IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The University of Iowa is moving forward with plans for a $90 million renovation of Kinnick Stadium. The Iowa Board of Regents on Thursday approved the design and financing plan for the project, which will renovate one of the stadium’s end zones.

The enhancements to the north end zone include a second deck for seating, new restrooms, expanded concourses and improved concessions. The project will begin after the 2016 season and be completed prior to the 2019 season.

Kinnick Stadium, which has hosted the Hawkeyes since 1929, last received an overhaul in 2006 that was highlighted by a new press box. The stadium’s capacity is expected to remain around 70,000.

As teams and individuals prep for Cross Country State Qualifying Meets around the state today here is a look at the final Cross Country Rankings released this week by the Iowa Association of Track Coaches.

Individual Rankings

Girls 1A

2. Reagan Weinheimer, Nodaway Valley
8. Janette Schraft, East Mills
10. Kate Crawford, ACGC
15. Emma Swanson, ACGC
18. Eva Fisk, Earlham
20. Payton Sporrer, IKM-Manning
22. Devyn Kemble, Panorama
26. Jena Proffitt, East Union

Boys 1A

3. Jerry Jorgenson, Treynor
5. Shane Breheny, Nodaway Valley
9. Ben Behrendt, Boyer Valley
17. David Thompson, Griswold
18. Brycen Wallace, Nodaway Valley
19. Rylan Heffernan, West Central Valley
20. Connor Garrett, Boyer Valley
22. Cale Billheimer, ACGC
23. Zach Ambrose, Boyer Valley
24. Brayten Funke, Nodaway Valley

Girls 2A

6. Karley Larson, Underwood
10. Alexis Cook, Missouri Valley
17. Claire Campbell, Shenandoah/Essex

Girls 3A

11. Raegan Anderson, Denison/Schleswig
18. Ellie Mendlik, Denison/Schleswig

Boys 3A

18. Pheonix Shadden, Atlantic
22. Ben Grote, Kuemper Catholic

Full Rankings here.

Team Rankings

The 7:20-a.m. Sportscast w/Jim Field.

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The Iowa Hawkeyes will try to hang on to the Heartland Trophy this weekend when they host 10th ranked Wisconsin. Despite back-to-back losses to Michigan and Ohio State the Badgers look like the team to beat in the Big Ten West Division race. (click on the left side of the audio bar to hear comments)

That’s Iowa quarterback C.J. Beathard. It will be a game featuring teams with similar styles.

That’s senior corner Desmond King. Iowa’s run game has made progress the past two weeks but faces a big challenge against the Badger defense.

That’s junior running back Akrum Wadley.

(Learfield Sports)

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs linebacker Justin Houston returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since having surgery in February to repair a poorly functioning ACL in his left knee. The four-time Pro Bowl pass rusher was expected to do individual drills only as the Chiefs slowly get him back into playing shape, and coach Andy Reid did not say when he might be game-ready.

CLASS 3A

Region 1

Sioux Center 3, Cherokee 0

MOC-Floyd Valley 3, Sheldon 0

Spirit Lake 3, Estherville-Lincoln Central 0

East Sac County 3, PAC/L-M 2

Region 2

Kuemper Catholic 3, Southeast Valley 0

Greene County 3, Atlantic 0

Red Oak 3, Creston 0

Clarinda 3, Shenandoah 0

CLASS 4A

Region 2

Harlan 3, Glenwood 0

Carroll 3, Denison-Schleswig 1

Region 3

Carlisle 3, Knoxville 0

Winterset 3, Des Moines-Hoover 0

CLASS 5A

Region 2

Council Bluffs/T.J 3, Council Bluffs Abe Lincoln 2

High School Cross Country State Qualifying Meets will be held across the state of Iowa on Thursday night and Atlantic will play host for some Class 2A and 3A schools.  The meet will be held at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club and spectators are asked to park in the driving range which is on West 22nd Street adjoining the course.  The start finish line will be near the driving range and Hole 10 tee areas.  The top three teams and top 15 individuals in each race qualify for the State Meet which will be held on October 29th at Lakeside Municipal Golf Course in Fort Dodge.

The Class 2A teams that will be competing are Central Decatur, Clarinda, Clarke (Boys), Des Moines Christian, I-35, Ogden, Red Oak, Roland-Story, Shenandoah, South Hamilton, Southeast Valley, Southwest Iowa, Underwood, and Woodward Academy (Boys).  The 2A Girls race is set to start at 3:00pm and the 2A Boys race at 3:30pm. 2A awards will be given out at 4:45pm.

The Class 3A teams that will be competing are ADM, Boone, Carlisle, Clarke (Girls), Creston, Dallas Center-Grimes, Denison-Schleswig, Gilbert, Glenwood, Harlan, Perry, and Winterset.  The Girls 3A race will be run at approximately 4:00pm and the 3A Boys race will start at about 5:00pm.

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The deadline is fast approaching for you to nominate someone to be honored as a Hero of the Heartland at the Iowa-Nebraska football game November 25th in Iowa City. Iowa Region American Red Cross communications officer, Kara Kelly, says a person can be a hero for several different reasons. “We’re looking for people who really have gone above and beyond.  Maybe there was an extraordinary act of courage,  it could be  a life-saving act, or it could be somebody who had donated countless hours to a special cause,” Kelly says.

The deadline to nominate someone is Monday, October 24th. “We have not received a lot of nominations so far,” according to Kelly, “I think we’re getting drowned out a little bit by a lot of news that’s happening. Whether it’s political, and we’ve had a lot of disaster news lately, both locally and nationally. So, get those nominations in.”

You can make you nomination online. “Go to Red-Cross-Dot-Org-Slash Iowa (redcross.org/iowa). If you do that there’s a picture of Herbie and Herky at the top of the page that you can click on and submit your nomination for the Hy-Vee Heroes game,” Kelly says.

A hero from both Iowa and Nebraska will be honored before a crowd at Kinnick Stadium. “We are looking kind of for those unheralded everyday people who have gone above and beyond,” Kelly says. She says its a privilege for the Red Cross and Hy-Vee and the two schools to honor the heroes.   I think it’s a real treat for those heroes to go out into the middle of the field, whether its at Memorial Stadium or again this year at Kinnick, and be applauded by the thousands of people in the stands. It’s a really fun day.”

People who are nominated to be a hero must be at least 18 years of age and live, work or go to school in either Iowa or Nebraska — but their act of heroism or good deed need not have occurred in either state.

(Radio Iowa)

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is happy with the way his team rebounded after a tough loss. The Hawkeyes bounced back from a 38-31 loss to Northwestern with road wins over Minnesota and Purdue and can climb right back into the Big Ten West race with a victory over 10th ranked Wisconsin. (click on the left side of each audio bar to play)

Ferentz says the Hawkeyes met the challenge after stumbling to a 3-2 start.

Wisconsin is ranked tenth despite consecutive losses to Michigan and Ohio State and Ferentz says the Badgers deserve the ranking.

Ferentz hopes tight end George Kittle will be available on Saturday. He injured a foot in the win at Purdue but x-rays were negative. Ferentz says LeShun Daniels and Akrum Wadley have become a good combination at running back.

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst says the Hawkeyes have played well the past two weeks.
Iowa won a defensive battle a year ago in Madison but Chryst says that won’t play a factor in the outcome on Saturday.

Chryst says the proximity of the fans makes playing in Kinnick Stadium unique.

(Learfield Sports)