA Convention in Phoenix in January.

Former Texas Tech track and field student-athlete Ifeatu Okafor received the esteemed award in 2013.

Since 1991, The NCAA Woman of the Year program has recognized graduating female student-athletes for excellence in academics, athletics, community service, and leadership throughout their college careers.