The Iowa Women’s Basketball team is headed to the Elite Eight after toppling Colorado 87-77 in the Sweet 16 on Friday night in Seattle. The Hawkeyes will be making their fifth appearance in the Elite Eight in program history.

It was a competitive contest through the first half and then the Hawkeyes turned the game in their favor in the third quarter. Colorado had a one point lead at the break but Iowa outscored the Buffaloes 25-13 in the third quarter to take a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The Hawkeyes made 9 of 13 shots from the field in that third quarter to grab the lead. Iowa has now shot 50% or better from the field in 13 of their last 16 quarters played.

Caitlin Clark finished with 31 points and dished out 8 assists to lead the way. Three other Hawkeyes finished in double figures: Kate Martin (16), Monika Csinano (15), and McKenna Warnock (12).

The Hawkeyes improved to 29-6, tying the school record mark for wins in a season. Next up for Iowa will be an Elite Eight meeting with Louisville on Sunday night at 8:00 p.m. We’ll have coverage on KJAN with pregame at 7:45 p.m.

Saturday, March 25 (Elite 8)

• No. 3 Kansas State vs. No. 9 Florida Atlantic | 5:09 p.m. | TBS
• No. 3 Gonzaga vs. No. 4 UConn | 7:49 p.m. | TBS

Saturday, March 25 — Sweet 16

• No. 2 Maryland vs. No. 3 Notre Dame | 10:30 a.m. | ESPN
• No.1 South Carolina vs. No. 4 UCLA| 1:00 p.m.| ESPN
• No. 2 UConn vs. No. 3 Ohio State | 3 p.m. | ABC
• No. 1 Virginia Tech vs. No. 4 Tennessee | 5:30 p.m. | ESPN2

JUPITER, Fla., March 24, 2023 – The St. Louis Cardinals announced today that they have agreed to a two-year (2024-25) contract extension with All-Star pitcher Miles Mikolas that will keep him in a Redbirds uniform through at least the 2025 season.

The team also announced today that Mikolas is set to make his 2^nd career Opening Day start when the Cardinals begin their 2023 regular season campaign next Thursday in St. Louis.  Mikolas was also tabbed as the club’s Opening Day starter in 2019 at Milwaukee.

Mikolas, 34, first joined the Cardinals as a free-agent in 2018 and went on to tie for the National League lead in wins with a career-high 18.  Since coming to St. Louis, Miles has gone 41-34 with a 3.46 ERA in 106 career games pitched for the Redbirds and was selected to the N.L. All-Star team in both 2018 and 2022.   He signed a four-year (2020-23) contract extension with the Cardinals in February of 2019.

A Jupiter, Fla. native, Mikolas has excelled when performing in front of the St. Louis fans, posting a 2.60 career ERA at Busch Stadium III, the third best among qualifying pitchers.

Miles is ranked among the majors’ top pitchers in walk pct. (4.3 pct., 2^nd) and first pitch strike pct. (66.8 pct., T2nd) since joining the Cardinals in 2018, and the Redbirds are 64-42 (.604 win pct.) in his 106 career games pitched for the organization.

Mikolas (12-13, 3.29 ERA) ranked among National League leaders in a number of categories last season, pacing the team in innings pitched (202.1), starts (32) and quality starts (22) – all ranking 3^rd in the senior circuit. His 202.1 innings pitched were a single-season career best and it marked the second 200-inning campaign (also 2018) of his career.

Mikolas was a member of the Team USA pitching staff in this year’s World Baseball Classic, working 6.0 IP over two relief appearances, including 4.0 innings in the American’s semi-final win over Cuba.

The 6-4, 230-pound righty owns a career mark of 45-40 with a 3.70 ERA in 143 games (115 starts) with San Diego (2012-13), Texas (2014) and St. Louis (2018-22).   He pitched three seasons (2015-17) with the Yomiuri Giants in the Japanese Central League where he was 31-13 with a 2.18 ERA in 62 games, all starts.

Mikolas was voted by his teammates the recipient of the Darryl Kile Award in 2018, and he was named co-recipient of the J.G. Taylor Spink Baseball Man of the Year in 2018 by the St. Louis Chapter of the BBWAA.  He was selected as the St. Louis Chapter’s Bob Bauman Physical Comeback Award recipient for 2022.

The Iowa Girls Coaches Association has set the rosters and schedule for their upcoming All-Star Basketball Series on April 1st and 2nd at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids. Here is a look at the team assingments for area athletes.

1A White Team
Avery Dowling, Sidney

1A Gray Team
Jenna Stephens, Stanton
Shay Burmeister, Exira-EHK
Nicole Sherer, Woodbine
Emily Williams, East Mills
Coach: Tom Petersen, Exira-EHK

1A Select Team
Quinn Grubbs, Exira-EHK

2A White Team
Catherine Mayhall, Kuemper Catholic

2A Gray Team
Greylan Hornbeck, Logan-Magnolia
Mya Moss, Logan-Magnolia

2A Select Team
Clara Teigland, Treynor

3A White Team
Jada Jensen, Atlantic

4A/5A Gray Team
Emily Pomernackas, CB Abraham Lincoln

4A/5A White Team
Doryn Paup, Creston

3A/4A/5A Select Gray Team
Jenna Hopp, Glenwood

Check out full rosters HERE

Saturday Schedule
Morning 3A/4A/5A Practices
12:00pm 3A White vs. 3A Gray
2:00pm 3A-4A-5A select teams play
3:30pm 4A/5A white vs. 4A/5A gray

Sunday Schedule
8:00am-12:00pm 1A-2A teams practice
12:00pm 1A white vs. 1A gray
2:00pm 1A select vs. 2A select
3:30pm 2A white vs. 2A gray

Friday, March 24 — Sweet 16

• No. 4 Villanova vs. No. 9 Miami | 1:30 p.m.| ESPN
• No. 2 Utah vs. No. 3 LSU | 4 p.m. | ESPN
• No. 2 Iowa vs. No. 6 Colorado | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN- ON KJAN 6:15 p.m.
• No. 5 Louisville vs. No. 8 Ole Miss | 9 p.m. | ESPN

Friday, March 24 (Sweet 16)

• No. 1 Alabama vs. No. 5 San Diego State | 5:30 p.m. | TBS
• No. 1 Houston vs. No. 5 Miami | 6:15 p.m. | CBS
• No. 6 Creighton vs. No. 15 Princeton | 8 p.m. | TBS
• No. 2 Texas vs. No. 3 Xavier | 8:45 p.m. | CBS

Iowa coach Lisa Bluder says freshman standout Hannah Stuelke will play tonight (Friday night), when the third ranked Hawkeyes take on Colorado in the NCAA Sweet-16 in Seattle. Stuelke missed last Sunday’s win over Georgia with an ankle injury.

A year ago Colorado lost to Creighton in a first round game in Iowa City.

Bluder says Colorado runs a similar double-post offense to Georgia.

Junior guard Caitlin Clark says balance has been a key for the Hawkeyes in the post season and it will be needed against Colorado.

Iowa is the highest seeded team remaining in a regional that has featured several upsets.

Iowa center Monika Czinano says just like George, Colorado’s size is a concern.

Czinano says Stuelke’s return will be a plus against Colorado’s size on the front line.

Louisville and Ole Miss meet in the other regional semifinal. Listen for the Hawkeyes game tonight, beginning at 6:15, on KJAN.

Iowa State coach Matt Campbell says the Cyclone offense is working to become more consistent this spring. The Cyclones finished 4-8 last season and finished at the bottom of the Big-12 in scoring and total offense.

Hunter Dekkers had 19 touchdown passes and 14 interceptions in his first season as a start and Campbell says there will be a lot of competitive position battles this spring.

Campbell says another area that needs to make strides this spring is the offensive line.

Iowa State’s spring game is set for April 22nd.

Off to its best start since 1939 the Iowa baseball team is scheduled to open a three game series at home today (Friday), against Western Michigan. The Hawkeyes are 16-3 and that includes are early season win over top ranked LSU.

That’s Iowa coach Rick Heller who says the Hawkeyes have had a consistent approach no matter who the opponent is.