The University of lowa is making a leadership change with its men’s basketball program, athletic director Beth Goetz announced on Friday.

“Fran McCaffery has been an integral part of our Hawkeye family for the past 15 years. He is a tremendous coach and teacher, and we are grateful for the positive impact he has made on the institution and the community,” said Goetz. “We have a deep appreciation for his dedication to our student-athletes and his passion for the game that will have a lasting impact on our program.”

McCaffery has the most victories in lowa history with 297, including a record 143 Big Ten wins. He has led the Hawkeyes to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances and a Big Ten Tournament championship in 2022. McCaffery has guided seven players to first-team All-Big Ten status, including four consensus All-Americans and the 2020 & 2021 National and Big Ten Player of the Year, Luka Garza.

The University of lowa will begin a national search for a new head coach immediately.

The Atlantic Girls Track team will kick off their 2025 season in Ames Friday. The Trojans will be taking the veterans to the IATC Indoor Championships for their first competition of the season. Atlantic will look to continue their run of success this season. Last year, the Trojans qualified for the state tournament in eight categories. Little has changed in the way of expectations in what has been a winning and competing culture. Head coach Matt Mullenix said he has stressed competing as a team in what is normally an individualistic sport.

The Trojans do bring a bit of a younger team to the track this year. However, it is not a group that lacks experience. Despite only having three seniors, Atlantic brings back a strong junior class along with a healthy number of sophomores and freshmen.  Mullenix is already pleased with how the group has come together.

Morgon Botos, Hailey Huffman, and Jersey Phippen are the three members of the strong senior leadership group for the Trojans. Huffman was a part of the team that had a top 20 finish in the 800-meter sprint medley relay a year ago at the state meet. In addition to being on that (800m SMR) team, Botos was also a part of the group that finished third in the 1600m SMR. Botos and her fellow seniors are excited to get their final season underway and reflected on what makes being a part of this team means.

The junior class is likely Atlantic’s strongest group. Lila Wiederstein and Jayci Reed return for their junior campaign. A year ago Reed placed third in the state in the 100-meter hurdles while being a part of two other top 20 finishes (800m SMR & 4x100m). Wiederstein also had an impressive showing at state earning a top 15 finish in the long jump while being a part of the 1600m SMR group. Reed exemplified the feeling of the confidence that the Trojans have in one another.

Another thing shared amongst the athletes and the coaches is their expectations. As Mullenix says, they expect to be in the thick of it come the end of the year.

The Trojans have all the tools and the drive to be successful this season as they look to expand upon their recent run of success.

Tri-Center Trojans Boys Basketball finished with an 18-6 record this season hitting their highest win total since 2020-2021. The Trojans began the year 8-0. Head Coach Chad Harder says he was impressed with his team’s effort and the ability to win.

A few of Tri-Center’s players got started with the basketball season late because of a state football championship in the fall. Harder says he has been impressed with the athletes’ work ethic in the sports transition. Each player finding their roles was a major beneficiary.

The Trojans graduate one senior who left a major impact on the program.

Despite the one senior. there is plenty to return for the Trojans.

Tr-Center will look to build and be stronger as before in next season’s campaign.

Iowa’s run ended at the Big Ten Tournament against Illinois, Thursday. The Illini shot 54 percent and outrebounded the Hawkeyes 41-24 in a 106-94 win. Payton Sandfort led Iowa with 30 points and coach Fran McCaffery was ejected midway though the second half.

McCaffery got his first technical foul with 13:33 remaining and the Hawkeyes trailing 69-60.

Seconds later he was ejected. The Hawkeyes are 17-16 and will wait to see if there are any tournament opportunities.

When asked about his future McCaffery says he intends to be the coach next season and hopes a solid incoming recruiting class will blend with several veterans.

McCaffery was asked if the program has the resources needed to compete for a Big Ten title.

Sandfort finished eight of 13 from three point range in what could be his final game in an Iowa uniform.

The AHSTW Viking Boys basketball team won as many games as they lost. It was an 11-11 season with plenty to appreciate but also much to improve on. The Vikings finished strong winning six of their last eight games of the season. It was the strong push AHSTW needed at the back end of the season after beginning the 2024-2025 slate 0-4.

The Vikings year was highlighted by a five-game winning streak which ran over an 11 day stretch in late January to early February. AHSTW’s offense hit its stride over the stride by scoring at least 59 points in each of those five contests. The Vikings had three players average double figures including the two seniors on the roster, Luke Sternberg and Camden Soukup. Sternberg was at 18 points a contest, while Soukup was a hair under 11 points a game.

Junior Collin Harder will be looked to as a leader next season after his 14 points a game in 2024-2025. Leading rebounder and blocker, fellow Junior Kaden Jorgensen will be another guy the coaching staff looks to when the time comes around again in November.

12th year Head Coach G.G. Harris says this was a hardworking, enjoyable group as he reflected on this past winter.

The two seniors’ impact on the program can’t be replaced but the returners will look to fill their shoes on the floor.

Harris emphasizes just getting a basketball in their hands over the summer and shoot as much as they can in the offseason.

The AHSTW Vikings will seek to get over the hump get that winning record in 2025-2026.

Class 3A:

Clear Lake – 66, ADM – 57

MOC-Floyd Valley – 44,  Cedar Rapids Xavier – 41 

Class 2A:

Western Christian – 53, Grand View Christian – 46 

West Lyon – 69,  Unity Christian – 55

Class 1A:

Marquette Catholic – 57, Gladbrook-Reinbeck – 45 

Madrid – 71,  St. Edmond, Fort Dodge – 58 

A valiant effort fell short for 12th ranked Iowa State, today (Thursday), at the Big 12 Tournament.

John Walters on the Cyclone Network. With starting guards Tamin Lipsey and Keshon Gilbert sidelined with injuries the Cyclones pushed 17th ranked BYU to the limit before falling 96-92 in Kansas City. The teams combined to make a tournament record 31 three pointers.

That’s ISU coach T.J. Otzelberger. Curtis Jones scored 31 points and the Cyclones shot 56 percent in a losing effort.

Gilbert did not dress and Otzelberger says the decision to sit Lipsey was made prior to tip-off.

The Cyclones are 24-9 and will find out Sunday where they are headed for the NCAA Tournament.

Milan Momcilovic finished with 18 points and says everybody needed to step up their game with two starters out.

Momcilovic says the focus now shifts to the NCAA Tournament.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa women’s wrestler, Kylie Welker has been named the USA Wrestling Athlete of the Week, as announced Wednesday by the organization.

On Saturday, Welker won her second NCWWC National title at 180 pounds, helping Iowa to its second team title. She was one of three champions for the Hawkeyes, with Macey Kilty and Kennedy Blades also earning national titles.

In the finals, she defeated freshman No. 2 seed Sabrina Nauss of Grand Valley State, 10-0. Her route to the finals included four technical falls and one pin in under a minute, while leading 6-0. Welker did not concede a single point throughout the national tournament.

The Franksville, Wisconsin, native finished her second season as a Hawkeye with a perfect 27-0 record, registering 21 tech. falls, six pins and zero points given up.

The UNI softball team opens the Missouri Valley Conference race on Friday by opening a three game series at Evansville. The Panthers are 11-8 after dropping three of four games at a tournament at Nebraska.

That’s Panther coach Ryan Jacobs who says they are looking forward to the start of conference play.

Jacobs says the Panthers are depending upon several new players.

With a cold front approaching Iowa has altered the schedule for a Big Ten baseball series against Michigan State. Instead of opening with a single game at four on Friday the teams will play a doubleheader beginning at noon and finish with a single game on Saturday. Hawkeye coach Rick Heller says Sunday will be tough to get a game in.

Heller says the turf field at Banks Stadium makes it much more likely home games can be played.

Iowa opened Big Ten play last week by taking two of three games at Rutgers.

Michigan State is 12-4 and will send star lefty Joe Dzierwa to the mound in Friday’s opener.