IOWA CITY, Iowa — Junior Luka Garza became just the third University of Iowa men’s basketball player, and first in nearly seven decades, to be voted first-team All-America by the Associated Press. Garza earned 63 first-team votes from the 65-person media voting panel.

The Associated Press is one of four outlets used by the NCAA to determine its consensus All-America teams (AP, National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association, and Sporting News). Garza was named to the first-team All-America squad by Sporting News last week with USBWA and the NABC expected to make their announcements next week.

Garza joins Murray Wier (1948) and Charles Darling (1952) as the only Hawkeye players named to the AP All-American First Team.

Six major news outlets have already named Garza as its national player of the year: Sporting News, Basketball Times, Stadium, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, and ESPN. Garza is the first Iowa men’s basketball player to earn national player of the year distinction.

The Washington, D.C., native is also a finalist for five national awards: Naismith Trophy, Oscar Robertson Trophy, Wooden Award, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, and the Lute Olson Award.

Garza (740 points and 305 rebounds) is one of three Big Ten players to ever to total 740+ points and 300+ rebounds in a single-season (Purdue’s Glenn Robinson in 1994 and Purdue’s Joe Barry Carroll in 1979). He ranked second nationally with 12 20-point/10-rebound performances, 20-point games (25); third in total field goals made (287) and points per 40 minutes played (29.8), fifth in scoring (23.9), 10th in 30-point games (5), 19th in double-doubles (15) and offensive rebounds per game (3.58), and 34th in rebounding (9.8). His 15 double-doubles are third most in a single-season by a Hawkeye in three decades and the most since 2002 (Reggie Evans, 18). Garza averaged 26.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in 12 games against AP ranked opponents in 2019-20, including recording 11 straight 20-point performances, the longest streak by any player since UConn’s Kemba Walker in 2011.

The Big Ten and USBWA District VI Player of the Year, finished the 20-game conference schedule averaging 26.2 points per game, becoming the first player to average at least 26 points in Big Ten play since Purdue’s Glenn Robinson in 1994 (31.1 ppg). Garza scored a school-record 740 points this season, breaking the program’s 50-year old record previously set by John Johnson in 1970. He scored 20 points or more in a school-record 16 straight Big Ten games, the longest streak by any player in the Big Ten since Ohio State’s Dennis Hopson 16 in 1987.

Garza is the only Big Ten player to register seven 25-point/10-rebound performances in the same season in more than 17 years. He has produced the two highest point totals in a game by a Big Ten player this season (44 at Michigan; 38 at Indiana).

LUKA GARZA HONORS (2019-20)

•  Sporting News, Basketball Times, Stadium, The Athletic, Bleacher Report, and ESPN National Player of the Year
•  Dick Vitale and Andy Katz’s National Player of the Year
•  Sporting News, AP, CBS, NBC, ESPN, Stadium, USA Today First-Team All-America
•  Big Ten Men’s Basketball Player of the Year
•  USBWA District VI Player of the Year
•  Naismith Trophy Finalist
•  Wooden Award National Ballot
•  Oscar Robertson Player of the Year Trophy Semifinalist
•  Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award Finalist
•  Lute Olson Award Top 30

IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior Spencer Lee has been named a finalist for the 2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented by ASICS and awarded annually to the nation’s most dominant college wrestler.

Fan voting for the award runs from March 23-27. The winner is announced Monday, March 30.

Lee was the top-seed at the 2020 NCAA Championships, putting together an 18-0 record on his way to the 125-pound Big Ten championship. He was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, outscoring his 18 opponents this season 234-18. He scored bonus points in 17 of 18 wins, recorded four first-period falls and nine technical falls, and averaged 5.0 team points per match.

Only four of his 18 matches went the entire seven minutes. Lee was 5-0 in the month of January with five technical falls. He outscored those five opponents 84-1.

Lee is one of eight finalists for an award that considers seven pieces of criteria: record, number of pins, dominance, past credentials, quality of competition, sportsmanship/citizenship, and heart. The winner is determine by fan vote and the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee.

This year’s finalists include Lee, West Virginia sophomore Noah Adams (197), Northwestern junior Ryan Deakin (157), Princeton sophomore Pat Glory (125), Stanford freshman Shane Griffith (165), Iowa junior Spencer Lee (125), Ohio State senior Kollin Moore (197), Minnesota sophomore Gable Steveson (285) and Cornell senior Charles Tucker (133).

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Chiefs agreed to a one-year contract with former New York Giants cornerback Antonio Hamilton, the first deal made by the Super Bowl champions since the start of free agency earlier in the week. Kansas City entered the market desperate for help in the defensive backfield after losing Kendall Fuller, Morris Claiborne and Bashaud Breeland to free agency. Fuller and Breeland in particular were crucial to a defensive turnaround under new coordinator Steve Spagnuolo that helped deliver the Chiefs their first Super Bowl title since 1970.

UNDATED (AP) — Dayton breakout star Obi Toppin is the lone unanimous first-team choice to The Associated Press men’s college basketball All-America team. Toppin is joined on the first team by Iowa’s Luka Garza, Marquette’s Markus Howard, Myles Powell of Seton Hall and Payton Pritchard of Oregon. Toppin is Dayton’s first first-team AP All-American after averaging 20 points and seven rebounds per game.

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

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The cash-strapped Kansas City Chiefs were quiet on the first day of NFL free agency with their biggest move Wednesday a restructuring of defensive end Frank Clark’s contract in an effort to alleviate some of their financial misery. Similar moves could be made in the coming days, potentially for wide receiver Sammy Watkins and offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif as the Super Bowl champions try to free up the resources to bolster their defense in free agency. The only deal the Chiefs have reached in free agency so far is a two-year contract with backup quarterback Chad Henne.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have placed the nonexclusive franchise tag on Chris Jones. That raises the possibility that the Pro Bowl defensive tackle will remain with the Super Bowl champions for at least one more season. The nonexclusive tag means Jones must be offered a one-year contract for no less than the average of the top five salary cap hits at defensive tackle for the previous five years. It also means that if Jones signs an offer sheet from another team, the Chiefs can match that offer or let him go and receive two first-round picks as compensation.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Drake Relays that had been scheduled for April in Des Moines have been indefinitely postponed because of the virus outbreak. Drake University said Wednesday that organizers made the decision to protect the “health, safety and well-being” of participants and fans amid concerns about the coronavirus. The track and field event was scheduled for April 22-25, primarily at Drake Stadium. The postponement includes related activities, such as the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, Grand Blue Mile and Drake Road Races. Organizers said they would work with local, state and national officials to reschedule the event when it’s safe for all participants.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has finished the season No. 1 in The Associated Press college basketball poll, receiving 63 of 65 first-place votes from a national media panel. Gonzaga was second and Dayton third with Florida State and Baylor rounding out the top five. It’s the fourth time since the inception of the men’s poll for the 1946-47 season that the Jayhawks finished on top. The AP poll is typically released before the NCAA Tournament settles the national champion. The tournament was canceled this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

UNDATED (AP) — The cancellation of the NCAA Tournament due to the coronavirus will deprive college basketball fans of what could have been some marquee matchups. Another duel between Seton Hall’s Myles Powell and Marquette’s Markus Howard could have been epic. Arizona State’s Danny Hurley facing Duke and Coach K could have been a fun chess match to watch. A senior point guard duel between Michigan State’s Cassius Winston and Oregon’s Payton Pritchard will never happen.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Organizers have announced they have indefinitely postponed the Drake Relays that had been scheduled for April in Des Moines. In a statement, Drake University said Wednesday that officials made the decision to protect the “health, safety and well-being” of participants and fans amid concerns about the coronavirus. The event was scheduled for April 22-25, primarily at Drake Stadium.

The postponement includes related activities, such as the Beautiful Bulldog Contest, Grand Blue Mile and Drake Road Races. Organizers said they would work with local, state and national officials to reschedule the event when it’s safe for all participants.