Class 1A

MFL Marmac 41 – Underwood 28

Grundy Center 42 – Colombus Catholic 7

Class 5A

Southeast Polk 30 – Valley 27

Ankeny 10 – Ankeny Centennial 7

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Tory Taylor has been chosen as one of 10 semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, which recognizes the nation’s top collegiate punter. The announcement was made Friday by the Augusta Sports Council.

Taylor, who is a three-time Ray Guy Award semifinalist (2020, 2021, 2023), was named last month to six midseason first-team All-America teams (Associated Press, ESPN, FOX, The Athletic, Sporting News, CBS).

The native of Melbourne, Australia, has punted 60 times for a 47.6-yard average through the first nine games of the 2023 season with 23 punts traveling 50+ yards (five punts of 60+), 19 being fair caught and 23 being downed inside the 20, nine inside the 10 and six inside the 5. Taylor only has three touchbacks and opponents average just 7.1 yards per return. His 60 punts are most by any punter nationally, while his punting average of 47.6 ranks eighth best.

Taylor was recognized as the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week twice (Oct. 9; Oct. 16), the Ray Guy National Punter of the Week on Oct. 24, and named to the Ray’s 8 list five times this year.

Taylor punted 10 punts in Iowa’s win at Wisconsin for a career-high 506 yards (50.6 avg.). He punted nine punts for 444 yards (49.3) against Minnesota and seven times for 366 yards (career best 52.3 average), including a season-long 62-yarder at Penn State.

Established in 2000, the Ray Guy Award is named after College and Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Ray Guy. Former Hawkeye Ryan Donahue was a finalist for the award in 2010.

A national body of Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) sports information directors, media representatives and previous Ray Guy Award winners will vote for the top three finalists to be announced on Nov. 22. After the finalists are named, the voting body will cast ballots again to select the nation’s top punter.

The Hawkeyes (7-2, 4-2) host Rutgers (6-3, 3-3) at 2:40 p.m. (CT) on Saturday on Duke Slater Field at Kinnick Stadium. The game will be televised live on Big Ten Network and broadcast on the Hawkeye Radio Network.

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

Redshirt freshman Nataly Moravec led the way for the Hawkeyes, posting nine kills and a .250 hitting percentage. Fifth year Caitlan Buettner followed closely behind with eight kills and a clip of .348. Buettner and sophomore Harlei Cole registered nine digs a piece on the night. Senior setter Bailey Ortega recorded 13 assists for the Hawkeyes.

Set 1 (Illinois, 25-20): The Hawkeyes came out strong with a kill by redshirt senior Delaney McSweeney. The set stayed close from the get-go, tying at points one through four. Illinois went on an offensive run, until freshman Rosa Vesty stood strong at the net to post a solo block. Soon after, Iowa went on an offensive run themselves, tying the set at 10. Moravec registered a pair of kills and Iowa took advantage of a few Illinois errors. The Illini pushed ahead, but Iowa trailed closely behind. Moravec recorded back-to-back kills, keeping the spread within two. Iowa kept fighting to close the gap but fell short, and Illinois took the first set.

Set 2 (Illinois, 25-16): Illinois came out with motivation, but Iowa quickly responded with a kill by Buettner. The next possession, freshman Gabby Deery also recorded a kill. The Fighting Illini went on a short run until Iowa took advantage on their error. Buettner attempted to lessen the spread, as she put down another kill. Illinois held the lead, but Iowa capitalized on another error to get the ball back. Moravec came through swinging from the outside for a kill, and then Deery teamed up with McSweeney for a block. Illinois pushed ahead, but Buettner added another kill to put the ball back into the Hawkeye’s hands. Towards the end of the set, redshirt junior Anna Davis added a kill to the board for the Hawkeyes. The two teams battled, but Illinois ended the set on top.

Set 3 (Illinois, 25-13): Illinois clinched the first couple of points, until Ortega found a hole on the other side of the net for a sneaky dump. McSweeney recorded a kill early in the set, as well as Buettner. The Fighting Illini took the lead, but another Buettner kill brought the set within two. Illinois jumped ahead after going on an offensive run, but McSweeney put one down to get the ball back for Iowa. Later in the set, freshmen duo Deery and Vesty paired up at the net to shut down an Illinois attack attempt. Iowa battled and went on a run of their own, capitalizing on Illinois errors. At the end of the set, the Hawkeyes could not catch the Fighting Illini, and Illinois won the set and the match.

UP NEXT

The Hawkeyes return to Xtream Arena on Sunday, Nov. 12 to take on Northwestern for Senior Day. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m. CT on B1G+ (subscription required).

LINCOLN, Neb. – University of Iowa swimming defeated Nebraska, 159.5-140.5, in their first Big Ten dual of the season at the Devaney Natatorium on Friday afternoon.

“Our coaching staff is so very proud of this team and how they performed tonight,” Iowa head coach Nathan Mundt said. “We faced adversity to start the meet and kept coming back to compete in every race and dive. We’re excited to earn our first Big Ten victory of the season and look forward to keeping the momentum going at our Hawkeye Invitational in a few weeks.”

The Hawkeyes tallied ten individual wins and a win in the 400 free relay on the day. Sophomore Scarlet Martin was responsible for two first-place finishes, including a season best in the 100 butterfly (54.18) and collegiate best in the 200 butterfly (1:59.56) to better her sixth ranked mark at Iowa. Senior Kennedy Gilbertson‘s 50 freestyle (23.72) and sophomore Sabina Kupcova‘s 100 freestyle (51.75) were also good for season bests.

The freshmen came together to register six of the ten individual wins. Olivia Swalley registered three, including breaking her seventh-ranked mark on Iowa’s top-10 list with a 2.17.07 finish in the 200 breaststroke. Hope Schimming set two new season bests as well in the 100 backstroke (56.48) and the 200 backstroke (2:02.12). Jenna Kerr was the final freshman to tally an individual win in the 200 freestyle (1:50.58).

Junior diver Makayla Hughbanks finished top three in the one- and three-meter dives to lead the squad. Hughbanks placed third in the 1-meter dive with a score of 299.90 and set a new season best finishing second in the 3-meter dive with a score of 315.60.

Iowa finished the meet strong with Kerr, Kupcova, freshman Josie Hood and Martin teaming up to win the 400 free relay with a time of 3:24.90.

University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving hosts the Hawkeye Invitational Thursday, Nov. 30-Saturday, Dec. 2. Prelims start at 10 a.m. (CT) and the finals will begin at 5 p.m. (CT) each day in the CRWC Natatorium. The meet will be live streamed on B1G+ (subscription required).

EVANSTON, Ill. – The eighth-ranked University of Iowa field hockey team fell to No. 10 Louisville, 2-1, in double overtime of the NCAA Sweet Sixteen on Friday night at Lakeside Field.

The Riverside Bulldogs Girls Basketball team did not have the season that they had hoped for last year going just 7-16 in Head Coach Mitchell Rice first season with the team. The Bulldogs had a young roster with not one senior on the team a season ago and the young team definitely took its bumps along the road, Coach Rice thinks the Bulldogs will be improved this season. Mitchell in just his second year with the team has added to his coaching staff this year and both his assistant coaches are Riverside alumni and Coach Rice thinks that will certainly help out having people around that know the way about Bulldogs basketball and around the community.

Although the Bulldogs didn’t have the results that they had hoped for a season ago there is a new spark around this Bulldog basketball team. There are more girls out for basketball this season than Riverside has seen in quiet some years and Coach Rice said with the increase in numbers this season there is light at the end of the tunnel.

With the increase in girls out this year the Bulldogs believe that they are as deep as they have ever been and will try to use that to their advantage. Coach Rice is looking to his upperclassmen to lead the way and set the example for the freshman to set the tone and show them the ways of being a part of Bulldogs basketball and think that leadership and chemistry can lead to better results on the basketball court.

Elly Hendersen is the leading scorer returning for the Bulldogs as she posted 7 points and 4 rebounds per game as a sophomore. Knowing Hendersen will be the vocal point of opposing team’s defenses Coach Rice said that the Bulldogs will have to do things as a collective unit, and everything will be team based.

The Riverside Bulldogs open their 2023-24 season campaign on November 20th when they travel to Essex to take on the Trojans for a 7pm tipoff.

Last year the (16-7) Cam Cougars Girls Basketball team ended their season in the Class 1A Region 5 Quarterfinal against Tri-Center. That same team had a solid showing in the 2022-23 season going 11-5 in conference play and finishing third in the Rolling Valley Conference. Even with the season ending shorter than expected, Cougars Head Coach Joe Wollum is looking forward to bringing a majority of that team back.

This past offseason has been dedicated to increasing tempo and speed for the Cougars. Coach Wollum wants to make sure that CAM stays sharp and speedy. He’s been training his team that even when you have a basket scored on you. Respond without hesitation and try to match it as quickly as you can.

When it comes to speed and quick responses, one of the key players for the Cougars this year is senior Eva Steffensen. Steffensen is coming off a dominant junior year as she was the only player in the Rolling Valley Conference with over 70 assists, 50 blocks, and 50 steals.

Steffensen is not the only contributor returning to the Cougars. Senior Meredith Rich comes into the season scoring over 250 points last year and 29 made threes. Emma Follmann is another player who adds experience for CAM with playing in all 23 games. Follmann also helped with rebounds having 98 last year.

The talent and experience are there for CAM this year. So, Coach Wollum’s main focus is to play fast and with intensity. He believes that with the veteran core taking the floor this year and how swift the Cougars will be it will create a high level of basketball.

The Cougars first game of the season starts at home, on Tuesday November 21st against AHSTW at 7:30pm.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (10.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS