DES MOINES, Iowa – The Drake women’s basketball team spread the playing time and scoring throughout the lineup Sunday in rolling past Upper Iowa 87-40 in an exhibition game at the Knapp Center.

Drake’s three preseason All-Missouri Valley Conference selections led the way for the Bulldogs, who outrebounded their Division II opponent 60-33, came up with 15 steals and had assists on 21 of their 34 field goals. 

Graduate Grace Berg topped the scoring with 24 points on 9-for-14 shooting. Junior Katie Dinnebier added 14 points, nine assists and six steals, while junior Anna Miller contributed 12 points, nine rebounds and four blocks. She made all but one of her seven shots and handed out a couple of assists.

Drake held Upper Iowa to 24 percent shooting and gave up no more than four baskets in any quarter. The Peacocks did lead once, at 3-2 on Amelia Valentino’s 3-pointer, and it was tied at 6-6. But the Bulldogs closed the quarter with 10 straight points to open a 24-11 lead and were control the rest of the way.

After another exhibition game on Wednesday, Nov. 1, against Winona State, Drake opens the regular season at home against St. Thomas on Monday, Nov. 6.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — University of Iowa women’s soccer defeated top-seed Michigan State, 2-1, on Sunday at DeMartin Soccer Complex to advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.

The victory over the 12^th-ranked Spartans is Iowa’s highest-ranked win since defeating No. 4 Penn State in the 2020-21 Big Ten Tournament. Both games were played on the road, with the Hawkeyes going on to win the program’s first conference tournament championship that season.

The Hawkeyes, who entered as the tournament eighth-seed, improve to 10-4-4 overall this season. Iowa avenged a 3-0 loss to Michigan State in the regular season finale. A pair of second half scores lifted Iowa to the comeback victory.

HEAR FROM HEAD COACH DAVE DIIANNI

“We knew this was going to be a difficult challenge for our team, coming back here for the second time in a week, but our ladies embraced it from the beginning. They believed our mentality and performance were not up to the standard that we ask of them each to win any game, let alone against a top team like Michigan State. I’m proud of the conviction and resiliency they have shown this year. We were playing for our season.”

HAWKEYE NOTABLES

• Iowa’s most recent Big Ten Tournament victory came on Oct. 31, 2021, in East Lansing; the Hawkeyes have been visitors in each of the last four meetings against Michigan State.
• The Big Ten Tournament appearance is the 14^th in Hawkeye program history.
• McGroarty now matches seventh-year Josie Durr and junior Elle Otto for a team-best 12 points this season; McGroarty has four goals and four assists this year, while Bush has three goals and one assist (7 points) as a true-freshman midfielder. Enneking’s 23 career victories move into a tie for fourth place in the Iowa record book alongside Britta Vogele ’04.
• 90 Tracker: Four Hawkeye position players logged the full 90 minutes against Michigan State, including fifth-year Samantha Cary (13), freshman Millie Greer (13), senior Maggie Johnston (5) and freshman Eva Pattison (4). Five other Hawkeyes have played the entirety of at least one game this season, including senior Rielee Fetty (4), seventh-year Josie Durr, junior Kenzie Roling, sophomore Kellen Fife and freshman Sofia Bush.

UP NEXT

Eighth-seeded Iowa (10-4-4, 4-4-3) faces fourth-seeded Penn State (13-1-4, 6-1-3) in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals on Thursday, Nov. 2. The winner will advance to the championship match on Nov. 5. The semifinals and championship match will be played at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. Both games will air live on Big Ten Network.

Former Sioux City Musketeer hockey player Adam Johnson died after an on ice accident while playing in England. Woody Gottburg reports.

The UNI women’s basketball team hosts Wisconsin-La Crosse Monday night in an exhibition contest. Forward Grace Boffeli is the Missouri Valley preseason player of the year. Boffeli, Maya McDermott and Emerson Green are returning starters for the Panthers.

UNI is the preseason Valley favorite and Boffeli says a key this season will be finishing games.

Boffeli averaged better than 16 points and nine rebounds last season and is looking forward to the new season.

Iowa State enters the month of November at the top of the Big 12 standings. The Cyclones are part of a five-way tied for the lead after a 30-18 win at Baylor.It was ISU’s fourth win in the last five games and they will take a 4-1 conference record into a game against Kansas. Iowa State coach Matt Campbell.

Campbell on playing meaningful football in November.

Saturday’s game will kick at 6:00pm in Jack Trice Stadium and be televised by ESPN.

CORALVILLE, Iowa — University of Iowa volleyball fell to Maryland, 3-0, Saturday evening inside Xtream Arena.

Redshirt freshman Nataly Moravec led the way for the Hawkeyes, posting seven kills and hitting at a clip of .412. Senior setter Bailey Ortega led the team in assists with 12, and Kaia Mateo followed closely behind with 10. Redshirt sophomore Sydney Dennis registered eight digs — the team high on the night.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to play on Friday, Nov. 3 against the Wolverines. First serve is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. CT on B1G+ (subscription required).

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – University of Iowa swimming fell to Vanderbilt, 138-124 at the Centennial Sportsplex on Saturday. The diving squad finished competition at Ohio State in Columbus, Ohio.

“Overall, we had some very good performances today and continued to race with determination and focus until the end,” Iowa head coach Nathan Mundt said. “After being behind in the team score, we’re proud of how we finished. Winning the 400 free relay at the end of the meet showed pride. We’ll continue to learn from this meet and look forward to competing against Nebraska.”

The Hawkeyes tallied five individual wins and a win in the 400-free relay on the day. Freshman Olivia Swalley registered three herself, including etching her name on Iowa’s top-10 list, twice. Swalley posted the ninth fastest 100-breaststroke (1:02.16) and the seventh fastest 200-breaststroke (2:17.41) performances in program history and claimed her third win of the day in the 200-individual medley (2:03.26).

Freshman Jenna Kerr had an impressive start to her career, finishing first place in the 200 freestyle (1:50.40) and the 500 freestyle (4:57.49).

Iowa finished out the meet strong with Kerr, sophomore Sabina Kupcova, freshman Josie Hood and sophomore Scarlet Martin teaming up in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:23.72 to clinch the win.

Down the road at Ohio State, sophomore diver Geneva Pauly finished fourth in the platform dive competition with a final score of 222.40 to lead the squad. Freshman Simone Beinlich set a new season best in the 1-meter dive with a 256.30, finishing sixth overall.

The Hawkeyes hit the road again on Friday, Nov. 10 as they take on the Cornhuskers in Lincoln, Nebraska, inside Devaney Natatorium at 4 p.m. (CT). The dual will be live streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).