IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa senior Luke Elkin has been named to the 2024 preseason Mannelly Award Watch List. The award, created in 2019, recognizes the most outstanding long snapper in Division I football.

Elkin (6-foot-1, 228 pounds) has been Iowa’s long snapper the past three seasons. He earned the team’s Next Man In Award (special teams) as a freshman, Hayden Fry Award as a sophomore and Coaches Appreciation Award last season as a junior.

Elkin snapped for punter Tory Taylor, the Ray Guy Award recipient and consensus All-American in 2023, as well as placekicker Drew Stevens, a two-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist. He is a two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree.

The Mannelly Award is ‘a vehicle through which football’s unsung workhorses can bask in the glow of appreciation.’ Mannelly was considered one of the NFL’s best long-snappers during a 16-year career that he spent exclusively with the Chicago Bears from 1998-2013.

Elkin and the Hawkeyes kickoff the season against Illinois State on Aug. 31 inside a sold-out Kinnick Stadium beginning at 11 a.m. (CT).

HAWKEYES ON 2024 WATCH LISTS
* Sebastian Castro – Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY) // Jim Thorpe Award (DB)
* Jay Higgins — Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY) // Wuerffel Award (community service)
* Nick Jackson — Bronko Nagurski Trophy (D-POY)
* Logan Jones – Outland Trophy (OL)
* Drew Stevens – Lou Groza Award (PK)

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State punter Tyler Perkins has been named to the Ray Guy Award Watch List, the Augusta Sports Council announced Friday. The award is annually given to the nation’s top punter.

An honorable mention All-Big 12 selection in 2023, Perkins averaged 44.3 yards per punt, the third-best single-season average in school history. He punted 61 times with 18 kicks over 50 yards and had 25 downed inside the 20-yard line.

The Norwalk, Ohio native was named the Ray Guy National Punter of the Week after averaging 43.8 yards per punt and dropping four of his five kicks inside the 20, with two of them also going at least 50 yards, against Ohio.

Perkins owned one of two 70-yard punts in the Big 12 last season. He enters 2024 with a career average of 43.4 yards per punt, tops in Iowa State history.

Tickets for the 2024 football season are on sale now with a slate that features Kansas State and a Homecoming showdown with Texas Tech as well as others. Fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $299, while mini-packs, single-game tickets and parking are also on sale.

The Cyclones open the season August 31 against 2023 FCS Playoff qualifier North Dakota.

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior kicker Drew Stevens has been named to the 2024 Lou Groza Place-Kicker Award Watch List, the Palm Beach County Sports Commission announced on Friday. In its 33rd season, the award recognizes the nation’s best place-kicker.

Stevens (6-foot, 205-pounds) was a semifinalist for the award in 2022 and 2023. He is the third Hawkeye to be a two-time Groza Award semifinalist; Nate Kaeding won the award in 2002 and was a finalist in 2003, while Mike Meyer was a semifinalist in 2011 and 2012.

Iowa has had a Groza Award semifinalist four of the last five seasons: Keith Duncan (2019), Caleb Shudak (2021) and Stevens (2022 and 2023).

The native of North Augusta, South Carolina, has converted 34-of-44 field goals and 43-of-44 PATs. Stevens’ 145 career points rank 22nd in school history heading into his junior season, and his 54-yard field goal against Northwestern as freshman ties for the seventh longest in program history.

The watch list highlights the 30 best returning kickers in the country. All FBS kickers remain eligible to be selected for weekly and postseason honors, with 20 semifinalists to be announced on Nov. 19, by the Groza Committee.

From this list, a panel of FBS head coaches, SIDs, media members, former Groza finalists, and current NFL kickers selects the top three finalists for the award, announced on Nov. 26. That same group then selects the national winner, who will be announced on Dec. 12 during the College Football Awards on ESPN.

The 33rd Annual Lou Groza Collegiate Place-Kicker Award recognizes the three finalists during a celebration in Palm Beach County, culminating with a gala awards banquet on Dec. 9 in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The award is named for NFL Hall of Fame kicker Lou Groza, who played 21 seasons with the Cleveland Browns. Groza won four NFL championships with Cleveland and was named league player of the year in 1954.

Stevens and the Hawkeyes kickoff the season against Illinois State on Aug. 31 at a sold-out Kinnick Stadium beginning at 11 a.m. (CT).

Experience at several key positions has the Iowa State offense thinking big getting ready for the upcoming season. Rocco Becht returns for his second season at quarterback after being named the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year in 2023. He is taking on more of a leadership role in fall camp.

Becht will have plenty of help, especially from a talented and experienced group of receivers.

Becht says the offense is balanced.

Becht passed for more than 32 hundred yards and 23 touchdowns last season in helping lead ISU to a 7-6 record. Sophomore running back Abu Sama returns after an electrifying finish to his freshman season that included a 276 yard effort in a snowstorm at Kansas State

Sama has tried to add weight that will help him endure the season.

Sama says the performance at K-State was a confidence boost.

The Cyclones open at home on August 31st against North Dakota.

(Iowa Capital Dispatch/ Washington, D-C) – Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley penned letters this week to SafeSport and USA Gymnastics demanding answers to why the agencies have done so little to protect Olympic athletes. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports also, Iowa lawmakers also introduced bills aimed at increasing small-scale poultry processing, reducing paperwork for small businesses and preventing sexual assault on college campuses. Here’s what Iowa’s congressional delegation was doing in the last week before a month-long recess:

Grassley calls on SafeSport and USA Gymnastics to protect Olympic athletes from abusers

Grassley sent letters to the CEOs of SafeSport and USA Gymnastics demanding they take greater steps to protect Olympic athletes from abusers. His letters come amid the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics. Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles and Aly Raisman testified in September 2021 before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee about failures that enabled the sexual abuse committed by the former USA Gymnastics team doctor, Larry Nassar. SafeSport, a government agency designed to investigate Olympic athlete abuse, and USA Gymnastics can provide protective measures against individuals who are under investigation for the alleged physical or emotional abuse of athletes, according to Grassley. However, an internal SafeSport report revealed the agency only imposed protective measures on 5% of individuals under investigation.

To USA Gymnastics CEO Li Li Leung, Grassley is asking for data on the number of times they imposed restrictions due to SafeSport investigations, declined to impose restrictions from a SafeSport investigation, internal policies on when they will impose a restriction and policies for an athlete to request restrictions against an individual. Grassley brought up allegations of USA Gymnastics ignoring reports of children being slapped, dragged by the neck and kicked while the child was injured. To the SafeSport CEO, Grassley asked why the agency has decreased its use of protective measures, what efforts the agency has made to inform governing bodies what they can do amid a pending investigation as well as what metrics are used to assess the seriousness of an allegation and the risk posed by an individual.  Grassley said in the press release that SafeSport delaying or avoiding punishments of alleged abusers despite numerous warnings of their danger shows the agency needs change.

He also asked for data on the number of protective measures taken since June 2020, how long have the 120 cases opened for more than two years been pending investigation and how many times has the agency eased restrictions placed on individuals by national governing bodies.

Olympic gold medalist Simon Biles testifies Sept. 15, 2021, before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee with fellow gymnasts about sexual abuse by Larry Nassar, former USA Gymnastics doctor. (Screen shot from U.S. Senate livestream)

Feenstra seeks an increase in small-scale poultry processing

Rep. Randy Feenstra introduced a bill to allow poultry processing plants to perform regular slaughter and custom exempt slaughter at the same facility. Custom exempt slaughter allows livestock owners to operate without federal inspection if the slaughter is exclusively for the use of the livestock owner or the owner’s family, guests or employees. “Due to outdated laws, Iowa farmers oftentimes travel long distances to have their broilers and turkeys slaughtered and processed – this must change,” Feenstra said in a press release. “By encouraging local processing and slaughter of poultry, we can deliver fresher products more quickly to consumers, eliminate unnecessary headaches and additional expenses for our producers, and strengthen our agricultural economy in Iowa.” If passed, the bill would amend the Poultry Products Inspection Act which would allow poultry producers to increase the availability of local poultry processing options.

Nunn bill would exempt small businesses from new reporting law

A bill introduced by Rep. Zach Nunn would exempt small businesses from the reporting requirements of the Corporate Transparency Act. The Corporate Transparency Act is designed to root out shell companies operating outside of the country, however, Nunn said in a press release that the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) failed to adequately notify small businesses of the change. FinCEN Director Andrea Gacki said in a small business roundtable that only 2 million out of over 32 million small businesses had filed the new reports, according to Nunn’s press release. A survey conducted by the National Federation of Independent Businesses revealed that 80% of members had never heard of new requirements. Nunn said in the press release that changes are needed to remove unnecessary red tape for small businesses and protect small businesses from fines and potential jail time for failing to adhere to the reporting requirements. Failure to complete the reporting requirements will result in a $591 fine daily and up to two years in jail, according to the press release.

Grassley, Gillibrand push for bill to combat campus sexual assault

Grassley and New York Democrat Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand reintroduced a bill aimed at ensuring access to sexual assault prevention and education resources on college campuses. The bill, known as the Campus Safety and Accountability Act (CASA), would require colleges on their website to post campus safety policies, an annual security report, instructions for filing a complaint and data on sexual misconduct allegations on campus. “Our bill is a coordinated approach to addressing incidents of sexual assault on college campuses. It would inform university protocols for handling reports, while also strengthening recovery resources for survivors and empowering them to know their rights,” Grassley said in a press release. CASA would also provide more protections from university punishments when students’ reports include uses of self-defense, drugs or alcohol.

The bill also requires universities to name specialists who would act as confidential aides for survivors and expand the Violence Against Women Act’s campus grant program to address sexual harassment on campus.

Iowa State football coach Matt Campbell held his annual preseason meeting with the media today (Friday). Campbell says he likes the way this team has shaped up with mix of returning players, new players and those who have transferred in.

The Cyclones have high expectations coming off a 7-6 season. Campbell says they were younger and learned a lot.

He says the one good thing about the injuries and setbacks is they allowed more players to step in.

Campbell says the running backs are one area where they have put in the work in the off-season.

He says sophomore Abu Samma is one example of a player who has gotten bigger during the off-season after breaking out near the end of last year. Iowa State opens the season August 31st in Ames against North Dakota.

Iowa State basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger expects redshirt senior Dishon Jackson to provide a needed boost in the paint. After spending three years at Washington State the 6-11 Jackson played last season at Charlotte where he averaged better than 11 points and six rebounds.

Otzelberger expects Jackson to be a factor on both ends of the court.

Jackson feels like he is a good fit for the Cyclone program.

Jackson on what his role will be for the Cyclones.

JOHNSTON, Iowa, August 1, 2024 — Pioneer has been helping heroes in the field for generations but usually it is in corn and soybean fields across the Midwest.

Pioneer continues that commitment to support everyday heroes as the title sponsor of the “Heroes Game” between the Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers this fall. The 14th annual matchup between the Big Ten Conference rivals will kick off at 6:30 p.m. (CT) on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City.

In a change of tradition, instead of asking fans to nominate their local hero over the next few months, Pioneer and the University of Iowa have already selected Dan Marburger, the former Principal of Perry High School, as this year’s Iowa Hero.

“We had an outpouring of individuals reach out to the University of Iowa after that tragic moment suggesting Principal Marburger be our next Hero” said Beth Goetz, UI Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. “We felt strongly that this would be a positive way to honor him, and the Perry community.”

“Dan absolutely loved this part of Hawkeye Football” said Elizabeth Marburger, Dan’s wife. “I am not sure we could find too many things he didn’t love about Iowa Football. He was an avid fan his whole life. We would love to represent him on November 29.”

“We are honored to recognize local heroes through the Pioneer Heroes Game,” said Todd Frazier, VP, U.S. Marketing, Corteva Agriscience. “It is one small way we can express our sincere gratitude for local heroes and the impact they have in our communities.”

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State men’s basketball head coach T.J. Otzelberger has named Erik Crawford and Stevie Taylor as assistant coaches. Crawford has spent the past two seasons as the Director of Player Development, while Taylor was the Assistant Director of Player Development last season.

The 2023-24 Cyclones won the Big 12 Championship and advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. The Cyclones finished with a 29-8 overall record and 13-5 league record, the second-most wins in school history. The 37 games played are tied for the most in program history. The Cyclones went a perfect 18-0 at Hilton Coliseum, the fifth undefeated year in the building’s history. Iowa State had seven Top 25 victories on the year, including two wins over Houston when they were ranked No. 1 and No. 2 and a victory over No. 7 Kansas.

During Crawford’s two seasons in Ames, the Cyclones have advanced to back-to-back NCAA Tournaments.

“Erik has been an unbelievable resource for the young men in our program,” Otzelberger said. “He has created tremendous value in improving our guy’s perimeter shooting and designing a plan of attack to be successful offensively. He has been a terrific asset to our coaching staff and program. We’re very happy for Erik.”

Crawford played a pivotal role in Tamin Lipsey’s increased production during his sophomore season in 2023-24. Lipsey was just 5-of-25 from 3-point range as a freshman, but went 45-of-115 (39.1%) in his sophomore year. He also increased his rebound average from 4.0 to 4.6, while turning the ball over fewer times and increasing his assist total by 30. He averaged 7.3 points as a freshman and moved that number to 12.4 as a sophomore.

Taylor joined the Cyclones prior to the 2023-24 season.

“Stevie has worked countless hours with our guys in the player development department and their skill development putting time into their game,” Otzelberger said. “We’re excited for him and this step forward for him and his career.”

The Cyclones open the 2024-25 season Nov. 4 against Mississippi Valley State at Hilton Coliseum.

AMES, Iowa – For the second-straight season, Iowa State wide receiver Jaylin Noel has been named to the Paul Hornung Award Watch List presented by Texas Roadhouse. The award is given annually to the most versatile player in major college football.

A Second Team All-Big 12 selection a season ago, Noel finished with 66 receptions for 820 yards and seven touchdowns. His 66 catches were the seventh-most in a single season in ISU history and the fourth-most among Big 12 players last season.

The Kansas City, Mo. native has a reception in 32 consecutive games, tied for the fourth-longest active streak nationally and the fourth-longest streak in school history, and multiple receptions in 15-straight games.

Noel also handled kick and punt return duties for the Cyclones in 2023 and averaged 8.5 yards per punt return and 27.2 yards per kick return. He is the first FBS player since 2014 to have four 50-plus yard receptions, two 50-yard kick returns and two 30-yard punt returns in a season.

Tickets for the 2024 football season are on sale now with a slate that features Kansas State and a Homecoming showdown with Texas Tech as well as others. Fans can purchase season tickets for as low as $299, while mini-packs, single-game tickets and parking are also on sale.

The Cyclones open the season August 31 against 2023 FCS Playoff qualifier North Dakota.