By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com
New London’s Christner Named Wesleyan Student Athlete of the Month:
The Iowa Wesleyan athletic department has named Morgan Christner (SR/New London, IA) as the March Student-Athlete of the Month.
Although her season was cut short, Christner was absolutely dominant for the Wesleyan softball team while in Myrtle Beach.
Christner went 4-1 in the five contests she started, all in Myrtle Beach.
She also led the SLIAC in total strikeouts, strikeouts per game, batting average against, and earned run average.
The right-hander pitched two shutouts and racked up 57 total strikeouts, averaging 12.21 strikeouts per game.
Wesleyan’s season was cancelled after compiling a 5-5 record.
Garza Tabbed Center of the Year:
University of Iowa junior Luka Garza has been named the recipient of the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Center of the Year Award.
The announcement was made by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Tuesday.
Named after Hall of Famer and three-time NCAA Champion Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the annual honor in its sixth year recognizes the top center in Division I men’s college basketball.
He is the first Hawkeye to win the award and the third Big Ten player to earn the honor.
Last week, the 6-foot-11 center was the recipient of the NABC Pete Newell Big Man of the Year Award.
Garza (740 points and 305 rebounds) is one of three Big Ten players to ever to total 740+ points and 300+ rebounds in a single-season (Purdue’s Glenn Robinson in 1994 and Purdue’s Joe Barry Carroll in 1979).
He ranked second nationally with 12 20-point/10-rebound performances, 20-point games (25); third in total field goals made (287) and points per 40 minutes played (29.8), fifth in scoring (23.9), 10th in 30-point games (5), 19th in double-doubles (15) and offensive rebounds per game (3.58), and 34th in rebounding (9.8).
His 15 double-doubles are third most in a single-season by a Hawkeye in three decades and the most since 2002 (Reggie Evans, 18).
Garza is the only Big Ten player to register seven 25-point/10-rebound performances in the same season in more than 17 years.
Iowa State Picks Up Commitment:
Iowa State has landed a commitment from Michigan prep athlete Robert Army.
The 3-star prospect is ranked 19th in the state of Michigan and 95th at wide receiver, according to 247Sports Composite Rankings, although he could fit in for ISU at defensive back.
Army had other reported offers from the likes of Cincinnati, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, Pitt, Purdue and Syracuse.
Army is the sixth known commitment for Iowa State in the Class of 2021.