IOWA CITY, Iowa — Twelve players — four from the Hawkeye State — have signed National Letters of Intent to join the University of Iowa baseball program for the 2025 season, it was announced Monday by head coach Rick Heller.

The class consists of six position players: Brody Irlbeck (OF/LHP, Kansas City, Mo.), Milo Kelley(C, Davenport, Iowa), Cole Moore (C/RHP, Adel, Iowa), Tate Slagle (UTIL/RHP, Algona, Iowa), Ben Toft (OF, Wilmette, Ill.) and Trevor Vande Hey (OF, De Pere, Wis.).

Along with Irlbeck, Moore and Slagle, Iowa signed five other pitchers: Brady Ferguson (RHP, Omaha, Neb.), Maddux Frese (RHP, Southeastern CC, Norway, Iowa), Brolan Frost (LHP, Waterford, Wis.), John Henry Kohorst (LHP, Apple Valley, Minn.) and Nick Terhaar (RHP, Saginaw, Minn.).

“We couldn’t be happier with this recruiting class,” said Heller. “It’s filled with big time arms that includes four lefthanders. The position players in this group are talented, athletic, and fit the needs we have at those positions. This class will also have several legitimate pitcher/position player combos. With the roster cap dropping to 34 next year, this is a nice bonus for us. The character and make up of this class are top notch as well. Most of this talented group of young men have been committed to Iowa Baseball for multiple years, knowing that the wait to see them in a Hawkeye uniform is almost over is a great feeling. We’re all excited to get to work with these guys! Associate Head Coach and Recruiting Coordinator Marty Sutherland did another fantastic job in orchestrating our recruiting efforts. His hard work and commitment are sincerely appreciated. Assistant Coach Mitch Boe also did a great job on the recruiting trail for us. Our new Pitching Coach Sean Kenny hit the ground running and helped our recruiting efforts a great deal. We have an outstanding staff who grind it out every day. I’m proud of their efforts.”

A pair of transfers off the bench are making an impact for the Iowa men’s basketball team. Point guard Drew Thelwell is averaging 10 points per game and is tied for the team lead in steals after transferring from Morehead State.

That’s Iowa coach Fran McCaffery who says it took a while for Thelwell to adjust to Iowa’s style of play.

Sydou (say-do) Traore (try-or) is a 6-7 sophomore who began his career at Manhattan College and is averaging eight and a half points while batting injury early in the season.

The Hawkeyes 4-0 and host Rider Tuesday night.

The Iowa football team will go up against a familiar face when the Hawkeyes visit Maryland on Saturday. Former offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz is an offensive assistant for the Terrapins and knows the Hawkeye defense well.

That’s Iowa defensive coordinator Phil Parker who says he is more concerned about getting the defense prepared.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Katie Dinnebier celebrated Drake’s recognition of 50 years of intercollegiate women’s basketball with a career game. It just wasn’t enough. Iowa offset Dinnebier’s 40 points with balance and strong inside play and beat the Bulldogs 86-73 in front of a packed house at the Knapp Center on Sunday afternoon.

Dinnebier did all she could to keep her team afloat, scoring 28 of Drake’s 38 points in the second half and finishing one point short of the single-game high for an NCAA Division I player this season. She went 8-for-17 from the field, including 7-of-15 from 3-point range, and made 17 of her 20 free throws while drawing 13 fouls.

The 3-pointers and free throws also were career highs, with the 17 free throws matching the third-best total in Drake history and tying the Division I high for the season.  Her previous best had been 32 points against Murray State last February.

It’s the first 40-point game for a Drake player since Lizzy Wendell scored 43 against Missouri State on Jan. 30, 2015.

No other Drake player scored more than seven points, however, and the Hawkeyes never trailed after running off the final 10 points of the first half to take a 45-35 lead into the break. Courtney Becker had seven points and seven rebounds for the Bulldogs (2-2), while Abbie Aalsma, Grace Kuntson and Anna Miller each scored six. Miller grabbed 10 rebounds but endured a tough afternoon shooting the ball, finishing 1-for-17.

Drake scored 26 points off Iowa’s season-high 17 turnovers, but the Bulldogs were outscored 46-10 in the paint and shot a season-low 28.6 percent from the field.

Drake, which lost at Creighton last Monday, will continue a challenging stretch of the schedule with a game at Iowa State next Sunday. The Bulldogs then play three games in San Juan, Puerto Rico and won’t play at home again until meeting North Dakota on Thursday, Dec. 12.

GRIMES, Iowa – The University of Iowa wrestling program won three titles on Saturday at the Grand View Open. All six Hawkeyes finished in the top three and had a combined record of 33-3.

Junior Caleb Rathjen won the 149-pound division while freshman Angelo Ferrari won the 184-pound division in his collegiate debut and freshman Miguel Estrada won the Freshman/Sophomore 149-pound division.

Three other Hawkeyes found the podium on Friday afternoon. Freshman Kael Voinovich (149) finished second after falling to Rathjen in the finals. Sophomore Joey Cruz finished third at 125 pounds and freshman Dru Ayala was second in the 125-pound Freshman/Sophomore division.

Complete results from the Grand View Open are available at Trackwrestling.com.

The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena on November 23 for the annual Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series against Iowa State. The dual is scheduled for 6 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on B1G+ ($).

AMES, Iowa – No. 11 Iowa State (1-1, 0-0 Big 12) picked up its first win of the season, defeating Navy (1-3, 0-1 EIWA) 29-9 Friday night at Hilton Coliseum. The Cyclones won seven of the 10 matches, including five by bonus points.

At 125 pounds, freshman Adrian Meza earned a pair of takedowns in the first period and a takedown and four-point nearfall in the second en route to a 19-7 major decision over Garrett Totten. It was the first collegiate match for Meza, as he earned a victory by forfeit last week against Stanford. No. 5 Evan Frost gave up a first period takedown to Brendan Ferretti at 133 pounds, but bounced back for a 14-7 victory. Frost recorded a takedown in each period, including two in the final period, for the win.

Navy’s No. 9 Josh Koderhandt picked up a 3-2 victory over Zach Redding at 141, needing the point for riding time for the victory. The Cyclones got back on the winning track at 149 pounds, as No. 9 Anthony Echemendia beat Kaemen Smith 22-7 (6:02). Echemendia recorded four takedowns in the first period, one in the second and two more in the third for the technical fall. It was the 10^th career technical fall for Echemendia.

Kane Naaktgeboren gave up a first period takedown, as he dropped a 4-2 decision to Navy’s Johnathan Ley at 157 pounds. Connor Euton notched five takedowns in the first five minutes of the match, as he beat Charlie Evans 20-5 at 157 pounds. It was the first victory of the year for Euton and the 10^th technical fall of his career. At 174 pounds, No. 23 Danny Wask used a takedown in the each of the first two periods, as he beat Aiden Riggins 8-3.

In the marquee match of the night, No. 16 Evan Bockman used a takedown in the first period and one in the final :30 to beat No. 30 Daniel Williams at 184 pounds. Bockman improved to 2-0 this year with the 8-3 victory, while it was the 60^th win of his career.

The reigning Big 12 Wrestler of the Week, No. 20 Christian Carroll earned a 14-6 victory at 197 pounds. Carroll finished with four takedowns in the match, including two in the second period, for the major decision. Freshman Daniel Herrera continued to put on a show in his young career, picking up his second technical fall at heavyweight in his two collegiate matches. Herrera had three takedowns in the first two periods en route to his 23-6 (6:31) major decision over Alistair Larson. He added four more takedowns in the third period.

The Cyclones held a 34-5 advantage in takedowns.

Up Next
No. 11 Iowa State is back in action Saturday, Nov. 23 at Iowa in an Iowa Corn Cy-Hawk Series showdown. First whistle from Carver-Hawkeye Arena is set for 6 p.m. on BIG+.

Match-By-Match Results

No. 11 Iowa State 29, Navy 9
125: Adrian Meza (ISU) Maj. Dec. Garrett Totten (NAVY), 19-7
133: #5 Evan Frost (ISU) Dec. Brendan Ferretti (NAVY), 14-7
141: #9 Josh Koderhandt (NAVY) Dec. Zach Redding (ISU), 3-2
149: #7 Anthony Echemendia (ISU) Tech. Fall Kaemen Smith (NAVY), 22-7 (6:02)
157: Jonathan Ley (NAVY) Dec. Kane Naaktgeboren (ISU), 4-2
165: Connor Euton (ISU) Tech. Fall Charlie Evans (NAVY), 20-5 (4:49)
174: #23 Danny Wask (NAVY) Dec. Aiden Riggins (ISU), 8-3
184: #16 Evan Bockman (ISU) Dec. #30 Daniel Williams (NAVY), 8-3
197: #20 Christian Carroll (ISU) Maj. Dec. Payton Thomas (NAVY), 14-6
285: Daniel Herrera (ISU) Tech. Fall Alistair Larson (NAVY), 23-6 (6:31)

The seventh ranked Iowa State men host IU-Indianapolis on Monday night. It is the third of four straight Monday games for the Cyclones. ISU coach T.J. Otzelberger.

Otzelberger wants to see the Cyclones have longer stretches of quality play.

Otzelberger says he does not expect to have the same starting lineup all season.

IU-Indianapolis is 2-2 with the losses coming to Xavier and Eastern Michigan.

Addison O’Grady had 27 points and added 10 rebounds as the Iowa Hawkeye women beat Drake 86-73 in a sold out Knapp Center. O’Grady had 14 of Iowa’s first 16 points in the opening quarter as the Hawkeyes survived an early three point onslaught from the Bulldogs.

O’Grady’s play has been a big factor in Iowa’s 4-0 start to the season.

Iowa closed the opening half on an 18-3 run to lead by 10 at intermission. The Bulldogs got no closer than five in the second half. Hawkeye coach Jensen.

Jensen says her expectations for O’ Grady are skyrocketing.

The Hawkeyes won despite 40 points from Drake senior Katie Dinnebier, who finished seven of 15 from three point range. She did not get enough help as the Bulldogs were outscored 46-10 in the paint.

That’s Drake coach Allison Pohlman. Dinnebier was 17 of 20 at the line as the Bulldogs capped a weekend in which the school celebrated 450 years of women’s basketball.

The Southwest Valley Girls Basketball team is looking to rebound after a disappointing season a year ago. Despite finishing with a 2-17 regular season record, the Timberwolves were competitive last season. Out of their 18 losses, five of them were by five points or less. They were also able to win their regional quarterfinal game against Central Decatur before falling in the semi-final to Nodaway Valley. Couple this with a young roster that had only had seniors, it’s a team that has room to grow. Head Coach Mike Cormack is hopeful about the coming season and proud of the work his players have put in during the offseason.

The Timberwolves do return both of the top scorers from a year ago. Hailey Randall put up 12 points per game and 2.8 steals while Mackenzie Fast averaged 8 points a game with 8.3 rebounds per contest. In addition to Fast and Randall, Cormack is also looking forward to watching the continued development of some of his depth players that he knows will need to contribute.

Cormack thinks the biggest improvement his team can make this year is closing out games in the fourth quarter.

Southwest Valley is a team with a lot of room to grow. Returning two top scorers plus adding another year of experience and continuity to a young team can do nothing but help. Cormack is very excited to start the season and to watch his team grow and compete.

Their first scrimmage of the season will be on Saturday.