By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Mount Pleasant — In a busy night of prep track, the Mount Pleasant Panther boys and girls’ track teams will travel to Williamsburg for a jam packed invite.
The Panthers will hook up with Belle Plaine, Benton Community, Center Point-Urbana, Grinnell, Hillcrest, Mid-Prairie, Mount Vernon, Solon, Washington and Williamsburg.
Action will begin at 4:30 p.m.
Other track meets tonight for area programs tonight include:
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Ames — Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen has extended the contract of Athletics Director Jamie Pollard to 2026.
Pollard, who will be the nation’s fourth-longest serving AD this fall has led Cyclone Athletics since 2005.
Pollard was recognized as 2019 Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
He was also a finalist for the 2019 Sports Business Journal AD of the Year.
Pollard is currently serving the second year of his five-year term on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee.
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Girls’ Soccer: Panthers Roll Columbus in Season Opener:
Elly Manning got the scoring started in the first half, while Anna Ostby added the next two as the Mount Pleasant girls’ soccer team jumped to a 3-0 lead en route to a 9-0 win over Columbus in a season opening, nonconference soccer match at East Lake Park yesterday.
The Panthers jumped the Wildcats in the second half scoring six unanswered goals, receiving hat tricks from Manning, Ostby and Andrea Lopreato.
Mount Pleasant improved to 1-0 with the win.
They’ll look to keep the good times’ rolling next week when they play host to Fairfield in their Southeast Conference opener.
Match time is set for 4:30 p.m.
Boys’ Soccer: Mount Pleasant Blanked by Columbus:
Columbus took a 2-0 lead after just ten minutes of action, as the Wildcats picked up a 4-0 win over the Mount Pleasant boys’ soccer team last night in the nightcap of a varsity doubleheader.
The Wildcats extended their lead to 3-0 before half and added the lone tally after the break.
Mount Pleasant will have a couple of days to lick their wounds before opening Southeast Conference action Thursday at home versus Keokuk.
Match time is set for 4:30 p.m. at East Lake Park.
Boys’ Tennis: Panthers Upended by Keokuk:
The Mount Pleasant boys’ tennis team dropped their first four singles matches as Keokuk rode the hot start to a 6-3 win over the Panthers yesterday in Keokuk.
Mount Pleasant’s first win came in No. 5 singles when Brien Huynh defeated Keokuk’s Brendan Worster 6-0, 6-1.
The Panthers also picked up a singles win when Jake Ensminger defeated Noah Kelly in straight sets 6-0, 6-0.
Keokuk picked up the first two wins in doubled before the Panther duo of Levi Graber and Brien Huynh toppled Brendan Worster and Noah Kelly 6-1, 6-0.
The loss dropped Mount Pleasant to 1-2 on the year.
They’ll back on the court Thursday when they host Fort Madison.
Match time is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
Girls Golf: Mount Pleasant at Fairfield:
The Mount Pleasant girls’ golf team will open their season tonight in a varsity triangular at Fairfield Golf and Country Club.
There, the Panthers will take on host Fairfield and Keokuk.
Tee time is set for 4:00 p.m.
Prep Track: Mount Pleasant Travels to Williamsburg, Other Teams in Action:
In a busy night of prep track, the Mount Pleasant Panther boys and girls’ track teams will travel to Williamsburg for a jam packed invite.
The Panthers will hook up with Belle Plaine, Benton Community, Center Point-Urbana, Grinnell, Hillcrest, Mid-Prairie, Mount Vernon, Solon, Washington and Williamsburg.
Action will begin at 4:30 p.m.
Other track meets tonight for area programs tonight include:
Iowa State AD Pollard Agrees to Extension:
Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen has extended the contract of Athletics Director Jamie Pollard to 2026.
Pollard, who will be the nation’s fourth-longest serving AD this fall has led Cyclone Athletics since 2005.
Pollard was recognized as 2019 Athletics Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA).
He was also a finalist for the 2019 Sports Business Journal AD of the Year.
Pollard is currently serving the second year of his five-year term on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Committee.
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Mount Pleasant — The Mount Pleasant boys’ soccer team will open their 2021 season tonight when the Panthers host Columbus in a nonconference fixture at East Lake Park.
The Panthers are coming off back to back 13-6 marks and will look to return to that form following the COVID cancelled spring of 2020.
The Panthers return senior goalkeeper Logan Lee, who will help fortify the back line.
Lee was the leading keeper in the 2019 season, recording 83 saves.
Mount Pleasant will need to fill the boots of Nathan Rauenbuehler, who was dynamite in his senior year.
In fact, the Panthers will need to replace their top six scorers from two years prior.
Match time is set for 6:00 p.m. tonight at East Lake Park.
This will be Columbus’ first match of the season as well, they finished the 2019 season 5-9.
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Greenville (Ill.) — The Iowa Wesleyan football team allowed a late 61-yard touchdown run to Paul Garrett as Greenville University came from behind for a 28-25 win over the Tigers Saturday at Francis Field in Greenville, Illinois.
Iowa Wesleyan freshman quarterback Gavin Esquivel threw for 434 yards in his debut including three touchdowns.
Shomari Wilson had 117 yards receiving, while Jerry Carbajal and Braedin Ross finished with 79 and 76 yards receiving respectively.
Greenville took the lead for good at the 8:41 mark of the fourth quarter on the Garrett touchdown rush — which came on fourth and short.
It was the final of three touchdowns on the ground for Garrett.
He rushed for 222 yards on 26 totes and added three catches for 10 yards.
The loss moved Wesleyan to 0-1.
They’ll lick their wounds, watch the tape, and make the corrections prior to a Saturday date with Westminster.
That game will be played at Bracewell Stadium in Burlington.
Kick is set for 1:00 p.m.
You can listen on FM 105.5.
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Ames — Iowa State women’s basketball star Ashley Joens has been named the Cheryl Miller Award recipient for the past season.
The award is presented annually to the best small forward in Division I.
Joens, an Iowa City native, averaged a school-record 24.2 points per game for Iowa State this year.
She’s the second Iowa State player to win the award.
Bridget Carleton won in 2019.
By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
Iowa City — University of Iowa senior Luka Garza has been named the recipient of the 2021 Naismith Trophy, the most prestigious individual basketball honor presented annually to college basketball’s most outstanding player.
The most dominant player in men’s college basketball, Garza has been named national player of the year by all of the major organizations and publications, including the Associated Press, National Association of Basketball Coaches, United States Basketball Writers Association (Oscar Robertson Trophy), Sporting News, Basketball Times, and The Athletic.
Iowa’s first two-time unanimous consensus first-team All-American is also a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, which will be announced on Tuesday.
The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year broke Iowa’s 32-year old scoring record held by Roy Marble in February.
He finished his Hawkeye career with 2,306 points, which ranks seventh-best in Big Ten history.
