IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa athletic department announced its comprehensive Name, Image and Likeness program – FLIGHT – on Friday. FLIGHT is a cross-departmental effort that creates and oversees NIL educational programming for Hawkeye student-athletes. The program equips Iowa student-athletes with the tools necessary to strengthen their NIL potential.

“As we navigate this new era of college athletics and Name, Image, Likeness, we are fully committed to supporting our student-athletes throughout the process,” said Gary Barta, Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. “Our FLIGHT program equips them with the tools and knowledge to build their personal brands, allowing them to be at the forefront of NIL opportunities.”

Through the department’s expanded partnership with INFLCR, all Iowa student-athletes will have access to tools that will help them excel in the NIL era. Those tools include educational training in the areas of branding, social media, entrepreneurship, networking, and finance through the INFLCR+ Storyteller Playbook, and access to fair market and social strategy evaluations for each student-athletes’ personal social media profiles.

“It’s been great working with the Hawkeyes on building their student-athletes’ brands, and we couldn’t be more excited for the launch of FLIGHT,” said INFLCR CEO Jim Cavale.

“Iowa Athletics is positioning itself to be one of the most forward-thinking programs in the nation, and FLIGHT will help prepare current student-athletes and future recruits for success at Iowa.”

INFLCR+ also allows the compliance office to track all NIL deals to ensure compliance with NCAA legislation.

“We’ve had a partnership with INFLCR for several years, and our student-athletes have successfully utilized its photo and video delivery system,” Barta added. “We are thrilled to expand our relationship and give all of our student-athletes the opportunity to understand their NIL rights and receive training and resources to enhance their NIL potential.”

Empower:

FLIGHT empowers all Iowa student-athletes, providing them with education materials, NIL resources, up-to-date business and social media strategies, professional connections, and more.

Educate:

FLIGHT provides educational programming, including courses on branding, social media usage, entrepreneurship, networking, and finance.

Take Flight:

FLIGHT equips Iowa student-athletes with the tools necessary to build their personal brands, and capitalize on their earning potential while also providing opportunities and educational experiences that will benefit them throughout their time at Iowa and in their careers inside or outside of athletics.

About INFLCR Plus

INFLCR’s NIL team assists college athletic departments in the implementation of content, compliance, and recruiting strategies to support athletics programs navigating new challenges and dynamics coming from eventual student-athlete Name, Image, and Likeness commercial activities. INFLCR’s Plus offerings equip athletics staff with the software, assets, and guidance to maximize their messaging to potential recruits, while providing unique insights for current student-athletes looking to build their brands and benefit from future NIL opportunities.

As athletic departments launch custom NIL programs at their institutions, INFLCR’s NIL team

IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa men’s basketball team will return to South Dakota for a nonconference game against Utah State on Dec. 18, 2021. The Hawkeyes and Aggies will meet at the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Tickets will go on sale at a later date. Television coverage will determine a start time.

Iowa will play at the Pentagon for the third time overall and second straight season after taking on then-No. 1 Gonzaga last year. Utah State played three games on Heritage Court in 2020 during the inaugural Crossover Classic. The Pentagon has hosted 54 NCAA Division I men’s college basketball games since opening in 2013.

“Putting these matchups together and bringing in high-caliber programs like Iowa and Utah State to Sioux Falls is always a thrill for us,” said Steve Young, president of Sanford Sports. “We’re excited to welcome back the Aggies and Hawkeyes in consecutive years and especially want to thank Coach McCaffery for being a constant supporter of what we do at the Pentagon. This game promises to produce an electrifying atmosphere with the best basketball fans in the country watching these two teams play in person.”

A member of the Big Ten Conference, Iowa is coming off a 22-9 season and a third-place conference finish with a mark of 14-6. The Hawkeyes advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament before falling to Oregon. Iowa led the NCAA in assists per game (19.2) and assist-to-turnover ratio (2.02), and ranked fifth in scoring offense (83.7) in 2021. Its assist-to-turnover ratio established a new NCAA single-season record, while its scoring average was the program’s highest in 32 years. The Hawkeyes return multiple upperclassmen and a number of players with starting experience.

“We are eager to return to Sioux Falls for a third time and challenge a successful Utah State program,” said Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery. “The community and Sanford Pentagon staff always welcome us with open arms and provide a first-class experience. This will be another great opportunity for our fans in the northern part of the state to see our team play.”

First-year head coach Ryan Odom inherits a Utah State team that went 20-9 last season. Odom spent the last five seasons at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County where in 2018 his team became the first No. 16 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament when the Retrievers defeated Virginia.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be returning to the Sanford Pentagon and excited to compete against an excellent Iowa basketball program,” said Utah State head coach Ryan Odom. “This event will be a great experience for our players and Aggie fans.”

This will be the fourth meeting between Utah State and Iowa. The Hawkeyes won the first two contests, while the Aggies won the last meeting in 2007.

Athletics – Headshot, mugs – Highers Simpson Athletics Complex, Life Skills room – 09/01/2010

AMES, Iowa – Nick Joos, who has worked 34 years in collegiate athletics, including 21 seasons as an assistant athletics director or senior-level administrator, is coming home.

The West Des Moines, Iowa, native and 1987 Iowa State graduate accepted the position of Senior Associate Athletics Director in the Iowa State Athletics Department, Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard announced today.

Joos returns to Ames after serving four years at Missouri (2017-21), including the last three as a Deputy Athletics Director within the Tigers.

The 57-year-old Joos has an outstanding track record of communication initiatives. His experience and familiarity with Iowa State and the Big 12 Conference were key factors in Pollard’s decision in hiring Joos to replace Steve Malchow, who is retiring after 16 years of dedicated service in the department.

“We are very fortunate to be able to add an individual with Nick’s professional experience and knowledge of the Big 12 Conference to our leadership team,” Pollard said. “He will hit the ground running and have an immediate impact on our department’s continued success. It is also really rewarding to provide an opportunity for a native Iowan and an Iowa State graduate to return home.  Iowa State University is a very special place for Nick.”

The opportunity to work and make a difference at his alma mater is special to Joos.

“I am honored to be reuniting with the Cyclone family after watching from afar so many years, and grateful to Jamie Pollard for the opportunity to return home and join his leadership team during this exciting time in Iowa State history,” Joos said.

“My decision to attend Iowa State, coupled with the education and opportunities provided me within athletics as a student by Coach (Larry) Corrigan, Coach (Johnny) Orr, Dave Starr, Max Urick, Dave Cox, Kirk Hendrix and Butch Henry to name just a few, established a foundation that prepared me well for a rewarding professional career that has now come full circle,” he added. “Steve Malchow has been a tremendous friend and colleague for more than three decades and I wish him well as he heads into retirement while leaving behind some very big shoes to fill within Iowa State Athletics.”

Joos joined the Mizzou staff on February 1, 2017, as Senior Associate Athletics Director for Strategic Communications, and was promoted to Deputy Athletics Director/Chief Communications Officer in 2018. He currently has oversight of the Tigers’ strategic communications, creative services, broadcast operations and technology teams, while serving as the sport administrator for Mizzou’s football and men’s golf programs. He also worked with the SEC Network and handled departmental public relations initiatives, football scheduling and spirit squads.

Joos is well acquainted with the Big 12 Conference after working at Baylor University for 14 years (2003-17) in various roles. As the department’s Executive Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs, from 2010-17, he oversaw the department’s communications efforts, marketing, spirit and tradition, ticket operations, BaylorVision and licensing units.

Baylor’s ticketing and licensing units registered record revenues under his leadership, and Joos also served as the sport administrator for the Bears’ successful men’s basketball and tennis programs.

Joos was the primary football media relations contact at Baylor from 2003-06 and was instrumental in Robert Griffin III’s successful 2011 Heisman Trophy campaign.

Prior to his stint at Baylor, Joos led the media relations office at UMass from 2000-03, serving as an Associate Athletics Director in his final year.

Joos began his professional career in collegiate athletics at Nebraska, working 13 years (1987-2000) with the Husker athletics program in both the sports information office and men’s basketball program: sports information intern (1987-88), assistant sports information director (1988-94), associate sports information director (1994-95) and director of men’s basketball operations (1995-2000).

Joos’ passion for collegiate athletics sprouted at Iowa State, where he was a student assistant in the sports information office. He served as the media relations contact for Iowa State baseball from 1983-87, and in 1986, received the Cap Timm Award given annually to the person that made the greatest contribution to the team.

Joos is a former president for the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), holding that chair during the 2008-09 academic year and spearheading the organization’s hybrid relationship with the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA). A 2014 CoSIDA Hall of Fame inductee, he received the organization’s 2015 Arch Ward Memorial Award for outstanding achievement in athletics communications and was honored with the All-American Football Foundation’s Scoop Hudgins Outstanding SID Award in 2007.

Joos has also served on the NCAA Honors Committee and has been a member of CoSIDA’s Academic All-America Committee since 2001.

He and his wife of 30 years, Jill, are the parents of two grown children, Christopher and Jenna.