Following is a comment from University of Iowa head football coach Kirk Ferentz, following the unexpected and untimely death of former Hawkeye football player Damon Bullock:

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Damon’s parents, Kimberly and Roscoe, and the entire family. Damon’s tragic and unexpected death is a shock to all of us within the Iowa football program, as well as his former teammates. Damon was an outstanding young man and we enjoyed him being a part of the Hawkeye football program.”

Bullock completed his Iowa career in 2014. His career totals include 290 rushing attempts for 1,074 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He also had 71 receptions for 616 yards and one touchdown. He rushed for 513 yards in 2012 and 467 yards in 2013.

Bullock’s best career game came in an 18-17 win over Northern Illinois at Soldier Field in Chicago. In his first career start, Bullock rushed 30 times for 150 yards, scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 23-yard run late in the fourth quarter.

(BigTen.org) The Big Ten Conference announced today that James E. Delany will officially conclude his term as Big Ten Commissioner at the end of his current contract which expires on June 30, 2020.

The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) has initiated a search process under the direction of the COP/C Executive Committee and led by COP/C Chair Morton Schapiro, President, Northwestern University. They have retained the services of Korn Ferry to assist in the search.

“Jim has had an extraordinary impact on the Big Ten Conference, its member institutions, administrators, students and coaches since 1989,” said Schapiro. “He has been a forward-thinking, collaborative and decisive leader in every aspect of conference proceedings. We thank him for his dedicated service to date and look forward to working with him through the conclusion of his contract.”

“It’s been an amazing opportunity to serve and lead these preeminent institutions, presidents, administrators, coaches and students,” said Delany. “It is incredibly fulfilling to support the hundreds of thousands of young men and women who have been afforded an opportunity to obtain best-in-class educations as a result of the invaluable, one-of-a-kind lessons learned through the unique combination of athletic and classroom competition. I would like to recognize and thank each of my colleagues for being such invaluable members of, and contributors to, the Big Ten Conference team, while acknowledging that there is still plenty of work to be done. I look forward to continuing that work through the balance of my term.”

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast with Jim Field.

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Here is the latest Mid-America sports news from The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Megan Gustafson had 34 points and 12 rebounds for her 82nd career double-double in her final regular-season home game and No. 12 Iowa beat Northwestern 74-50. She moved into sixth in Big Ten scoring in front of 12,051 fans, and set a single-season conference record for the most field-goals made.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Sara Rhine scored 19 points, Sammie Bachrodt 17 and Becca Hittner 15 with 12 rebounds to lead No. 23 Drake to a 70-61 win over Missouri State and give the Bulldogs sole possession of first place in the Missouri Valley Conference. The teams came in tied for the league lead with the Bears (18-9, 14-2) holding an 85-79 win over Drake on Feb. 1.

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Martin Krampelj scored 19 points and Ty-Shon Alexander added 14 to pace Creighton to a 66-60 victory over No. 10 Marquette. Creighton outscored Marquette 16-3 down the stretch until a 3-pointer in the closing seconds by Markus Howard, who finished with 33 points. The Golden Eagles committed 22 turnovers, which Creighton turned into 18 points.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — For a few hours at spring training, Dabo Swinney became the Kyler Murray of coaching. Swinney slipped away from Clemson’s spring football practice to speak to the St. Louis Cardinals and take a little batting practice.
UNDATED (AP) — College recruiting focuses on big men who can dribble, shoot and move well defensively to fit today’s game. Big men who play primarily with their backs to the baskets are quickly becoming a dying breed.

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — As unhittable as Jordan Hicks’ 105 mph heater can be, a pitch clocked a little bit closer to the speed limit might ultimately be what makes him the Cardinals’ closer. Developing the slider, a pitch Hicks began to get a feel for late last season, into a reliable second option has been Hicks’ focus this spring.

TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Angels’ Albert Pujols wants to make a difference on and off the field. On Friday, he was at the United Nations in New York to receive an award for his humanitarian efforts. On Saturday, he played in a “B” game and on Sunday, he went 3 fo -3, including his first spring home run.

2018-19 WIC Academic Honor Teams
(Must be senior, maintain a 3.25 cumulative grade point average)

Girls Basketball

AHSTW: Katie Anzalone, Katie Wise.
Audubon: Keaton Wessel.
IKM-Manning: Gabrielle Cadwell, Caitin Muhlbauer, Sydney Wegner.
Missouri Valley: Carter Crispin, McKenna Clausen, Abigail Olson.
Treynor: Sydney Carman, Kayla Chapman, Gracie Hansen, Sydni Huisman, Noel James, Konnor Sudmann.
Tri-Center: Kayla Jensen, Lilly Dahir, Paula Eickenberry.

Boys Basketball

AHSTW: Blake Osbahr.
Audubon: Tate Kileen, Noah Muzney.
IKM-Manning: Keaton Allmon, Nathan Blankman, Ethan Carter, Alex Lingle.
Logan-Magnolia: Joel Richardson, Matt Soetmelk, Mason Rosengren.
Treynor: Kyle Christensen, Jerry Jorgensen.
Tri-Center: Wyatt Andersen, Kyle Siebels.
Underwood: Riley Konsor, Connor Ryan.

Wrestling

AHSTW: Ben Ehlers, Caden Larson, Gabe Madsen.
Audubon: Dylan Obermeier.
Logan-Magnolia: Josh Stueve, Beau Peschel, Weston Worley, Chase Maguire.
Missouri Valley: Connor Lange.
Riverside: Gabe Smith, Elijah Petersen.
Tri-Center: Emmett White.

2018-19 Western Iowa Conference
Boys Basketball, Final Standings

Teams                 Conf            All

*Treynor              16-0            20-4
Audubon            12-4            16-7
IKM-Manning     10-5            14-8
Underwood          8-8            11-10
AHST/W               8-8            12-11
Logan-Magnolia  8-8            11-10
Tri-Center             7-8            12-11
Riverside              2-14            6-16
Missouri Valley     0-16            2-20
* 2018-19 WIC Regular Season Champions.

WIC All-Conference Basketball Teams

First Team

*Tate Killeen, Audubon, Sr.; Jon Schwarte, Treynor, Jr.; Alex Lingle, IKM-Manning, Sr.; Jack Stogdill, Treynor, Jr.; Jack Tiarks, Treynor, Jr.; Lane Lawson, Audubon, Sr.; Jerry Jorgenson, Treynor, Sr.
* 2018-19 WIC Most Valuable Player.

Second Team

Matt Soetmelk, Lo-Ma, Sr.; Kaiden Smith, Audubon, Jr.; Jalen Humphrey, Underwood, Sr.; Blake Hall, Underwood, Soph.; Brady Huebner, Tri-Center, Sr.; Leyton Nelson, Tri-Center, Soph.; Clayton Akers, AHST/W, Jr.

2018-19 Western Iowa Conference
Girls Basketball, Final Standings

Teams                  Conf            All

!#*Treynor           16-0            26-1
IKM-Manning      12-3            17-5
Logan-Magnolia  12-4            13-9
AHST/W              11-5            15-7
Tri-Center             7-8            9-12
Audubon              7-9            9-14
Underwood         4-12            6-16
Riverside              1-15            3-19
Missouri Valley     1-15            1-21
* 2018-19 WIC Regular Season Champions.
# 2019 State Basketball Qualilfier.
! 2019 Class 2A State Champions

WIC All-Conference Basketball Teams

First Team

*Kylie Morrison, Logan-Magnolia, Jr.; Kayla Champman, Treynor, Sr.; Konnor Sudmann, Treynor, Sr.; Alexa Ahrenholtz, IKM-Manning, Soph.; Kinsey Scheffler, AHSTW, Jr.; Aleah Hermansen, Audubon, Fr.; Gabby Caldwell, IKM-Manning, Sr.
* 2018-19 WIC Most Valuable Player.

Second Team

Claire Harris, AHSTW, Soph.; Claire Denning, AHSTW, Soph.; Lilly Dahir, Tri-Center, Sr.; Marissa Anderson, Tri-Center, Sr.; Emilie Thompson, Lo-Ma, Soph.; Violet Lapke, Lo-Ma, Jr.; Sydni Huisman, Treynor, Sr.

Evan Hansen (From gvvikings.com)

Exira-EHK alum Evan Hansen clinched his third straight NAIA National Wrestling Championship on Saturday and helped lead Grand View to their 8th consecutive National Championship.

Hansen won by decision in the 197 pound championship 6-4 over Isaac Bartel of MSU-Northern to complete a 19-1 season record. The Kimballton native helped Grand View rack up 219 team points, 134 points ahead of second place Lindsey Wilson.

Grand View becomes just the second university nationally to claim eight straight national titles, joining the University of Iowa in Division I. The Vikings are now one of three programs in NAIA history to possess eight total titles.

Josh Wegner was a key contributor as well for Grand View earning his second career National Championship at 149 pounds. He came into the tourney as the five seed and beat his second seeded teammate Devin Reynolds to earn the crown. He adds to his 2017 title at 141 during his freshman season. He finishes 30-4 on the season with 17 pins.

The NAIA National Championship was held in Des Moines at the Richard O Jacobson Exhibition Center at the State Fairgrounds.

(IGHSAU) Treynor made sure this championship game ended on a much happier note than the last time the Cardinals played in the finals. All-tournament captain Konnor Sudmann scored 17 points and Treynor played outstanding defense in beating Grundy Grundy Center 48-30 to win the Class 2A state championship.

Treynor handed the top-ranked Spartans their first loss of the season and sent them home with a loss in championship game for the second straight year.

Treynor jumped on top early and never let up. The Cardinals made seven of their first eight shots in a building a 15-7 first-quarter lead and led by as many as 15 in the opening half. Grundy Center drew to 31-25 on Brooke Flater’s layup at the start of the fourth quarter, leaving the Spartans plenty of time for a rally. But their offense stalled — they managed only one basket the rest of the way — and Treynor pulled away with patient, efficient ball handling.

Mandy Stogdill’s 3-pointer from the deep right corner stretched the lead to 36-25 and Treynor made the free throws it needed down the stretch to stay in control. Against an aggressive Grundy Center defense, Treynor turned the ball over only three times.

Treynor got back to the championship game after a tough 51-48 loss to Western Christian in the 2017 finals, a game in which Treynor was hurt by a charging call against Sudmann in the final seconds. The Cardinals had been unbeaten going into that one.

Stogdill finished with nine points on three 3-pointers and Kayla Chapman also scored nine for the Cardinals, who held Grundy Center to 28.6 percent shooting and closed with a 26-1 record.

Kylie Willis led Grundy Center with eight points, Hailey Wallis scored seven and Flater had six. Grundy Center, which lost to Cascade in last year’s championship game, finishes 24- 1.

Chapman joined Sudmann on the all-tournament team, which also had Wallis, Alli Masters and Emma Atwood of Central Decatur and Nicole McDermott of Cascade.

Box Score

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Nick McGlynn had 22 points and 13 rebounds as Drake topped Missouri State 73-62 on Saturday to win at least a share of the Missouri Valley Conference regular-season title. Tremell Murphy had seven rebounds for Drake (23-8, 12-6).

Jarred Dixon had 18 points for the Bears (16-15, 10-8). Tulio Da Silva added 17 points. Keandre Cook had 10 points and three blocks.

The Bulldogs improve to 2-0 against the Bears on the season. Drake defeated Missouri State 74-63 on Jan. 20. The Bulldogs and the Bears next take the floor in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament.