at Fort Dodge

Class 5-A Championship:

• 5:00 PM – WDM Valley vs. Pleasant Valley

Class 5-A Consolation:

• 3:30 PM – Ankeny vs. Urbandale

Class 4-A Championship:

• 7:30 PM – Carlisle vs. ADM

Class 4-A Consolation:

• 6:00 PM – North Scott vs. North Polk

Class 2-A Semifinals: (at Carroll)

• 4:30 PM – Underwood vs. Chariton
• 7:00 PM – New Hampton vs. Sumner-Fredericksburg

Class 4-A Semifinals: (at Cedar Rapids)

• 5:00 PM – Cedar Rapids Kennedy vs. Johnston
• 7:30 PM – Dowling Catholic vs. Iowa City High

(Iowa City, Iowa) – The University of Iowa is expecting another record-breaking year for its athletics department while Iowa State University Athletics is working to handle changes to expected revenues as a result of collegiate athletic conferences shifting, university budget documents show. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reports that with revenues slated to increase in football, women’s basketball, wrestling and volleyball, among other areas, the UI is projecting a total income of more than $150 million for fiscal year 2025, just over a 7% increase from last year.

According to budgets submitted to the Iowa Board of Regents, which are set to be discussed at the board’s meeting next week, Hawkeye Football ticket revenue should increase this fall due to “a favorable home schedule and price adjustments,” and budgeted income for women’s basketball went from $1.3 million to $1.65 million in fiscal year 2025 because of “additional guarantees received for away contests.”

The university athletics department saw record-breaking revenue last fiscal year as well, prompted by soaring popularity in the women’s basketball team. Iowa women’s wrestling is projected to make $80,000 in fiscal year 2025. Renegotiated television contracts from the Big Ten Conference will give athletic conference revenue at the UI a $13.4 million bump from the $61.8 million the university saw last year.

The University of Iowa and Iowa State University athletic departments are both expecting increases in revenue in fiscal year 2025. (Photo via University of Iowa Facilities Management)

ISU Athletics is expecting to earn around $114.2 million in revenue for fiscal year 2025, $2.7 million more than the fiscal year 2024 budget. Cyclone Football is also expecting increased ticket sales due to an additional home game, and the athletic department is also planning to see increased ticket sales for women’s basketball and wrestling. The biggest bump is expected to come from women’s basketball, with the budget line increasing from $450,000 to $700,000. However, with changes to collegiate athletics conferences and tournaments, ISU Athletics has put certain projects on hold and “is continuing to make operational and personnel changes as necessary,” according to the budget document.

With four universities added to the Big 12 Conference as of July 1, ISU and the other continuing  conference members will receive $40 million less in Big 12 contributions through fiscal year 2031 than what was previously expected, according to the regents document. Also impacting the ISU athletic department’s budget is the College Football Playoff expansion, which makes it so playoff revenues aren’t equally distributed among the different conferences, according to the document.

The University of Northern Iowa, the only state university to provide support to its athletics department, is also the only university to expect a decrease in revenue for its athletics this upcoming fiscal year. According to the budget document, athletics revenue is projected to fall from around $14.8 million to just under $14.7 million. As with previous years, UNI men’s basketball doesn’t have game guaranteed revenue to include in the budget yet.

The university will also see a more than $1 million reduction in revenue from marketing due to its new contract with sports marketing company Learfield. The UI will only see a $150,000 decrease in its income from the contract it holds with Learfield, according to the document. UNI will allocate $3.26 million in operational support, $1.28 million in scholarship funding and $485,000 for “one-time support,” according to the regent document.

The university included an almost $100,000 increase in income from UNI football, but decreases in other men’s and women’s sports.

Class 1A 
Semifinals:

Remsen St. Mary’s 7, Newman Catholic 4
Lynnville-Sully 4, Akron-Westfield 0

Class 4A
Quarterfinals
Iowa City High 2, Waukee, 0

Class 3A Semifinals:
Bishop Helen Catholic 6, Wahlert Catholic 3

North Polk 2, Marion 1

Class 1A
Semifinal:
Martensdale, St. Mary’s, 2 St. Edmond 1
Sigourney 6, Southeast Warren 1

Consolation:
Collins-Maxwell 3, Edgewood-Colesburg 2
Wayne 8, Remsen St. Mary’s 1

Class 2A 
Semifinals:
Audubon 3, Eddyville Blakesburg Fremont 2
Van Meter 4, East Marshall 3

Consolation:
Northeast 8, West Monona 2
Lisbon 4, West Fork 0

Class 3A

Semifinals:
Williamsburg 3, Wahlert, Catholic 2
Assumption 10, Benton 7

Consolation:

PCM 3, Sumner Fredericksburg 1
Estherville Lincoln Central 8, Solon 1

Class 4A:
Semifinals:
Carlisle 6, North Scott 2
ADM 7, North Polk 2

Class 5A:
Semifinals:
Valley 8, Ankeny 1
Pleasant Valley 4, Urbandale 2

In dramatic fashion again, the Audubon Wheelers softball team came back to win against the Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont Rockets 3-2 in the Class 2A State Semifinals. The start of the game was typical for Audubon softball as it quickly turned into a pitcher’s duel between Audubon’s Riley Miller and the Rockets Lanie Batterson. Miller was commanding in her first three innings of pitching giving up no runs, no hits, and 5 strikeouts. The Rockets finally broke through in the top of the fourth inning with a string of three hits in a row, including a 2 RBI double from Aliya Wagamon giving them the lead at 2-0. The Wheelers did minimize the damage thanks to a double play from Taryn Petersen who caught a pop fly and tagged the runner at second to end the top of the inning.

The game would remain at 2-0 while the Audubon bats remained silent, only having one hit throughout the first six innings. Time was running out for the Wheelers as they started the bottom of the seventh. Jordan Porsch was the leadoff hitter and she delivered with a single to put a runner on. Riley Miller was next up to bat and she drew a walk, putting the tying run on first with no outs. Alexis Obermeier then stepped into the batter’s box delivering an RBI single to make the score 2-1 and advancing the tying run to third base. Addie Hocker was up to hit and she hit a grounder towards second base to put herself on first due to a fielder’s choice. Hocker would steal second moving the go ahead in scoring position and Michelle Brooks took care of the rest hitting a line fly ball out towards right field for a 2 RBI walk off single and giving Audubon the victory at 3-2.

Miller again helped her team with the comeback pitching a full game, with 2 earned runs, 3 hits, and 6 strikeouts. Batterson also had a respectable day for Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont pitching over 6 innings, giving up 3 earned runs, 4 hits, and 2 strikeouts. Audubon head coach Andrea Schwery credited her teams win to their ability of staying motivated and calm.

Michelle Brooks went 1-3 for Audubon with a 2 RBI single and the walk off hit. She commented on how surreal the feeling of going to the state championship is.

Alexis Obermeier was also a key contributor with her 1-3 day and lone RBI in the bottom of the seventh inning. Part of her success in Fort Dodge is the trust she shares between her teammates.

The win against the Rockets will advance the Wheelers to the state championship game for the first time in program history. For Obermeier and her teammates they plan on staying positive and secure in one another.

The state championship game will be played against the 42-1 Van Meter Bulldogs on Friday. Coach Schwery’s approach to Friday is taking it one game at a time.

First pitch for the Class 2A state championship game is set for 5:00pm on the 26th.

Iowa linebacker Jay Higgins says there is a sense of urgency as the Hawkeyes get ready for the upcoming season. Higgins is one of several Hawkeyes who returned for an additional year after a 10-4 record that included a Big Ten west division title.

Higgins says an experienced defense has high expectations.

Higgins led the nation in tackles last season and credits the design of the Iowa defense.

Higgins says the defense line helps keep the linebackers clean to make tackles.

Higgins believes the defense will be helped by an improved offense under new coordinator Tim Lester.

Higgins made his comments at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis.

Charles City High School will become the ninth member of the North Central Conference. Quinn Douglas reports.

A healthy Luke Lachey will be a boost for the Iowa offense. The star tight end missed nearly all of last season after a week three broken ankle and turned down a chance to enter the NFL Draft to return for his final season.

Lachey on dealing with a season ending injury.

It is the second straight year that Lachey has represented Iowa at Big Ten Media Days in Indianapolis.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz views Big Ten Media Days as the official end of summer. The Hawkeyes have an experienced team that is coming off a 10-4 season after winning the final Big Ten west division title. With summer workouts ending fall camp is about to begin.

Improvement on offense will be a key to the season. New coordinator Tim Lester is hoping to jump start a Hawkeye offense that was one of the worst in the nation.

Defense has been a staple and this year should be no different. The Hawkeyes may be the nation’s oldest defense after having several players return for a sixth and final season.

Ferentz says experience on defense is a plus.

This season begins a new era for the Big Ten which is adding USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington to become an 18-team league.

The Hawkeyes open the season at home on August 31st against Illinois State.