IOWA CITY, Iowa – Two former University of Iowa football players — D. Hugh Drake and Roger Jerrick — have passed away.

Drake, a three-year letterwinner and two-time Rose Bowl champion, passed away on Sept. 16. He was 87.

Drake earned Hawkeye letters in 1956, 1957 and 1958 as an offensive lineman under Forest Evashevski. He helped Iowa to Rose Bowl victories over Oregon State (35-19) in 1957 and California (38-12) in 1959.

The Shenandoah, Iowa, native was one of 13 players to appear in both Rose Bowls, playing as a reserve in 1957 and starting in 1959 as an offensive guard. His 1958 team earned a share of the national title and his three teams combined to win 24 games. Iowa was 9-1 in 1956, 7-1-1 in 1957 and 8-1-1 in 1958.

Following graduation, Drake played one season for the British Columbia Lions in the Canadian Football League before embarking on a coaching career. He began at Upper Iowa University before coaching at Estherville, Grundy Center, Des Moines East and Des Moines Lincoln High Schools.

Jerrick passed away on Sept. 21. He was 72.

Jerrick was a three-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes from 1971-73 and he was voted a team captain in 1973.

The two-year starter on the offensive line played under Frank Lauterbur.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa softball program released its 2025 Big Ten schedule Tuesday, it was announced by head coach Renee Gillispie. The schedule includes 11 home games at Bob Pearl Field.

Iowa opens its Big Ten season on the road in Bloomington, Ind. against Indiana, March 15 and 16. The Hawkeyes will host Big Ten-newcomer, UCLA, in their conference home opener at Pearl Field March 22 and 23.

The Hawkeye’s remaining 2025 Big Ten home slate features matchups with Nebraska (April 4-6), Penn State (April 18-20) and Rutgers (May 2-4). Iowa will be on the road at Wisconsin (March 28-30), Maryland (April 11-13), and Michigan State (April 25-27).

The 2025 Big Ten Softball Tournament will be held May 7-10 at Bittinger Stadium in West Lafayette, Ind.

The full schedule, along with game times, will be announced at a later date.

2025 Big Ten Schedule

March 15-16 – at Indiana

March 22-23 – vs. UCLA

March 28-30 – at Wisconsin

April 4-6 – vs. Nebraska

April 11-13 – at Maryland

April 18-20 – vs. Penn State

April 25-27 – 2 Michigan State

May 2-4 – vs. Rutgers

May 7- 10 – B1G Tournament at Purdue

Iowa offensive coordinator Tim Lester says the passing game will become more explosive if the running game remains productive. The Hawks are 11th in the country in rushing and had 272 yards in a 31-14 win at Minnesota while throwing for only 62.

Lester likes the progress of quarterback Cade McNamara despite the Hawkeyes averaging only 147 yards of passing per game.

Lester says the key for running back Kaleb Johnson was learning to be patient as the play develops. He currently leads the nation with 685 yards of rushing.

Lester says the off week allows the Hawkeyes to go to work on the passing game.

With a 3-0 start and number 18 national rankings the expectations have skyrocketed for Iowa State heading into Big-12 play. The Cyclones open Saturday night at struggling Houston.

Campbell says every week will be challenging in the Big 12.

Campbell believes the experience the Cyclones have will keep them grounded.

Willie Fritz is in his first season rebuilding the Houston program after a successful run at Tulane.

Campbell is concerned about the mobility of Houston quarterback Donovan Smith. Smith’s previous stop was at Texas Tech and he led the Red Raiders to a 41-38 win over the Cyclones in 2021.

Houston coach Willie Fritz says they will continue to use two quarterbacks when the Cougars host 18th ranked Iowa State. Donovan Smith and Zeon Chriss both played in a 34-0 loss at Cincinnati.

Fritz is looking for a way to ignite a Houston offense that is averaging only 13 points per game in a 1-3 start.

Fritz says quarterback is not the only concern on offense.

Fritz says the Cougars need to be ready for the physical challenge the Cyclones present.

Former Audubon football player Matthew Beisswenger of Buena Vista University has been named the American Rivers Conference Football Special Teams Player of the Week.

Beisswenger connected on a pair of first quarter field goals from 20 and 35 yards that gave the Beavers an early 6-3 lead. Two plays after his 35-yard make, he intercepted a pass at the Loras 36 that set-up a Buena Vista touchdown to extend their lead. This was his fourth career interception. He was successful on both extra points and also averaged 30 yards on five punts to help flip field position. The Beavers defeated Loras for the first time since 2016 by a score of 20-17.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz wants to see more balance on offense. The Hawkeyes are on their bye week after a 31-14 win at Minnesota. The Hawkeyes are currently 11th in the nation in rushing offense and Kaleb Johnson leads the nation with 685 yards and nine touchdowns.

Johnson is one of four running backs who have seen action this season.

Johnson was named Big Ten Co-Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 206 yards and three touchdowns in the win at Minnesota. The Hawkeyes return to action on October fifth at third ranked Ohio State.

IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa women’s wrestling associate head coach Gary Mayabb was named a 2024 inductee into the Missouri Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as the Lifetime Service Award winner, it was announced Monday.

Mayabb has a lifelong dedication to the sport of wrestling has been nothing short of extraordinary. His unwavering commitment, passion and contributions have not only shaped the wrestling community in Missouri but have also left an indelible mark on the sport itself.

For more than three decades, Mayabb served in various capacities with USA Wrestling and was an accomplished high school wrestling coach in Kansas City, Missouri, winning seven team state championships. As the head coach at Oak Park and Staley High Schools, he was a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Region Coach of the Year and State Coach of the Year, a five-time Missouri Wrestling Association State Coach of the Year and two-time Missouri State High School Activities Association Coach of the Year.

As a competitor, Mayabb competed at the University of Central Missouri, where he was a NCAA qualifier and the MIAA Conference Most Outstanding Wrestler. The two-time team captain was a U.S. Open finalist in 1990 and a four-time Olympic Trials qualifier (1980, 1984, 1988, 1992). He is a member of Central Missouri’s Hall of Legends and Athletic Hall of Fame.

Mayabb has been a member of the MWA, NWCA, Collegiate Wrestling Officials Association, National Wrestling Officials Association and United States Wrestling Officials Association. He was also a collegiate official from 1985-2017, and during that time served as a Big Ten Conference official from 2006-17, and an NCAA Championships official from 2000-17.

Mayabb will be honored on Sunday, October 20, during a ceremony in Jefferson City, Missouri.

(Big12.com) – CBS Sports and the Big 12 Conference have expanded their partnership by significantly increasing the number of Big 12 men’s college basketball games across the Network’s platforms. The multi-year deal, which runs through the 2026-27 season, is through a sublicense agreement with ESPN.