Iowa State coach Matt Campbell is not sure what the format will be for the Cyclones’ spring game on Saturday in Jack Trice Stadium. ISU is coming off a lengthy scrimmage last weekend that included more than 100 plays.

Campbell says whatever format they use it will be productive.

Campbell says it will be important to get one more evaluation before spring drills end.

ISU was 7-6 last season and opens August 31st against North Dakota.

Iowa baseball coach Rick Heller has said it is not only what team you play but when you play them. That is the concern as the Hawkeyes get set to open a three game Big Ten series at home Friday night against Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights are just 3-6 in the league race but they have won four of five overall, took two of three from second place Nebraska last week and are the top hitting team in the Big Ten with a .327 average.

Heller says Rutgers is much better than its 3-6 conference record.

The series runs through Sunday.

Northern Iowa football coach Mark Farley wants game like conditions when the Panthers close out spring drills Friday night. The Panthers missed the FCS playoffs last year with a 6-5 record and Farley has been happy with the progress this spring.

Farley says they are bringing in officials to make it like a real game.

Farley was contemplating how the teams will be divided up.

UNI opens next season at home on August 31st against Valparaiso.

(Eagan, MN) — The Minnesota Vikings continue with voluntary off-season workouts this week at team headquarters in the Twin Cities. One of the players in the weight room has been star tight end T-J Hockenson, who is recovering from a serious knee injury he suffered in a game last year on December 24th against Detroit. Hockenson, a former Hawkeye standout, says rehab has been going well on his surgically-repaired knee. He says he continues to work hard to get the knee ready to play and would not put a timetable on when he would be ready to play in a game. The Chariton, Iowa product also says he isn’t sure of the solution, but he was not totally happy with the hit he took that caused the injury. Detroit defensive back Kerby Joseph went low to make the tackle, chopping at his knee, which caused the injury. Hockenson says he doesn’t think there was intent to injure, but he would have preferred to have been tackled higher on his body.

Vikings tight end T-J Hockenson says rehab on his knee continues.

Hockenson says he was not thrilled with the hit he took from Kerby Joseph that caused the injury.

Hockenson says he isn’t sure what the solution is on low hits, as the league also doesn’t want hits around the head and neck.

Hockenson says both he and Rams tight end Tyler Higbee suffered similar injuries on similar low hits, both from Kerby Joseph.

Hockenson says he is working hard in rehab but isn’t sure when he will be able to do football activities again.

Hockenson says things are on a great path on his road to recovery after his surgery.

Hockenson says early in his rehab it wasn’t easy.

Hockenson says it is good to be back at the team’s facility is good.

Hockenson says he is ready to push forward on his recover.

Hockenson says it is great to see new running back Aaron Jones in the building.

Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell is excited about T-J Hockenson’s progress.

O’Connell says he is comfortable with knowing Hockenson will be back at 100% in 2024.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa baseball team defeated Bradley, 11-6, on Wednesday night at Duane Banks Field.

The Hawkeyes trailed twice in the contest but responded both times to take the midweek contest with the Braves. Bradley struck first with a solo home run in the first, the Hawkeyes responded with a three run second inning.

After the Braves added five runs between the fourth and the fifth, Iowa again battled back scoring eight runs in the final three innings.

“I think for the most part it was a very good job,” said head coach Rick Heller. “Had the one bad inning in the fourth that looked like it was going to cost us. But other than that, we got off to a great start. The first three guys that went out there they did a nice job. Archer had a good start other than the solo home run to O’Brian.”

10 different pitchers saw action in the contest for the Hawkeyes. Anthony Watts had the longest outing throwing 1 1/3 innings to earn his second win of the season.

Ben DeTaeye threw the final inning of the game to close out the win. He joined Reese Beuter and Brandt Hogue as Hawkeyes who did not allow a hit or a run in the contest.

Andy Nelson, led the offensive charge for Iowa, plating three RBIs. Raider Tello and Reese Moore were both 2-for-5 and Moore scored three runs. Kyle Huckstorf and Gable Mitchell both scored two runs.

“What we were trying to do tonight is just be who we are,” said Heller.” We’re seeing that we do a good job of holding the zone and not expanding. Taking what they can get even if it is a walk, as well as being ready to do some damage if they get it over the big part of the plate. It was good to see.”

Iowa stole seven bases and hit .324 en route to the victory.

Iowa continues its home stand hosting Rutgers for a three-game series starting Friday at 6:05 p.m. (CT).

The Griswold Tigers girls golf team lost to Sidney last Thursday. They finished no team score on the day due to not having enough team members to get a complete score from that meet, which has been the story of the season so far. Junior Joanna Reynolds and senior Linsey Keiser (kyzer) both tied for first place but Reynolds won it on the tiebreaker. The two Tigers are  trying their best to participate in as many golf events as possible the rest of the season despite being shorthanded team.

The Tigers currently tied for third place in the Corner Conference with Essex as both teams have no individual and no overall wins this year.

Head Coach Chad Rodgers said the team has had four meets but the girls have made progress on the early part of the year.

Coach Rodgers says the team is focused and preparing for the Corner Conference meet, which is three weeks from now.

Coach Rodgers commented on what Reynolds and Keiser have meant to Tigers program this season.

Coach Rodgers says he is pleased with everything the girls have done this year, he hopes they will have some nice weather at the upcoming events to help improve their scores.

The Tigers next golf meet will (today) Thursday April 18th as they will take on Fremont-Mills in a Corner Conference regular season golf meet at the Fremont Golf Course. That meet will get underway at 4:00 p.m

The Griswold Tigers boys golf team lost by only one stroke to Essex last Thursday April 11th in Griswold. They shot a total of 220 while Essex shot a 219 on the day. Senior Logan Hook was the medalist that day when he shot a low score of 47.

The Tigers are currently sitting 0-4 in the Corner Conference and 0-6 overall with only eight golf events remaining on the schedule this season.

Coach Chad Rodgers says the team has gotten off to a slow start of the season but is really impressed on the early season success of junior Hogan Hook.

Coach Rodgers said that Hook has been a team leader for the Tiger golf program for many years now and helps out with coaching the underclassman, the leadership from Hook has taken weight off Coach Rodger’s shoulders.

Coach Rodgers elaborated on what he can do down the stretch to help prepare his team for success the rest of the season.

Coach Rodgers discussed the expectations he had on the rest of the year.

The Tigers next golf meet will (today) Thursday April 18th as they will take on Fremont-Mills in a Corner Conference regular season golf meet at the Fremont Golf Course. That golf meet will start at 4:00 p.m.

Drake football coach Todd Stepsis says the Bulldogs are using a new motto during spring drills. After going a combined 5-17 in 2021 and 2022 the Bulldogs used “be the change” as inspiration and they responded by going 8-0 in winning the Pioneer Football League title and advancing to the FCS playoffs. Their new motto is “raise the bar”.

Stepsis says with a team loaded with veterans he is confident the Bulldogs will be able to handle success.

Stepsis says a battle-scarred senior class is the strength of the team.

Stepsis feels that experience helped the Bulldogs excel in close games. Drake won six PFL games last season by a touchdown or less.

Drake’s spring game is Saturday.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa junior Payton Sandfort has been named a College Sports Communicators Second-Team Academic All-American, it was announced Wednesday by the CSC.

Sandfort is the seventh Hawkeye and 10th overall Academic All-American in program history. He is the fourth Academic All-American under head coach Fran McCaffery and the first since 2016.

The Waukee, Iowa, native, earned Winter Academic All-Big Ten and CSC Academic All-District honors and was a fall semester Dean’s List honoree in 2023. Sandfort, who carries a 3.91 grade point average in finance, was a co-recipient of the team’s Academic Excellence Award during the end-of-year banquet.

On the court, Sandfort was a third-team All-Big Ten selection after leading the team in scoring (16.4 points) and ranking second in rebounds (6.6). He made a Big Ten-best 94 3-point field goals, shooting 37.9 percent from long range.

On Feb. 27 against Penn State, Sandfort recorded the first triple-double in Iowa men’s basketball history. He finished the season with five double-double, tied for the most on the team.

The Hawkeyes finished the 2023-24 season with a 19-15 overall record. The team tied for sixth in the Big Ten (10-10 record) and advanced to the NIT Second Round.