Issue link: https://catalog.e-digitaleditions.com/i/623950
HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA DEPARTMENT OF ATHLETICS. Our Hawkeye student-athletes have done a phenomenal job closing 2015 and opening 2016 with plenty of fireworks: e UI football team concluded its season on New Year's Day in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Although it wasn't the result any Hawkeye fan wanted, it is important to recognize that one game will not define this season. What a fantastic ride these student-athletes took us on…from a season-opening 31-14 win against Illinois State, to a 10-6 win at Wisconsin in the Big Ten opener, to a 40-10 win over a 10-win Northwestern team — on the road — to a 28-20 win at Nebraska on Nov. 27 to secure the outright West Division championship and a trip to the Big Ten Championship Football Game on Dec. 5 against Michigan State. In all, the Hawkeye football team brought the Cy-Hawk (Iowa State), Heartland (Wisconsin), Floyd of Rosedale (Minnesota), and Heroes Game (Nebraska) trophies back to the Richard O. Jacobson Football Operations Building. at is an impressive haul of hardware. e top-ranked men's basketball team in the country le Carver-Hawkeye Arena with its first loss of the season when the Hawkeyes led from the opening tip during an 83-70 victory over Michigan State on Dec. 29. Mike Gesell displayed his senior leadership by scoring 25 points in 33 minutes. Fran McCaffery's team wasn't done confounding national pollsters in the early moments of 2016. e Hawkeyes overcame a 19-point second-half deficit and went on to knock off No. 14 Purdue, 70-63, on Jan. 2 in Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Indiana. It was our first men's basketball win at Purdue since Feb. 1, 2006; Iowa returned to e Associated Press national poll at No. 19. On New Year's Eve day, junior Ally Disterho scored 17 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead the No. 25 UI women's basketball team to a 74-68 win at Nebraska in the Big Ten Conference opener for both teams. It marked Iowa's fourth consecutive women's basketball victory over our rival to the west. Iowa's undefeated wrestling team crowned three champions and won its fourth consecutive team title at the Midlands Championships on Dec. 30 in Evanston, Illinois. Finishing on top of the podium were Hawkeyes omas Gilman at 125 pounds, Brandon Sorensen at 149, and Nathan Burak at 197. ere are three tough Big Ten road duals before No. 2 Iowa returns to Carver-Hawkeye Arena to face Purdue on Jan. 22. We would love to see you there. Victories on the field of competition are important, but we take great pride in the successes our student- athletes show in the classroom. When the Fall Academic All-Big Ten List was released by the Big Ten on Dec. 9, there were 44 Hawkeye student-athletes recognized. at is significant. e list included 16 in football, seven in field hockey, six in women's soccer and men's cross country, five in volleyball, and four in women's cross country. e average grade-point average of all student-athletes during the fall semester was 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale). Our commitment at Iowa is to WIN. GRADUATE. DO IT RIGHT. 2015 was a successful year on all fronts. We're proud of the accomplishments of the men and women who wear a Hawkeye uniform — and how they represent the university in the classroom and beyond. As 2016 gets underway, I'm encouraged and convinced the best is yet to come. Go Hawks! WIN. GRADUATE. DO IT RIGHT.