IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior return specialist Kaden Wetjen has been selected as one of 10 semifinalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, an award presented to the most outstanding player in America who began his career as a walk-on.

Wejten is leading FBS with 751 combined kickoff return yards and is on Jet Award Midseason List. He is 12th nationally (25.3) in kickoff returns and punt returns (12.9). The native of Williamsburg, Iowa, native had an 85-yard punt return for a score against Northwestern, the seventh-longest in school history. He had 100+ kickoff return yards in three straight games (Washington, Michigan State and Northwestern) in 2024, a first by a Hawkeye since at least 1978.

Joining Wetjen as a Burlsworth Trophy semifinalist are Josh Cameron (WR, Baylor), Shaun Dolac (LB, Buffalo), James Carpenter (DL, Indiana), Bryce Boettcher (LB, Oregon), Sean Atkins (WR, South Florida), Will Brooks (S, Tennessee), Michael Taafe (DB, Texas), Carson Schwesinger (LB, UCLA) and Jackson Woodard (LB, UNLV).

The selection committee will announce the top three Burlsworth Trophy finalists on Nov. 19. Finalists will be honored and the winner will be announced on Dec. 9 in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Iowa has two other semifinalists for national awards: Jay Higgins (Lombardi, Butkus, Bednarik and Lott IMPACT) and Kaleb Johnson (Maxwell).

Iowa (6-4, 4-3) returns to action Saturday, Nov. 23 at Maryland. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. (CT) in College Park, Maryland. The game will be televised on BTN and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

The Iowa Hawkeye women return to action Wednesday night by hosting Toledo. The Hawks are 2-0 after a 71-52 win over Virginia Tech. Under new coach Ginny Boggess Toledo opened last week with a loss to Marshall.

That’s Iowa coach Jan Jensen. Through two games the Hawkeyes are shooting only 27 percent from three point range.

Jensen says at times the Hawkeyes are too rushed on the perimeter.

Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht says it is all about toughness this week. After opening 7-0 the Cyclones have dropped two straight heading into Saturday night’s game at home against Cincinnati.

Becht believes the Cyclones are tough enough to get things turned around.

Becht says the Cyclones have focused on fundamentals.

The Cyclones will go against a familiar defense this week. Former ISU linebacker coach Tyson Veidt is in his first season as the Bearcat defensive coordinator and has installed the three-three-five.

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell says the Cyclones need to get back to complimentary football as they prepare to host Cincinnati. ISU had a second half rally fall short in a 45-36 loss to Kansas and has dropped two straight after a 7-0 start.

Campbell says the Cyclones need to play with better rhythm and it is up to him to find it.

Campbell says veteran leadership is vital as the Cyclones look to get things turned around.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior linebacker Jay Higgins has been tabbed as a semifinalist for the 2024 Chuck Bednarik Award, it was announced Tuesday by the Maxwell Football Club.

Presented annually since 1994, the Bednarik Award is named for University of Pennsylvania linebacker Chuck Bednarik and recognizes the most outstanding defensive player in the nation.

Higgins is also a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, Lombardi Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy. He was named a midseason All-American last month by the Associated Press, Sporting News, CBS and The Athletic.

Higgins (6-foot-2, 232 pounds) is second in the Big Ten in tackles (10th nationally), making 98 tackles (9.8 per game). He led the team in tackles in Iowa’s first nine games of 2024, including a season-high 14 tackles against Ohio State, Washington and Michigan State. The native of Indianapolis has five double-digit tackle games this season and 16 in his career. His 315 career tackles are tied for 17th in program history. Higgins also has three interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Higgins is the only player in the nation with 90+ tackles and three interceptions. His three picks are tied for the second most among linebackers from a Power 4 conference.

Semifinalist voting for the Bednarik Award begins today and will close on Nov. 23. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 26 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.

Iowa is one of seven schools to have at least one Maxwell and Bednarik semifinalists (Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas). Hawkeye running back Kaleb Johnson was selected as a Maxwell Award semifinalist.

Iowa (6-4, 4-3) returns to action Saturday, Nov. 23 at Maryland. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. (CT) in College Park, Maryland. The game will be televised on BTN and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

Jay Higgins | 2024 Honors
Butkus Award Semifinalist
Lombardi Award Semifinalist
Bednarik Award Semifinalist
Lott IMPACT Trophy Semifinalist
AP, CBS, Sporting News, The Athletic Midseason All-America
Preseason National Defensive POY by Phil Steele
Preseason first-team Walter Camp All-American
Preseason first-team All-America by AP, ESPN, CBS Sports
Preseason first-team All-America by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports
Preseason first-team All-Big Ten by Phil Steele, Athlon Sports
Preseason Big Ten Honors List
Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Wuerffel Trophy List
Senior Bowl preseason Watch List
UI October Male Athlete of the Month

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State women’s basketball sophomore Audi Crooks completed the clean sweep of preseason National Player of the Year Watch Lists on Tuesday when the rising star was named to the “Wade Watch” for the 2025 Wade Trophy, the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association announced.

Crooks has already been named to the Preseason Watch Lists for the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award this season. She was also named a unanimous choice for the Preseason All-Big 12 Team, Preseason AP All-America Honorable Mention and Preseason All-America Second Team by The Athletic. The Algona, Iowa native also appears on the Lisa Leslie Award Watch List for the nation’s top center in women’s basketball.

Through No. 8 Iowa State’s first three contests of the 2024-25 season, Crooks averages 16.3 points and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 50 percent from the floor. Against Southern, the 6-3 center posted 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for her ninth career double-double. She finished 7-of-11 from the floor while also passing out three assists and nabbing a steal in 23 minutes of action.

The 2023 AP All-America Honorable Mention and First Team All-Big 12 selection set an Iowa State single-season record for made field goals (258) and freshman records for points (635) and made free throws (114) a season ago. Crooks has now tallied 684 points and 282 rebounds through 36 games in her career while shooting over 57 percent (276-483) from the floor.

Crooks and the No. 8 Cyclones return to action on Thursday night, taking on St. Thomas (MN). Tip-off is set for 6:30 p.m. in Hilton Coliseum.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior running back Kaleb Johnson has been recognized as a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award, it was announced Tuesday by the Maxwell Football Club.

The Maxwell Award has been awarded to College Football’s Player of the Year since 1937 and is named in honor of Robert Maxwell for his contributions to the game as a player, sportswriter and official.

Johnson, who is Iowa’s first Maxwell semifinalist since quarterback Ricky Stanzi in 2010, is having a record-breaking year for the Hawkeyes. He has tallied a school-record 126 points this season, via a school-record 21 total touchdowns. Johnson (6-foot-0, 212-pounds) has rushed for 20 scores, which ties Shonn Greene’s single-season record set in 2008. Johnson has rushed for 1,328 yards in 10 games in 2024, the second-most in the country and seventh most in program history.

The native of Hamilton, Ohio, has scored at least one touchdown in 10 straight games — the longest stretch in school history. He has seven games this season with two or more rushing touchdowns, believed to be the most in a single season in program history.

Semifinalist voting for the Maxwell Award begins today and will close on Nov. 23. Three finalists for each award will be announced on Nov. 26 and a finalist round of voting will take place at that time. Eligible voters include Maxwell Football Club members, NCAA head football coaches, sports information directors and selected national media.

Iowa is one of seven schools to have at least one Maxwell and Bednarik semifinalists (Alabama, Colorado, Iowa, Indiana, Ole Miss, Tennessee and Texas). Hawkeye linebacker Jay Higgins was selected as a Bednarik Award semifinalist.

Iowa (6-4, 4-3) returns to action Saturday, Nov. 23 at Maryland. Kickoff is slated for 11 a.m. (CT) in College Park, Maryland. The game will be televised on BTN and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

Kaleb Johnson | National Rankings
Total Touchdowns: 2nd (21)
Rushing Yards Per Game: 2nd (132.8)
Rushing Touchdowns: 3rd (20)
Total Points scored: 3rd (126)
Rush Yards Per Carry: 6th (7.06)
All-Purpose Yards: 8th (143.7)

Kaleb Johnson | 2024 Honors
Maxwell Award Semifinalist
Doak Walker Watch List
CBS Sports, Sporting News, The Athletic Midseason All-America
Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week (Sept. 24)
Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week (Sept. 23)
Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week (Nov. 4)
Senior Bowl Co-Offensive National Player of the Week (Oct. 14)
UI September Male Athlete of the Month