It may not feel like boating season yet, but the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR), along with boating safety advocates nationwide, are urging boaters to KeepYourEdge by enrolling in a boating education course this spring. “Education is the key to having a safe and enjoyable day on the water, and spring is the perfect time to take a course before the summer boating season begins,” said Susan Stocker, boating law administrator and education coordinator for the Iowa DNR.   Traditional and online courses are available. Courses are made to fit every schedule and lifestyle. The Iowa DNR has boater education information online at https://www.iowadnr.gov/things-to-do/boating/boater-education.

“A boating safety course provides critical boating knowledge and better prepares you for the risks you may face while boating,” Stocker said.

Benefits to taking a boater education course:

• Boost your confidence and Keep Your Edge by brushing up on essential boating skills.
• Even if you have already taken a course or are an experienced boater Keep Your Edge by taking a new course to sharpen your skills.
• A boating safety course can save boaters money. Many boat insurance providers offer discounts to people who have successfully completed a boating safety course.

Iowa boating statistics

• In 2018, there were 32 reported boating incidents on Iowa waters: 17 of those were personal injury; seven involved property damage and eight resulted in fatalities. Of the eight fatalities, three involved alcohol as a contributing factor
• In 2019, there were 22 reported boating incidents on Iowa waters: 14 of those were personal injury; six involved property damage and six resulted in fatalities. Of the six fatalities, two involved alcohol as a contributing factor
• In 2020, there were 39 reported boating incidents on Iowa waters: 16 of those were personal injury; 17 involved property damage, and nine resulted in fatalities. Of the nine fatalities, six involved alcohol as a contributing factor.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR) says crews released between 1,000 to 2,000 rainbow trout at four community trout ponds as part of its cool weather trout program that brings trout to areas that cannot support them during the summer. The following locations are ready for anglers to catch trout:  Banner Lake South (Indianola), Big Lake (Council Bluffs), Moorland Pond (Fort Dodge) and Terra Lake (Johnston). All spring community trout stockings will be unannounced this year and family fishing events will not be held to help reduce the crowd size at stocking locations and minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Check the DNR website at www.iowadnr.gov/trout and watch for future press releases to find out when the remaining community trout locations have been stocked. The spring community trout stockings are a great place to take kids to catch their first fish. A small hook with a nightcrawler or corn under a small bobber or small simple spinners such as a panther martin or mepps is all you need to get in on the fun. Bringing trout to cities and towns offers a “close to home” option for Iowans who might not travel to the coldwater streams in northeast Iowa to discover trout fishing.

The popular program is supported by the sales of the trout fee. Anglers need a valid fishing license and pay the trout fee to fish for or possess trout. The daily limit is five trout per licensed angler with a possession limit of 10. Children age 15 or younger can fish for trout with a properly licensed adult, but they must limit their catch to one daily limit. The child can purchase a trout fee which will allow them to catch their own limit.

Find more information about trout fishing in Iowa on the DNR trout fishing webpage.

With Jim Field.

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

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Iowa freshman Caitlin Clark finished with 35 points and the fifth-seeded Hawkeyes advanced to the women’s NCAA Sweet 16 with a 86-72 victory over Kentucky. Clark had 24 points in the first half, outscoring the fourth-seeded Wildcats. The Hawkeyes scored the game’s first 11 points and led throughout. They are past the second round for only the third time in their 14 NCAA appearances during coach Lisa Bluder’s 21 seasons. They went to the Elite Eight in the last tourney two years ago. Two-time AP All-American guard Rhyne Howard finished with 28 points for the Wildcats. Iowa will next face top-seeded UConn.

UNDATED (AP) — The National College Players Association says NCAA President Mark Emmert has informed a group of basketball players who started a social media campaign to protest inequities in college sports that he will meet with them after March Madness. NCPA Executive Director Ramogi Huma says he received a letter from Emmert in response to the advocacy group’s request for a meeting between the head of the NCAA and three players who started the #NotNCAAProperty protest. Michigan’s Isaiah Livers, Rutgers’ Geo Baker and Iowa’s Jordan Bohannon are pushing for the NCAA to change its rules restricting athletes from earning money for personal sponsorship deals, online endorsements and appearances. The players said they were disappointed with the delay and requested to meet by Friday.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — There aren’t two bigger stars in the women’s NCAA Tournament this year than Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark. It’s almost as if the freshmen are playing a personal game of horse on the national stage. After one delivers a highlight-filled performance, the other delivers a top-this moment. In one of the most anticipated matchups, they’ll meet for the first time in their college careers in the Sweet 16 this weekend with Bueckers leading UConn against Clark and her Iowa teammates. ESPN analyst Rebecca Lobo says the game will be entertaining for all basketball fans and that “we need Iowa and UConn to play each other the next three years!”

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Isaiah Mobley scored 17 points, younger brother Evan had 10 points and 13 rebounds, and No. 6 seed Southern California routed Kansas 85-51 to reach the Sweet 16. It was the worst loss in 49 trips to the NCAA Tournament for the No. 3 seed Jayhawks. USC ended the first half on an 11-0 run to take a 40-21 lead and never looked back. Marcus Garrett scored 15 points to lead Kansas, which was out-rebounded 43-27.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Big man Drew Timme is an understated player for top-ranked Gonzaga. With teammates like Corey Kispert and Jalen Suggs, it could be easy to overlook Timme. But he has already put together a great season and two standout games in the NCAA Tournament. He scored a career-high 30 points against Oklahoma. The Bulldogs face Creighton in the Sweet 16 later this week.

The Northwest Missouri State men’s basketball team has been in Evansville, Indiana this week prepping for the Division II Elite Eight. The Bearcats (25-2) will square off against the West Liberty University Hilltoppers (18-4) on Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.

This is Northwest’s fifth trip to the Elite Eight and West Liberty is making their 6th Elite Eight appearance. This will be the first meeting between the two schools that have very different styles. Atlantic native and Bearcat senior Ryan Hawkins talked about the stark difference between the two teams.

Hawkins said taking care of the ball will be the primary key against the pressure from West Liberty.

Northwest has won 40 straight games on neutral floors, which is the longest active streak among all NCAA Division I, II, and III schools. The Bearcats and the Hilltopers tipoff at 6:00 p.m. at the Ford Center in Evansville, IN Wednesday. All games will be streamed live on NCAA.com

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Iowa freshman Caitlin Clark finished with 35 points and the fifth-seeded Hawkeyes advanced to the women’s NCAA Sweet 16 with a 86-72 victory over Kentucky. Clark had 24 points in the first half, outscoring the fourth-seeded Wildcats. The Hawkeyes scored the game’s first 11 points and led throughout.

Iowa guard Kate Martin (20) battles Kentucky guard Dre’una Edwards (44) for a rebound during the first half of a college basketball game in the second round of the women’s NCAA tournament at the Greehey Arena in San Antonio, Texas, Tuesday, March 23, 2021. (AP Photo/Ronald Cortes)

They are past the second round for only the third time in their 14 NCAA appearances during coach Lisa Bluder’s 21 seasons. They went to the Elite Eight in the last tourney two years ago. Two-time AP All-American guard Rhyne Howard finished with 28 points for the Wildcats.

Photo Credit Fischer Photography

The Atlantic girls track and field team is ready to get back to competition after the season was wiped out in 2020. The 2021 team gathered last week for team photos and to meet with media members and there was a collective excitement for a new year.

Atlantic returns a strong senior core that had some great success as sophomores. Atlantic qualified for State in the 4x400m Relay, 4x800m Relay, and Distance Medley in 2019. Madison Botos, Taylor McCreedy, Kennedy Goergen, Alyssa Derby, and Haley Rasmussen were all contributors to those relay events.  Goergen said they have been working hard to push themselves to new heights this year.

Botos said the team really gets along well and they have developed some great bonds, especially with those relay teams.

Rasmussen also was a State Qualifier in the 200m and Long Jump. Derby also qualified for State in the 200m. Rasmussen said it will be a little different to start the season this year without results to look back on from last season.

Taylor McCreedy hopes to cap off her strong distance career with a great season. She was a State Qualifier in the 1500m in 2019. McCreedy had some great thoughts to describe what missing out on last season was like.

A number of other strong contributors to the team fill the upper classes: seniors Lauren Nicholas and Caroline Pellett and junior Addison DeArment. Sophomore Ava Rush will look to make an impact in the middle distance after being a strong contributor on the cross country course. DeArment talked about goals for the year.

Atlantic Head Coach Matt Mullenix said it has been great to get started again. Mullenix saw a lot of progress during his first season taking over the program in 2019 and he said it will be a new starting point for a number of athletes.

Pellett said she has enjoyed the program changes under Coach Mullenix and is excited for the whole staff to be involved this year.

The Trojans are set for a scrimmage meet this Thursday night with Treynor and ACGC before the season gets into full swing next week.

Listen to the full interviews with athletes in Coach Mullenix in the podcast below.

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AMES, Iowa – Iowa State head men’s basketball coach T.J. Otzelberger has announced that he will retain assistant coach Daniyal Robinson and director of basketball operations Micah Byars.

The pair has combined to work 18 years at Iowa State, which includes a significant period during the most successful era in program history.

Robinson has had two stints at Iowa State, spending the last six seasons at the school and eight overall. Robinson has been a part of three NCAA Tournament team staffs, which included a Sweet 16 appearance in 2016, and won a pair of Big 12 Tournament titles. He is a 21-year coaching veteran at the Division I level, with three of his seasons at Iowa State spent coaching alongside Otzelberger.

“Daniyal is an absolute home run hire for our program,” Otzelberger said. “He is one of the best on-court and developmental coaches that I have been around, while also proving himself time and time again as an excellent recruiter. Daniyal is always prepared and organized, and he is a man of great character. I’m very excited that he will continue to impact student-athletes here at Iowa State.”

During his two stops in Ames, Robinson has coached 12 of the 31 Cyclones all-time that have reached the NBA. Among the players he has helped develop are Craig Brackins, Justin Hamilton, Diante Garrett, Georges Niang, Talen Horton-Tucker, Tyrese Haliburton and Monte Morris.

Respected as one of the top assistant coaches in the country, Robinson was named to Stadium’s list of the top-five assistant coaches in 2020.

Along with five signees ranked in ESPN’s Top 100, Robinson is credited with recruiting the Chicago native Horton-Tucker to Iowa State. Horton-Tucker was the No. 46 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and became ISU’s first NBA World Champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.

Robinson’s efforts don’t stop on the basketball court. In 2020, Robinson founded (and currently chairs) the Black Assistant Coaches Alliance (BACA). He also serves on the athletics department’s Cultural Humility Committee, a group of employees that participates in educational trainings with a goal of achieving cultural humility within the department.

“My family and I are excited to continue our Cyclone journey on T.J.’s staff,” Robinson said. “T.J. is not only like family to me, but he is someone that has been a great person to work with in the past. He has a relentless work ethic and had his fingerprints all over the resurgence of the program over the last 10 years. I am really looking forward to great things to come in the future.”

Byars recently completed his 10^th season at Iowa State and eighth as the director of basketball operations. Byars and Otzelberger’s professional relationship goes back to their time spent at Chipola College in 2004-05, and the pair has worked together three seasons at Iowa State.

“Micah’s character, work ethic and passion for Iowa State Athletics are unparalleled,” Otzelberger said. “Nobody that I have met has a greater desire to see student-athletes succeed and develop than Micah. I couldn’t be more thrilled to announce that he will continue in his role as director of basketball operations for our program.”

Iowa State has enjoyed unprecedented success during Byars’ tenure. The Gainesville, Florida native has been on staff for seven NCAA Tournament appearances and four Big 12 Tournament titles.

Seven times a Cyclone student-athlete has earned All-America honors since Byars’ initial season at ISU (2011-12). He has mentored a pair of Academic All-Americans and Big 12 Scholar-Athletes of the Year in Melvin Ejim and Michael Jacobson. Twenty-seven Cyclones have earned Academic All-Big 12 accolades during his tenure.

Like Robinson, Byars is also a member of the Big 12 Black Assistant Coaches Alliance.

“The State of Iowa is home to my family and I couldn’t be more grateful to be able to remain at Iowa State on T.J.’s staff,” Byars said. “The relationships I have built in the community, at the University and with the people in the athletics department, mean a lot to me. Iowa State is a special place and I look forward to continuing to work with our student athletes in the future.”

Byars and Robinson have been on the bench for some of the most memorable victories in Cyclone history, including a 2017 win at No. 3 Kansas that snapped the Jayhawks’ 51-game win streak at Allen Fieldhouse and a 2016 win over top-ranked Oklahoma, the second in school history against a No. 1 team.

The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) announced Monday the 2021 NABC Coaches’ Division II All-District teams and coaches. Northwest Missouri State’s Trevor Hudgins and Ryan Hawkins each earned NABC Central District First-Team honors, while Diego Bernard tallied second-team status. Bearcat head coach Ben McCollum registered his fourth career NABC Central District Coach of the Year award. He previously won the award in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

Hudgins secured first-team all-district status for the third consecutive season. Hudgins averaged 20.1 points per game and shot 54.5% from the field, including 52.5% from three-point range. Hudgins has already earned first-team all-MIAA as well as being named the MIAA Player of the Year for the second straight season. Hudgins posted 12 20-point scoring games, including a trio of 30-plus point contests. Hudgins leads the nation with 85 three-pointers made.

Hawkins earned first-team all-district honors for the second straight season. Hawkins led the Bearcats in both scoring (22.0 ppg) and rebounding (8.5 rpg). Hawkins was early named a first-team all-MIAA performer. Hawkins has 16 20-point scoring games and five 30-point scoring contests this season. He has eight double-doubles. Hawkins registered the first triple-double in MIAA Tournament history as he scored 30 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and dished out 11 assists against Central Oklahoma.

Bernard tallied his initial all-district award with a nod on the second team. Bernard had 15 double-figure scoring games, including a pair of 20-point contests. Bernard was named the MIAA Defensive Player of the Year and secured second-team all-MIAA status. Bernard averaged 11.8 points per game, 6.2 rebounds per game, while shooting 54.3% from the field.

McCollum guided Northwest to the program’s eighth consecutive MIAA regular season title. Northwest set the MIAA single-season record for league victories with a mark of 21-1 in the league ledger. McCollum helped lead the Bearcats to their fifth trip to the Elite Eight with the highest victory total in the nation among NCAA Division II teams (25-2 overall).

Northwest will begin its quest to secure the program’s third national championship Wednesday, March 24, with a matchup against West Liberty at 6 p.m. in the Elight Eight in Evansville, Indiana.

Central

Coach of the Year: Ben McCollum, Northwest Missouri State

Morningside’s run in the NAIA National Tournament came to an end in the National Semifinals on Monday evening with a 65-52 loss to top-seeded Thomas More.

Thomas More built a 16-point lead with 3 minutes left in the first half but the Mustangs began to connect from downtown and cut the lead to 6 by halftime. The Mustangs continued their hot shooting in the second half and came all the way back to lead by 1 with just under 8 minutes left. The Saints answered back though with a six point run and held on down the stretch.

Taylor Clos led the Saints with 14 points and five assists. They advance to face Westmont (CA) in the National Championship game tonight at 7:00 p.m. Westmont advanced with a 74-65 win over Indiana Wesleyan in the other Semifinal.

Exira-EHK graduate Sophia Peppers scored 9 points for the Mustangs. The junior also had 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block, and 1 steal. Sierra Mithcell led all scorers with 27 points for Morningside. The Mustangs finish the season at 29-3.