A familiar face will be donning the head coaches’ headset for Exira-EHK football in 2023. Former player and recent assistant coach Drew Buckholdt has been hired to lead the Spartans football program. The Exira-EHK school board approved his hire at their meeting this week.

Buckholdt played for Exira-EHK from 2013-2016 and went on to play college ball at Waldorf University. He has been an assistant on the Spartans staff the past few seasons and is excited to take over the head role.

Buckholdt said it’s been great to learn from Tom Petersen and he also got the chance to learn at Waldorf.

Buckholdt takes over a Spartan team that went 4-4 last season and he said he hopes to improve the physical style they want to play..

Buckholdt takes over for his former coach Tom Petersen who resigned after last season due to some health concerns and wanting to lighten his load. Buckholdt said it will be great to have Coach Petersen around as AD and someone to bounce things off of.

Listen to the full interview with Buckholdt below.

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Every NFL team was represented at Iowa State’s Pro Day as several Cyclones tried to improve their draft stock. All-America receiver Xavier Hutchinson ran routes with Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin watching.

Hutchinson was happy with his performance and wanted to show an ability to make big plays.

Hutchinson says his decision to return for his final season is paying off.

After moving from corner to safety prior to his final season Cyclone defensive back Anthony Johnson says that is where he is projected at the next level.

Johnson says his versatility is an advantage.

Johnson says the recent success of former ISU players in the NFL is helping the current players in the evaluation process.

Defensive end Will McDonald is considered a possible first round pick and says he tried to show his versatility.

McDonald says his versatility comes from his background in sports and includes martial arts.

McDonald could have entered the draft last year but felt the extra season would help his development.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior guard Caitlin Clark was named a Naismith Trophy Finalist on Tuesday. 2023 Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy, symbolic of the most outstanding players in men’s and women’s college basketball.

This season, Clark is the only player in the nation with more than 900 points, 245 rebounds, 290 assists, and 45 steals. She has registered +25 points, +5 rebounds, and +5 assists in 17 games this year and 39 times in her career which is the most in NCAA women’s basketball history.

Against teams that are top 26 in the NET Rankings, Clark picks it up a notch averaging 29.6 ppg, 8.4 apg, and 7.1 rpg. 

Most recently, Clark led the Hawkeyes to back-to-back home victories in the NCAA Tournament against Southeastern Louisiana and Georgia. Against SELA, registered 26 points (9-14 FG), 12 assists, and seven rebounds in 29 minutes of action. Against the Lady Bulldogs, she played all 40 minutes, netting 22 points (4-10 3FG), 12 assists, three rebounds, and three steals. Clark was also responsible for 31 of Iowa’s 33 second half points.

Clark is leading the nation’s best offense with 26.8 ppg, 7.3 rpg, and 8.6 apg. She also paces the country with four triple-doubles this season. Clark accounts for 52% of Iowa’s offensive output in points and assists.

She currently leads Division I in several statistical categories including assists per game, three pointers made (115), and triple doubles (4). She has scored 30 or more points in 10 games, including a pair of 40-point games. Clark broke all of the junior single season records in scoring and assists. She also became the single season leader in Big Ten history in dimes.

The West Des Moines, Iowa, native also was recognized as Big Ten Player of the Year for the second consecutive season as well as The Athletic National Player of the Year. She was also a unanimous Associated Press and All-Big Ten First Teamer. Last week, she was recognized as the CSC Academic All-America of the Year.

Clark and the 2-Seeded Hawkeyes are set to play 6-Seed Colorado on Friday at 6:30 p.m. (CT) inside Climate Pledge Arena in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament in the Seattle Regional. The game will broadcast coast-to-coast on ESPN.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Associate Head Coach Jan Jensen was named the 2023 Division I Assistant Coach of the Year by the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association presented by Aflac on Tuesday.

WBCA Assistant Coach of the Year is presented to one associate head coach or assistant coach in each membership division who demonstrates commitment to their program, their student-athletes and their head coach; their impact coaching on court; their mentorship and impact on other coaches; and their professional manner and attitude. Aflac is partnering with the WBCA to present the award this year.

“The role of an assistant coach is vital in reinforcing a positive student-athlete environment with encouragement, excellence, structure, security, support and integrity. The WBCA is proud to honor these individuals as our Assistant Coaches of the Year in their respective divisions of membership,” said WBCA Executive Director Danielle Donehew. “Each coach was selected by vote of their peers, and the WBCA celebrates and applauds their lasting commitment to use our game as a platform to positively impact their student-athletes, institutions and communities.

Jensen is in her 23rd season with the Iowa women’s basketball team and her 19th as associate head coach. Jensen has helped guide Iowa to 21 postseason appearances, including 17 NCAA Tournament berths. With Jensen on staff, the Hawkeyes have claimed four Big Ten Tournament and two Big Ten regular season titles.  Most recently, Jensen and the Hawkeyes beat Georgia, 74-66 to advance to the Sweet 16.

Middents, Huffman, Mullenix, and Rush at State Meet 2022.

The Atlantic girls track and field team is excited for the 2023 season and has some lofty goals in sight. The Trojans are coming off a solid season last year with seven qualifiers for the State Meet and a 5th place finish in the Hawkeye Ten Conference Meet. The Trojans are hoping to take the next step this year and compete for a conference crown and take home some more medals at State. Atlantic head coach Matt Mullenix said they set a great standard last year.

The Trojans will be very strong in the middle-distance races. The 4x400M Relay team that placed 4th at state last season are all back to try to improve on that placing and lead the team. Chloe Mullenix, Ava Rush, Nicole Middents, and Mariah Huffman made up that relay last year. Rush didn’t hold back her excitement for the event.

Mullenix also qualified in the 400M Hurdles last season and she said they have been working hard to improve overall team speed and endurance.

Rush said the speed work emphasis they’ve had the past few seasons has really been beneficial.

Middents said it’s a great group to work with and they have a great team comradery heading into the season.

Coach Mullenix said some of those middle-distance runners are very versatile so they may be able to move some runners around to events that suit them best to produce a really strong team effort.

The Trojans opened up last weekend at the Northwest Missouri State Indoor Meet and are scheduled to get the outdoor season rolling on the 28th at Earlham.

Listen to complete interviews with Chloe Mullenix, Ava Rush, Nicole Middents, Mariah Huffman, and Coach Mullenix below.

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Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley says the Panthers are deeper heading into spring drills than they been since prior to COVID. UNI is coming off a 6-5 season that saw them get left out of the FCS playoffs.

Farley says spring is the next step in getting ready for next season.

Farley says spring is about building depth needed to navigate a season.

Quarterback Theo Day returns but Farley says there are a number of areas that need work.

Farley says spring is about developing technique.

UNI women’s basketball coach Tanya Warren feels the future is bright for her program. The Panthers finished 23-10 after Sunday’s 77-57 loss at Nebraska in the second round of the W-N-I-T. Warren does not want her team to think about next season just yet.

Warren says the players need to get away from the game for a while and rest.

Warren says preparation for next season will begin in a few weeks.

Iowa guard Gabbie Marshall has given the third ranked Iowa Hawkeye women a lift as they get ready to travel to Seattle for the Sweet 16. Marshall struggled with her shooting early in the season but finished with 15 points on five of eight from three point range in Sunday’s 74-66 win over Georgia.

That’s Iowa coach Lisa Bluder. Marshall says the Hawkeyes’ experience is a big factor in her play the last few weeks.

Marshall says another key has been Iowa’s willingness to share the ball.

Marshall says she has been gaining confidence the past few weeks.

The Hawkeyes take on the Colorado Buffalo’s, following their win over Duke Monday night.

Iowa defensive end Joe Evans says returning for a fifth season will help him reach his goal of playing in the NFL. The Ames native began his career as a walk-on and last season had 41 tackles, including six and-a-half sacks in Iowa’s 8-5 season. His experience will be a boost after defensive end Lukas Van Ness left early for the NFL Draft.

Evans says another reason for his return is he is healthy. A year ago before spring practice Evans had surgery on both shoulders.

Evans says he has spent the offseason breaking down areas he can improve in.

The Hawkeyes open spring drills Wednesday.

The Iowa High School Athletic Association has now released the districts for the next two-year football cycle in 2023 and 2024. New classification numbers were announced last week and now the districts have been set. Next up in the process will be teams submitting their non-conference opponent preferences and the then schedules will be compiled and released later. Here is a look at area districts and the links to see all of the new districts.