STILLWATER, Okla. – The University of Iowa cross country team wrapped up the 2025 season Friday morning at the NCAA Midwest Regional at the Greiner Family OSU Cross Country Course. Sophomore Elena Torres led the women’s squad, while redshirt sophomore Luke Knepp paced the Hawkeye men. The men finished 15th with 430 points, and the women placed 16th with 424 points.

Torres was Iowa’s top women’s finisher in every regular-season and postseason meet this year. Her time of 21:28.4 marked a season best. Sophomore Hillary Trainor posted a time of 21:52.8 and also scored for the Hawkeyes in every meet this season. Senior Jalyssa Blazek set a season best at 22:21.3 while scoring for the women. Rounding out the top five were junior Audra Soderlind (22:31.9) and senior Rowan Boulter, who posted a season best of 22:41.6.

The men’s team featured two strong 10,000-meter debuts. Knepp led Iowa with a time of 32:25.4, and freshman Elias Arbuckle (32:42.7) was third for the Hawkeyes in his first collegiate 10K. Senior Brayden Burnett was Iowa’s second scorer at 32:32.1. Hayden Kuhn (32:59.8) and Carson Houg (33:04.9) rounded out the top five, continuing their consistent scoring roles.

The meet concludes the 2025 cross country season for the Hawkeyes.

Oklahoma State swept the team titles and claimed individual championships in the women’s 6,000 meters and men’s 10,000 meters.

Up Next: Iowa’s cross country season has come to a close. The track and field program opens its 2025-26 campaign at the Sharon Colyear-Danville Season Opener in Boston on Dec. 6.

HAWKEYE RESULTS
Women’s 6,000 Meters
16th – 424 Points
40. Elena Torres – 21:28.4 SB
64. Hillary Trainor – 21:52.8
97. Jalyssa Blazek – 22:21.3 SB
110. Audra Soderlind – 22:31.9
123. Rowan Boulter – 22:41.6 SB
164. Marissa Long – 23:09.7
176. Clare Kelly – 23:19.1

Men’s 10,000 Meters
15th – 430 Points
65. Luke Knepp – 32:25.4
76. Brayden Burnett – 32:32.1
84. Elias Arbuckle – 32:42.7
100. Hayden Kuhn – 32:59.8
105. Carson Houg – 33:04.9
124. Kyle Montgomery – 33:32.2

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State punter Tyler Perkins has been named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award, announced Friday by the Augusta Sports Council. Perkins was among 10 players selected from a field of 92 nominated candidates.

Perkins, a senior from Nowalk, Ohio, has had an impressive 2025 season, punting 35 times with a net average of 41.86 yards. Of his 35 punts, 17 have been inside the 20-yard line and only four have been returned. Opponents have accumulated just 13 return yards against Perkins, ninth-fewest nationally.

He owns a touchback percentage of 2.8 percent, with just one of his 35 punts ending up in the endzone.

A four-year starter, Perkins owns the best career punting average in school history at 43.5 yards per kick.

2025 Ray Guy Award Semifinalists
Tyler Perkins, Iowa State

Brett Thorson, Georgia

Daniel Hughes, New Mexico

Dante Atton, Temple

Evan Crenshaw, Troy

Jackson Ross, Tennessee

James Rendell, Notre Dame

Luke Freer, Air Force

Nick Haberer, Vanderbilt

Palmer Williams, Baylor

The 21st ranked Iowa Hawkeyes head west to play 17th ranked USC tomorrow. After getting gashed by Oregon on the ground last week the Iowa defense faces another difficult test against a Trojan offense that averages nearly 40 points per game.

USC is 7-2 and in the playoff hunt. Ferentz says an improved defense has been a key to their success.

Iowa’s last trip to Los Angeles a year ago resulted in a lackluster defeat at the hands of UCLA.

Weather is likely to be a factor. The 2:30-p.m. kickoff forecast is for a temperature of 61 and a nearly 90 percent chance of rain. Pre-game coverage on KJAN begins at 12:30-p.m.

DES MOINES, Iowa – Drake women’s basketball made three additions to its program today as a trio of incoming freshmen inked their official letters of intent. Alex Couch, Grace Fincham, and Karis Finley all signed to don the blue and white as the Bulldogs’ class of 2025.

“Karis, Alex and Grace are perfect fits for our basketball family,” Suzie Glazer Burt Head Coach Allison Pohlman said. “They’re competitive, self-driven, and have a team-first mindset that matches the culture we’re so proud of at Drake.”

Alex Couch, a 5’10” guard from Liberty, Missouri, has twice been named a First Team All-Suburban Gold Conference and First Team All-District performer. She was also recognized as an All-State honoree and surpassed the 1,000-career point mark as a junior. Couch was also a standout on the softball diamond with multiple conference, district, region, and state honors.

Grace Fincham will come to Des Moines after a remarkable prep career at West High School in Iowa City. Fincham has earned three varsity letters and a pair of unanimous First Team All-Mississippi Valley Conference honors. She was named the Trojans’ team MVP as a sophomore. Fincham has also garnered IGCA Class 5A All-District, All-Region, and All-State awards.

Lastly, Cedar Falls native Karis Finley rounds out the Bulldogs’ 2025 signing class. Finley earned All-Mississippi Valley Conference First Team status all three years of high school thus far and All-State listings twice. Finley helped lead the Tigers to a conference title as a sophomore.

AMES, Iowa – Iowa State tight end Benjamin Brahmer has been named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award, given annually to college football’s outstanding tight end. The eight Mackey Award semifinalists include four Big 12 tight ends.

Brahmer, a junior out of Pierce, Nebraska, is having a career year as the Cyclones’ leading pass catcher. With two games left in the regular season, Brahmer has 33 receptions for 388 yards and a team-best five touchdown receptions. Brahmer also has two two-point conversion scores, which don’t count in his stats.

Brahmer has three games this season with at least five receptions, including a five catch, 75-yard performance against nationally-ranked BYU. He had a season-high seven receptions and scored two touchdowns in a win against South Dakota.

The last time a tight end led the Cyclones in receptions was Collin Franklin in 2010 (54 receptions).

2025 Mackey Award Semifinalists

Benjamin Brahmer, Iowa State

Dallen Bentley, Utah

Justin Joly, NC State

Tanner Koziol, Houston

Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon

Eli Stowers, Vanderbilt

Michael Trigg, Baylor

Dae’Quan Wright, Ole Miss

CLASS A

Saint Ansgar – 31  vs Wapsie Valley – 7

MMCRU – 28 vs West Sioux – 0

CLASS 4A

Pella – 35 vs Sergeant Bluff-Luton – 14

Xavier – 31 vs Newton – 24

CORALVILLE, Iowa – University of Iowa volleyball overcame a 2-1 deficit to beat Northwestern in five sets at Xtream Arena on Thursday night. Iowa moved to 14-13 and 5-10 in the Big Ten.

The Hawkeyes won the first set 25-20. After losing sets two (25-17) and three (27-25), Iowa held off Northwestern in set four, 29-27. Iowa won the decider, 15-9. The Hawkeyes improved to 12-1 when winning the first set and 4-1 when getting to eight points first during the fifth set.

This was the program’s first win over Northwestern since the spring of 2021. It was Iowa’s first victory over the Wildcats at home since 2019.

Senior setter Claire Ammeraal notched her second triple-double of the season. The Madison, Wisconsin, native tallied 55 assists, 17 digs and 10 kills. She also had six blocks and hit a team-leading .400. Her previous triple-double came against Utah Tech in August.

“It’s super exciting to get a triple-double,” Ammeraal said. “It feels really good and the cool thing is that a lot of the stats that I get in triple-doubles, I cannot get without my teammates. I’m glad I have my teammates there to set me up and then in return I get to set them up.”

Iowa recorded a season-high 77 kills in the win. Four more Hawkeyes joined Ammeraal in double-figures in the kill department. Freshman Carmel Vares and redshirt sophomore Alyssa Worden led the team with 16 kills. Junior Hannah Whittingstall notched 15 kills, while graduate Chard’e Vanzandt added 14. Seven Hawkeyes joined Ammeraal in recording assists, helping Iowa put together a season-best 71-assist performance.

Defensively, the Hawkeyes dug a season-high 76 attacks and were led by senior libero Milana Moisio’s 19 digs. Following Ammeraal’s 17 digs, sophomore Jaimie Marquardt helped in the back row with 12 digs. Greta Schlichter provided a defensive boost with her seven digs.

The Hawkeyes outhit Northwestern, .261-.253 and terminated 77 kills to the Wildcats’ 68. Both teams served consistently. The Wildcats had seven aces and six errors. Iowa had five aces and five errors. The match featured 30 ties and 20 lead changes.

Up Next: Iowa welcomes No. 20 Minnesota to Xtream Arena on Sunday. First serve is slated for 2 p.m. and will be streamed on B1G+ and the Hawkeye Radio Network.

The 21st ranked Iowa Hawkeye women used a 25-0 run in the opening half to blow the game open in a 100-58 win over Drake in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes outscored Drake 62-24 in the paint and also limited to Bulldogs to 36 percent shooting.

That’s Iowa coach Jan Jensen. The Hawkeyes had six players in double figures and got 50 points from the bench to move to 3-0.

The Iowa Hawkeye men take a 2-0 record into Friday night’s game at home against Xavier. Under first year coach Richard Pitino the Musketeers are 2-1 after a lopsided loss at home to Santa Clara.

That’s Iowa coach Ben McCollum who wants to see more consistency out of his team.