DES MOINES, Iowa — After two years as the Drake women’s basketball graduate assistant, former Bulldog star Becca Hittner will remain on staff in a new role. The three-time Jackie Stiles MVC Player of the Year Award winner will continue to help guide Drake women’s basketball as the Director of Basketball Analytics and Player Development.

“Keeping Becca on staff is a home run for our Drake women’s basketball program and Drake University.” Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman stated. “She is a decorated student athlete that has earned multiple accolades degrees from Drake and during her tenure as a dominant player in the MVC will guide her into her new position as the Director of Basketball Analytics & Player Development for our team.  I’m so excited for the direction of our program!”

Hittner started her Drake journey in 2016 and proceeded to garner various recognitions including three MVC Player of the Year nods, two All-America Honorable Mentions, a pair of CoSIDA Academic All-American awards, and a handful of Bulldog scoring records.

After graduating in 2020, she played one season of professional hoops in Spain’s LF Endesa before returning to Des Moines as the Bulldog women’s basketball team’s graduate assistant.

Hittner officially began her new post on July 1.

Iowa State senior forward Tre King is thrilled to be preparing for a full season. King had to sit out the first semester last season after transferring from Georgetown and in 23 games averaged just over six points and four rebounds.

King says after playing the second half of last season he is taking on more of a leadership role during summer workouts.

King says he is thrilled to have an entire season to play.

King shot 50 percent from the field last season and hopes to have an expanded role on offense.

Iowa State coach T.J. Otzelberger says King’s toughness is a plus from the Cyclones.

Otzelberger says King’s experience has been a plus this summer.

Otzelberger says it was a tough spot for King to enter the rotation last season at the semester break.

Iowa star Caitlin Clark admits she will be nervous on Wednesday when she tees off in the John Deere Classic Pro-Am near the Quad Cities. The national player of the year will be paired with Cedar Rapids native and former Masters and British Open champion Zach Johnson. A large gallery is expected to follow the duo.

Clark enjoys the challenge of golf.

Clark says golf offers a mental challenge as an individual sport.

Clark says she hopes to play well.

• Atlantic 5, Denison-Schleswig 3
• Creston 3, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton 2 (8 innings)
• Glenwood 3, Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln 1
• Lewis Central 14, Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson 0
• Winterset 12, Carroll 0

CLASS 1-A DISTRICT FIRST ROUND

District 12:

• Coon Rapids-Bayard 3, Panorama 2 (9 innings)
• Mount Ayr 13, Mormon Trail 3
• Lenox 9, AC/GC 5
• Bedford 8, East Union 1

District 13:

• IKM-Manning 9, Glidden-Ralston 1
• Exira/EHK 3, Boyer Valley 2
• Alta-Aurelia 8 Audubon 0

District 14:

• Earlham 11, CAM 8
• Tri-Center 10, Griswold 0
• Southwest Valley 6, Stanton 4
• Woodbury Central 9 Ar-We-Va 0

District 15:

• Riverside 20, East Mills 4
• Fremont-Mills 13, Sidney 0
• St. Albert 20 Essex 1

CLASS 2-A DISTRICT FIRST ROUND

District 11:

• Chariton 8, Nodaway Valley 0

District 16:

• Shenandoah 10, AHSTW 2
• Treynor 15, Missouri Valley 0

REGULAR SEASON

• Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson 7, Atlantic 2
• Bishop Heelan Catholic 4, Creston 2
• Bishop heelan Catholic 5, Creston 0
• Lewis Central 9, Glenwood 2
• West Harrison 8, Harlan 3 (9 innings)

Final 3-A/4-A Rankings

Class 4-A

1. Ankeny Centennial (28-6)
2. Cedar Rapids Prairie (31-5)
3. Johnston (30-8)
4. Iowa City High (26-12)
5. Southeast Polk (26-12)
6. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (26-11)
7. Dowling Catholic (22-11)
8. Dallas Center-Grimes (26-6)
9. Pleasant Valley (25-14)
10. Cedar Falls (22-13)

Others Mentioned (alphabetical order): Ames (26-12); Ankeny (19-17); Indianola (24-9); Sioux City East (24-13); Sioux City North (26-11)

Class 3-A

1. Western Dubuque (28-9)
2. North Polk (23-4)
3. Lewis Central (25-4)
4. Marion (26-5)
5. ADM (22-8)
6. Wahlert Catholic (26-11)
7. Knoxville (30-3)
8. Assumption Catholic (21-12)
9. Bishop Heelan  Catholic (23-12)
10. MOC-Floyd Valley (24-7)

Others Mentioned (alphabetical order): Ballard (18-9); Benton Community (25-9); Bondurant-Farrar (22-12); West Delaware (24-11); Cedar Rapids Xavier (16-17)

CLASS 1-A DISTRICT 13 — FIRST ROUND

• Alta-Aurelia 8, Audubon 0

CLASS 1-A DISTRICT 14 — FIRST ROUND

• Woodbury Central 9, Ar-We-Va 0

CLASS 1-A DISTRICT 15 — FIRST ROUND

• St. Albert 20, Essex 1

CLASS 1-A DISTRICT 16 — FIRST ROUND

• Lawton-Bronson 3, Logan-Magnolia 0
• Woodbine 3, Westwood 2 (10 inn)

Iowa State basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger says summer workouts are a time for new players to adapt to college basketball. The Cyclones have several freshmen from a highly touted recruiting class who are expected to make an immediate impact next season.

Otzelberger says for freshmen it is about carving out a role and adapting to the physical challenges of college basketball.

Summer is also a time to be introduced to ISU’s demanding defensive style.

Otzelberger says there are several factors that go into good defense.

The Cyclones are coming off a 19-14 record that included a loss to Pitt in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.

J.T. Poston is set to defend his title at the John Deere Classic this week. Poston’s win last year was his second on the PGA Tour and he is looking forward to competing in the Quad Cities as the defending champ.

Poston has three top ten finishes this season but most recently missed the cut at the Travelers Championship.

Poston’s first win on the PGA Tour was back in 2019 at the Wyndham Championship.

It will also be a much different experience being the defending champ in the Quad Cities.

The first round of the John Deere Classic is Thursday.

Friday’s Area Regional Softball Scores:

Class 1A:

Region 1:
South O’Brien 8 Gehlin, Catholic, 6
Trinity-Christian 7 George-Little Rock, 0
Woodbury Central 15 Boyer Valley, 5
Westwood 6 Whiting, 0

Region 2:
Coon Rapids-Bayard 9 Ar-We-Va, 1 
Glidden-Ralston 11 Storm Lake, St. Mary’s, 0
GTRA 15 Harris Lake Park, 2
North Iowa 12 West Hancock, 5
Bishop-Garrigan 16 Northwood-Kensett, 1

Region 3:
Nodaway Valley 9 CAM, 3
East Union 11 Orient-Macksburg, 5
Murray 3 Melcher-Dallas, 2
Audubon 7 Tri-Center, 3
Riverside 11 St. Albert, 1

Region 4:
Lenox 12 Moulton-Udell, 0
Seymour 2 Bedford, 1
Lamoni, 14 Morman Trail, 4
East Mills 28 Sidney, 18
Essex 11 Stanton, 0
Class 2A:

Region 2:
AHSTW 9 IKM/Manning, 2
Alta-Aurelia 2 MMCRU, 1

Region 3:
ACGC 12 Southwest Valley, 0
East Sac County  13 South Central, Calhoun, 1