AMES, Iowa – Iowa State senior guard Monté Morris has been named the Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year, becoming the second Cyclone to earn the recognition. Morris joins Jamaal Tinsley, also a point guard, prior to the 2000-01 season as the only ISU players to be named the league’s top player in the preseason. Tinsley went on to win the award at the end of the season as well.

Morris was also the only unanimous selection to the 2016-17 Preseason All-Big 12 Team.

Morris, a Flint, Michigan, native, was second on the Cyclone roster as a junior averaging 13.8 points. An All-Big 12 Second Team choice, he is the top returning scorer in the league this season. He led the Big 12 in assists (6.9) and minutes played (38.0) in 2015-16, while finishing second in steals with 62. He also had the nation’s third-best assist-to-turnover ratio (4.23).

Morris starts his final season at ISU ranked No. 25 all-time at the school with 1,133 career points. He is sixth in assists (551) and eighth in steals (172), with both records well within striking distance.

The Atlantic Trojans are gearing up for a road test this week at ADM.  The Tigers come in with a 2-4 record and fresh off a win last week over Denison-Schleswig.  Atlantic is 1-5 overall and is trying to bounce back after two big losses to state rated Creston and Glenwood in back to back weeks.  Atlantic Head Coach Mike McDermott said despite the recent losses the kids are still focused and excited for their next challenge. Atlantic has really struggled to get their offense going this year and Coach McDermott hopes they can do a few different things to turn that around this week.

On the other side the ADM offense likes to spread the field out and are led by a dynamic player at the Quarterback spot in Sam McCartney.  McCartney has completed 54% of his passes this season for a total of 1,247 yards, 7 touchdowns compared to 2 interceptions.  He is also the Tigers’ leading rusher on the season and Coach McDermott knows the Trojan defense faces a unique challenge this week.

ADM Head Coach Mike Whisner says his team has become more balanced as the season has moved along but knows that McCartney is the key to the engine.

Coach Whisner sees a lot of similarities between the Denison team they faced last week and the Trojans.

We’ll have coverage of the Trojans and Tigers Friday night on KJAN! Chris Parks and Mike Smith bring you the call with the Dvorak Tire and Service Pre-Game Show at 6:30pm and Kickoff set for 7:30pm.  You can also catch our weekly pick ’em show Who’s Gonna Win? starting at 6:00pm.  Tune in on AM1220, FM101.1, online at kjan.com, or on the free KJAN mobile app.  You can also watch the game with live streaming video on our TV page at kjan.com.

The Iowa High School Girls Athletic Association released the site assignments for the 2016 Cross Country State Qualifying meets on Thursday.  These meets will be run on Thursday, October 20th around the state.

The Atlantic Boys and Girls Cross Country teams was scheduled to host their Cross Country Invite tonight at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club but the stormy weather has forced cancellation of the meet.  The meet was to be held at the Atlantic Golf and Country Club. The following was a preview: spectators can enter and park on East 22nd Street in the driving range of the course.  27 teams and 850-900 runners are expected to participate in the 6 different races.

The schedule of races is set up like this. Middle School Boys 4:00pm, Middle School Girls 4:15pm, JV Boys 4:30pm, Varsity Girls 5:00pm, Varsity Boys 5:30pm, JV Girls 6;00pm. Awards will follow all the races.

The Girls Varsity race will feature two top-10 rated teams in Dallas Center-Grimes (#8) and Denison-Schleswig (#12).  Those two teams are likely to battle for the title with Atlantic, Abraham Lincoln, Glenwood, and Shenandoah-Essex all likely battling for 3rd. Karley Larsen of Underwood is ranked 6th in 2A and is the runner to beat. Reagan Anderson of Denison-Schleswig is ranked 15th and will challenge at the top. Atlantic’s Ashely Wendt, Exira-EHK’s Emily Copic, and Riverside’s Alexis Post will be aiming for top-10 finishes.

In the Boys Varsity race Dallas Center-Grimes comes in as a big favorite and are ranked #2 in the state. Denison-Schleswig, Glenwood, Atlantic, and Lewis Central are also expected to battle toward the top of the team standings. The individual title will be a good battle.  Jerry Jorgensen of Treynor is ranked 3rd in Class 1A and is likely to be near the top.  Alex Thompson of Dallas Center-Grimes (#9 in 3A), Scott Miles of Sergeant Bluff-Luton (#10 in 3A), and Tyler Bonneman of Dallas Center-Grimes (#12 in 3A) are also likely to be in contention. Phoenix Shadden and Bradley Dennis of Atlantic are likely top-10 contenders.

The Atlantic Invite also doles out a Co-Ed title for combined low score. Dallas Center-Grimes is the favorite for that crown with Denison-Schleswig, Glenwood, and Atlantic all strong contenders.

IRVING, Texas – Iowa State women’s basketball senior Seanna Johnson was named to the preseason All-Big 12 team by the Big 12 Conference coaches, the league announced Wednesday.

Johnson is the first Cyclone named to the preseason All-Big 12 team since Hallie Christofferson in 2013-14.

Johnson, who was selected to the All-Big 12 first-team last season, was second in the Big 12 in 2015-16 in points (17.0) and rebounds (9.4). She was also the only player in the nation to average over 17.0 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.0 assists. She currently ranks 22^nd in the Iowa State record books with 1,156 career points, eighth with 797 rebounds and fourth in double-doubles with 27. Johnson has also started all 90 games in her career.

Iowa State officially begins the 2016-17 season on Nov. 11 against UC-Santa Barbara at noon in Hilton Coliseum.

(From cyclones.com)

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

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CHICAGO (AP) – The NCAA is now facing 43 class-action lawsuits related to the handling of concussions by Division One football programs after 18 more were filed this week. The complaints also name college conferences and in some cases schools. The Chicago-based law firm Edelson PC has been filing the lawsuits in batches since May. The latest were filed Tuesday on behalf of former players from Texas A&M, UCLA, Maryland, Richmond, Idaho, South Carolina, Mississippi, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Alabama and Iowa.

On Monday, former players from Memphis, Ball State, Rutgers, Eastern Michigan and Florida A&M filed lawsuits. The players are seeking damages for injuries they claim are the result of mishandled concussions they suffered while playing college football. A judge in a previous case ruled one large class-action concussion lawsuit could not be filed against the NCAA.

The Iowa State Cyclones hope more progress will lead to a victory. After letting a late lead slip away in a 45-42 loss to 13th ranked Baylor the Cyclones are on the road this week to play Oklahoma State. (click on the left side of the audio player bar to play each cut)

That’s senior offensive tackle Nick Fett, who says improvement by the offense began on the practice field.

The ISU defense will be challenged against the Cowboys. Junior quarterback Mason Rudolph leads an offense that averages more than 42 points and 450 yards per game.

That’s junior defensive back Evrett Edwards who says the Cyclones must improve their tackling before Saturday’s game.

Iowa State is 1-4.

(Radio Iowa/Learfield Sports)

The Iowa Hawkeyes need a victory as they get set to visit Minnesota in the annual battle for Floyd of Rosedale. Losses in two of their last three games have dropped the Hawkeyes to 3-2 on the season. (click on the left side of the audio player bar to play each cut)

That’s senior receiver Riley McCarron, who had eight receptions in a 38-31 loss to Northwestern. The Hawkeye defense needs to make strides after giving up 362 yards, including 198 on the ground to the Wildcats.

That’s junior linebacker Ben Niemann. Senior corner Desmond King says the Gophers want to set up the pass with their ground game.

A key to the game will be Minnesota’s offensive line against Iowa’s defensive front.

That’s Iowa junior defensive tackle Nathan Bazata.

(Radio Iowa/Learfield Sports)

Iowa basketball coach Fran McCaffery says he has a good feeling about this year’s team even though the Hawkeyes will have a new look. Four starters are gone from last year’s team that finished 22-11 and lost to eventual national champion Villanova in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. (click on the left side of the audio player bar to play each cut)

McCaffery says the Hawkeyes will make progress as they gain more experience.

The top returning player is senior guard Peter Jok, who averaged just over 16 points and shot 40 percent from three point range. McCaffery says Jok will need to diversify his game this season.

Freshman Tyler Cook is expected to make an immediate impact. McCaffery calls the 6-9 native of St. Louis a potential star.

The Hawkeyes open with an exhibition game against Regis University on November 4.

(Radio Iowa/Learfield Sports)