IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa three-time national champion Spencer Lee has been named winner of the Mike Howard Most Valuable Wrestler Award. The Iowa wrestling coaching staff announced the 2021 award winners Tuesday.

Lee won the 125-pound NCAA Championship and the 125-pound Big Ten Championship in 2021. He won both the Dan Hodge Trophy and was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year for the second straight season. He was 12-0 in 2021 with 11 bonus-point victories, outscoring his 12 opponents 141-15.

Lee was also named winner of the Mike J. McGivern Most Courageous Award. He was 5-0 at the NCAA Championships, outscoring his opponents 59-8 while winning his third national title. He announced after the tournament that he was wrestling without an ACL in either knee.

Lee was one of seven Hawkeyes to earn an All-America Award. The NCAA champion Hawkeyes had more All-Americans than any other school at the national tournament. Iowa has crowned at least one All-American in 50 consecutive NCAA Championships.

Jaydin Eierman earned his fourth career All-America honor, his first as a Hawkeye. He was also winner of the Hawkeyes’ Most Pins Award. Eierman had a team-high six falls in 2021. One more than Lee and Tony Cassioppi.

Nelson Brands was named Most Improved Wrestler. Brands wrestled at 184 pounds in each of Iowa’s five duals and in both postseason tournaments. He was 8-6 overall with seven wins against ranked opponents. He placed fourth at the Big Ten Championships to earn his first berth at the NCAA Championships.

Carter Happel and Myles Wilson were named recipients of the Coaches’ Appreciation Award. Cullan Schriever was named recipient of the John and Dorothy Sill Most Dedicated Award.

The J. Donald Pike, Sr., Award, presented to the senior wrestler with the highest grade point average, was awarded to both Connor Corbin and Justin Stickley. Corbin graduates in May with a Bachelor of Science in biology (genetics and biotechnology). Stickley graduates in May with a Bachelor of Business Administration (entrepreneurial management).

2021 AWARD WINNERS

• Mike Howard Most Valuable: Spencer Lee
• Mike J. McGivern Most Courageous: Spencer Lee
• John and Dorothy Sill Most Dedicated: Cullan Schriever
• J. Donald Pike, Sr., High Senior GPA: Connor Corbin and Justin Stickley
• Coaches’ Appreciation: Carter Happel and Myles Wilson
• Most Improved: Nelson Brands
• Most Pins: Jaydin Eierman (6)
• All-Americans: Spencer Lee, Austin DeSanto, Jaydin Eierman, Kaleb Young, Michael Kemerer, Jacob Warner, Tony Cassioppi

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa junior setter/right-side hitter Courtney Buzzerio has been named an honorable mention All-North Region team selection by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Tuesday morning.  

Buzzerio, who was named first-team All-Big Ten last week, is only the fifth Hawkeye to earn All-Region honors in school history and first since Sara Meyermann in 2001. 

The Chino Hills, California, native, led Iowa in kills (184) and aces (20), ranked second in assists (323), and third in digs (127) and total blocks (46). She posted a team-high eight double-doubles, including a string of four straight. Buzzerio recorded her third career triple-double (13 kills, 21 assists, 11 digs) against Indiana on Feb. 5., becoming the only individual in the Big Ten to record a triple-double and only one of 22 in the nation to do so this season.

Buzzerio, who played in every rotation, finished the season averaging 9.2 kills, 16.1 assists, and 6.3 digs in 20 matches. 

AMES, Iowa – Three members of the Iowa State volleyball team were recipients of 2020-21 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region awards announced on Tuesday. For the second-straight season, right side Eleanor Holthaus was named to the First Team, while Izzy Enna and Candelaria Herrera picked up honorable mention distinction.

Holthaus is the ninth player in ISU history to pick up two All-Region First Team honors in a career. Herrera picked up her second career All-Region nod, as she was a First Team selection in 2019. This is the first AVCA All-Region recognition of Enna’s career.

Holthaus was the Cyclones’ outstanding performer throughout the season, leading the ISU attack with 251 kills at 3.22 per set, which she got at .261 hitting. She was in double figures 15 times, including matching her career-high off 22 twice at TCU on Nov. 21 and vs. Wayne State on March 26. She hit over .300 in a match nine times during the season. In the back row, she recorded 157 digs at 2.01 per set. Holthaus notched eight double-doubles on the season.

Enna was the leader for the ISU back row on the season, as she led the Big 12 with her 341 digs at 4.37 per set. The Kansas City native recorded at least 10 digs each time she started at libero for the Cyclones and recorded eight matches with at least 20 digs on the season. Against Kansas on Nov. 13, she posted a career-best 27 digs.

Despite missing the spring potion of the season while back in Argentina training with the National Team, Herrera put up big numbers in her 14 matches with the Cyclones. She was fourth on the team with her 2.36 kills per set, which she got at a team-best .271 hitting percentage. Herrera had six matches in double figures, including a career-best 20 kills vs. Kansas on Nov. 13. The Argentine was also ISU’s leader at the net, finishing with 1.11 blocks per set on the season, a figure that was good for sixth in the conference on the season.

Herrera spent the spring in Argentina training with the Argentina Women’s Volleyball National Team in an effort to make the team for the 2020 Olympic Games this summer in Tokyo, Japan. Herrera will take advantage of the waiver year offered by the NCAA and will return to the Cyclones in Fall 2021

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger announced today that Caleb Grill will transfer back to play for the Cyclones after spending last season at UNLV.

Grill signed with Iowa State out of high school and played for the Cyclones during the 2019-20 season as a freshman, playing in 29 of 32 games and making a pair of starts.

After the season, the Maize, Kansas native transferred to UNLV to play for Otzelberger, who he committed to when the coach was still at South Dakota State. Grill played and started all 27 games for the Runnin’ Rebels last season, averaging 9.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.2 assists. He also averaged 1.4 steals.

He was second on the team with 55 three-pointers, shooting at a 34.2 percent clip from long distance.

“Caleb competes in everything that he does,” Otzelberger said. “He takes pride in his defense, making the right play, shooting with accuracy and giving his all every time he takes the floor. His return to Ames will be very much anticipated and we’re excited for what he will accomplish as a Cyclone.”

As a sophomore, Grill scored a career-high 27 points against an Alabama team that went on to earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and advanced to the Sweet 16. He made 7-of-12 threes against the Crimson Tide.

Grill was in double figures 11 times at UNLV and had nine games with at least three 3-pointers made. He dished out a season-high seven assists in a win against San Jose State.

At Iowa State, Grill played 13.7 minutes per game as a freshman and averaged 2.1 points and 1.7 rebounds. He scored his Cyclone high in the Big 12 Championships, hitting three 3-pointers to finish with nine points in a season-ending loss to Oklahoma State.

Grill prepped at Maize High School and was a four-sport athlete, playing football, track and field and baseball in addition to basketball.

With Jim Field.

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GIRLS TENNIS

Atlantic 5, Shenandoah 4
CB Abraham Lincoln 7, Denison-Schleswig 2
Creston 7, Southwest Valley 2
Red Oak 5, Kuemper Catholic 4

BOYS TENNIS

Shenandoah 5, Atlantic 4
Denison-Schleswig 9, Sioux City East 0
Kuemper Catholic 9, Red Oak 0
Southwest Valley 7, Creston 2
St. Albert 9, Audubon 0

GIRLS GOLF

Atlantic 198, Denison-Schleswig 218, Kuemper Catholic 260. Medalist: Roni Hook, Atlantic, 48
Audubon 227, AHSTW 256. Medalist: Ally Meyers, AHSTW, 48
Boyer Valley 206, Coon Rapids-Bayard 223, CAM 226, Woodbine 263, Glidden-Ralston 272. Medalist: Katelyn Nielsen, Boyer Valley, 44
Griswold 223, East Mills 271. Medalist: Jenna Reynolds, Griswold, 55
IKM-Manning 218, Tri-Center 235. Medalist: Kylie Powers, IKM-Manning. 46
Mount Ayr 240, Martensdale-St. Marys 278, Nodaway Valley NTS. Medalist: Malaina Haley, Mount Ayr, 57
Red Oak 273, Southwest Valley 283. Medalist: Allie Allison, Red Oak, 56
Sidney 223, Riverside 257, Underwood NTS. Medalist: Avery Dowling, Sidney, 42
Treynor 215, Logan-Magnolia 264. Medalist: Maddie Lewis, Treynor, 44

BOYS GOLF

Audubon 186, AHSTW 195. Medalist: Joey Schramm, Audubon, 43
Carroll 179, Boone 191, Ballard 202. Medalist: Layden Losh, Boone 42
Exira-EHK 184, Coon Rapids-Bayard 190, Boyer Valley 193, CAM 195, Woodbine 197, Glidden-Ralston 217. Medalist: Cory Bantam, Woodbine, 39.
Griswold 223, East Mills 242. Medalist: Caleb Oakleaf, Griswold, 52
IKM-Manning 173, Tri-Center 185. Medalist: Tyler Brandt, IKM-Manning, 39
Martensdale-St. Marys 222, Mount Ayr 232, Nodaway Valley 239. Medalist: Drew Ehlen, Mount Ayr, 46.
Maryville, MO 178, Clarinda 200. Medalist: Ethan Scott, Maryville, 42
Treynor 169, Logan-Magnolia 208. Medalist: Ethan Konz, Treynor, 38
Underwood 176, Riverside 202. Medalist: Coby Fink, Underwood 38

GIRLS SOCCER

CB Thomas Jefferson 12, Denison-Schleswig 2
East Sac County 2, Nodaway Valley/WCV 1
Kuemper Catholic 3, Harlan 2
Tri-Center 7, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 1
Van Meter 10, AHSTW 0

BOYS SOCCER

Denison-Schleswig 3, CB Thomas Jefferson 1
Lewis Central 1, Glenwood 0 (OT)
Van Meter 4, AHSTW 1
Nodaway Valley/West Central Valley 4, East Sac County 0

Team Scores

The Cardinals won 7 events on their way to the crown. Rachel Kinsella led the charge with wins in the 100M, 200M, and 400M.

Full results HERE.

Team Scores

Atlantic picked up wins from Haley Rasmussen in the 100M and 400M, Nicole Middents in the High Jump, Taylor McCreedy in the 1500M, Addie DeArment in the 3000M, Ava Rush in the 800M, 4x400M Relay, 4x800M Relay, Sprint Medley, and Distance Medley.

Full results HERE.

Class A Team Scores

Class B Team Scores

Full results HERE.