(Radio Iowa) – A bill in the Iowa House would require Iowa State and the University of Northern Iowa to revive their baseball programs. Representative Skyler Wheeler of Hull – the head coach of the Unity Christian High School baseball team — is the bill’s author.

U-N-I last fielded a baseball team during the 2009 season and I-S-U’s baseball program was shut down in May of 2001. Athletics directors for both schools cited budget constraints when announcing those decisions. Carolann Jenson — a lobbyist for the board that governs all three state universities — suggests a lot has changed since the programs were terminated.

The University of Iowa is the only one of the three state universities to have a baseball program today.

Wheeler, a native of Washington state, played first baseman for Red Raiders of the Northwestern University in Orange City.

N-C-Double-A rules allow division one baseball programs to offer nearly 12 total scholarships — and the roster is limited to 27 players. The bill has cleared a House subcommittee with the support of Wheeler and another Republican. The panel’s other member — Democratic Representative Dave Jacoby (juh-COH-bee) of Coralville — says he’ll back the bill if it also requires Iowa State and U-N-I to add women’s wrestling programs.

Over 200 Iowa high schools had a girl’s wrestling program this year. In 2021, the University of Iowa added a women’s wrestling program.