Cedar Rapids, IA, USA  
Digital Edition Digital Edition
Log in Log In My Account My Account
Subscribe Today
The Gazette The Gazette
The Gazette The Gazette
  • COVID-19
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Food and Drink
  • Business
Digital Edition Digital Edition
Log in Log In My Account My Account
Subscribe
CLOSE
The Gazette
Subscribe
My Account
  • News
    • All News
    • Election 2020
    • Coronavirus
    • Business News
    • Community
    • Crime and Courts
    • Education
    • Government
    • Health
    • Nation and World
    • Time Machine
    • Search Archive

    Our Journalists

    • Rod Boshart
    • Lee Hermiston
    • Erin Jordan
    • James Q. Lynch
    • Trish Mehaffey
    • Vanessa Miller
    • Kat Russell
    • Grace King
    • John Steppe
    • Gage Miskimen
    • Marissa Payne
  • Sports
    • All Sports
    • Iowa Hawkeyes
    • Hawkeye Football
    • Hawkeye Basketball
    • Prep Sports
    • Prep Volleyball
    • Prep Football
    • Prep Basketball
    • Prep Wrestling
    • Iowa State Cyclones
    • UNI Panthers
    • Small College Sports
    • Minor League Sports
    • Outdoors

    Sports Desk

    • Mike Hlas
    • Jeff Johnson
    • Jeff Linder
    • J.R. Ogden
    • K.J. Pilcher
    • Leah Vann
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Editorial Mission
    • Guest Columnists
    • Letters to the Editor
    • Political Cartoons
    • Staff Columnists
    • Staff Editorials
    • Submit a Letter or Column

    Our Columnists

    • Todd Dorman
    • Adam Sullivan
  • Food and Drink
    • All Food and Drink
    • Chew on This
    • Recipes
    • Restaurants
  • Business
    • All Business
    • Agriculture
    • Business Notes
    • Companies
    • Personal Finance
    • Economy
    • Employment
    • Energy
    • Manufacturing
    • Openings & Closures
    • Real Estate
    • Retail
    • Small Business
    • Transportation

    Our Journalists

    • Rod Boshart
    • Erin Jordan
    • John Steppe
  • Obituaries
    • All Obituaries
    • In Memory Of
    • Submit an Obituary
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • Daily News Podcast
    • Fact Checker
    • Hlastradamus Odds
    • Iowa Prep Sports
    • On Iowa
    • On Iowa Politics
    • On UNI
    • Pinning Combination
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • Art
    • Books
    • Museums & Galleries
    • Music
    • Theater
    • Things To Do
  • Living
    • All Living
    • Health & Wellness
    • Home & Garden
    • Milestones
    • People & Places
    • Pets & Animals
    • Recreation
    • Religion & Belief
    • Travel

    Our Writers

    • Diana Nollen
    • Elijah Decious
  • Kids Gazette
    • See All
    • Kids Cooking Series
    • Kids Galleries
    • Printables
    • Activities
    • Articles
    • Submissions
    • Resources
  • Photos
    • All Photos and Videos
    • The Iowa Photo
    • Photo Store

    Our Photojournalists

    • Andy Abeyta
    • Liz Martin
    • Rebecca Miller
    • Jim Slosiarek
    • Gazette Visuals
  • Milestones
    • All Milestones
    • Anniversaries
    • Days To Remember
    • Engagements
    • Holidays
    • In Remembrance
    • New Arrivals
    • Thank Yous
    • Submit a Milestone
  • Data
    • Arrests
    • Building Permits
    • Interactive Maps & Charts
    • Salaries
  • Gazette Sites
    • Classifieds
    • Corridor Careers
    • Garage Sales
    • Gazette Gives Back
    • Gazette Rewards
    • Gazette Store
    • Green Gazette
    • HER
    • Iowa Wedding Experience
    • Holiday Light Finder
    • Hoopla
    • Iowa Ideas
    • Photo Store
  • Special Events
  • Special Sections
  • Other
    • About The Gazette
    • Archives
    • Article Removal
    • Business Directory
    • CR Arrest Database
    • Mobile Apps
    • Customer Care
    • Order Back Issues
    • Privacy Policies
    • Puzzle Answers
    • Sponsorship Requests
    • Submit a Letter
    • Weather
  • Digital Edition
Daily News PodcastDaily News Podcast
Daily NewslettersDaily Newsletters
Log out

FOLLOW US

The Gazette
  • News
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Food and Drink
  • Business
  • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
  • Entertainment
  • Living
  • Kids Gazette
  • Photos
  • Milestones
  • Data
  • Gazette Sites
  • Special Events
  • Special Sections
  • Other
  • Digital Edition
  • All News
  • Election 2020
  • Coronavirus
  • Business News
  • Community
  • Crime and Courts
  • Education
  • Government
  • Health
  • Nation and World
  • Time Machine
  • Search Archive

Our Journalists

  • Rod Boshart
  • Lee Hermiston
  • Erin Jordan
  • James Q. Lynch
  • Trish Mehaffey
  • Vanessa Miller
  • Kat Russell
  • Grace King
  • John Steppe
  • Gage Miskimen
  • Marissa Payne
  • All Sports
  • Iowa Hawkeyes
  • Hawkeye Football
  • Hawkeye Basketball
  • Prep Sports
  • Prep Volleyball
  • Prep Football
  • Prep Basketball
  • Prep Wrestling
  • Iowa State Cyclones
  • UNI Panthers
  • Small College Sports
  • Minor League Sports
  • Outdoors

Sports Desk

  • Mike Hlas
  • Jeff Johnson
  • Jeff Linder
  • J.R. Ogden
  • K.J. Pilcher
  • Leah Vann
  • All Opinion
  • Editorial Mission
  • Guest Columnists
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Political Cartoons
  • Staff Columnists
  • Staff Editorials
  • Submit a Letter or Column

Our Columnists

  • Todd Dorman
  • Adam Sullivan
  • All Food and Drink
  • Chew on This
  • Recipes
  • Restaurants
  • All Business
  • Agriculture
  • Business Notes
  • Companies
  • Personal Finance
  • Economy
  • Employment
  • Energy
  • Manufacturing
  • Openings & Closures
  • Real Estate
  • Retail
  • Small Business
  • Transportation

Our Journalists

  • Rod Boshart
  • Erin Jordan
  • John Steppe
  • All Obituaries
  • In Memory Of
  • Submit an Obituary
  • All Podcasts
  • Daily News Podcast
  • Fact Checker
  • Hlastradamus Odds
  • Iowa Prep Sports
  • On Iowa
  • On Iowa Politics
  • On UNI
  • Pinning Combination
  • All Entertainment
  • Art
  • Books
  • Museums & Galleries
  • Music
  • Theater
  • Things To Do
  • All Living
  • Health & Wellness
  • Home & Garden
  • Milestones
  • People & Places
  • Pets & Animals
  • Recreation
  • Religion & Belief
  • Travel

Our Writers

  • Diana Nollen
  • Elijah Decious
  • See All
  • Kids Cooking Series
  • Kids Galleries
  • Printables
  • Activities
  • Articles
  • Submissions
  • Resources
  • All Photos and Videos
  • The Iowa Photo
  • Photo Store

Our Photojournalists

  • Andy Abeyta
  • Liz Martin
  • Rebecca Miller
  • Jim Slosiarek
  • Gazette Visuals
  • All Milestones
  • Anniversaries
  • Days To Remember
  • Engagements
  • Holidays
  • In Remembrance
  • New Arrivals
  • Thank Yous
  • Submit a Milestone
  • Arrests
  • Building Permits
  • Interactive Maps & Charts
  • Salaries
  • Classifieds
  • Corridor Careers
  • Garage Sales
  • Gazette Gives Back
  • Gazette Rewards
  • Gazette Store
  • Green Gazette
  • HER
  • Iowa Wedding Experience
  • Holiday Light Finder
  • Hoopla
  • Iowa Ideas
  • Photo Store
  • About The Gazette
  • Archives
  • Article Removal
  • Business Directory
  • CR Arrest Database
  • Mobile Apps
  • Customer Care
  • Order Back Issues
  • Privacy Policies
  • Puzzle Answers
  • Sponsorship Requests
  • Submit a Letter
  • Weather
Daily News PodcastDaily News Podcast Daily NewslettersDaily Newsletters
LOG OUT

FOLLOW US

More Stories

Police looking into death of teenage girl at Iowa hog…

Woman testifies former lover killed man over meth quality

University of Iowa education dean Daniel Clay named 4th finalist…

Tiki Tacos ’n Burgers ’n Wings brings island vibe to…

Ex-Iowa school janitor who sexually abused child gets prison

Highway 151 roadwork will close some lanes through fall

Iowa City Mosque damaged by fire

Watch: Gov. Kim Reynolds holds news conference at 11 a.m.…

Home / Sports / Iowa Hawkeyes

Athletes of dropped Hawkeye teams complain of lack of follow-up from Iowa

Mike HlasBy: Mike Hlas Sep. 21, 2020 3:04 pm Updated: Sep. 21, 2020 3:12 pm
Athletes of dropped Hawkeye teams complain of lack of follow-up from Iowa

The words from members of the four athletic teams dropped by the University of Iowa last month were pointed on Monday.

'It's been kind of crickets in terms of what student-athletes have been able to hear and gain information on since August 21st,” said Jason Kerst, a fifth-year senior men's tennis player and a distinguished scholar from Ann Arbor, Mich.

'That's been the most disappointing part for me, because the win-graduate-do it right statement has not been upheld. When there's a disparity between action and words, that's incredibly frustrating.”

On Aug. 21, Iowa President Bruce Herreld and Athletics Director Gary Barta issued an open letter saying the Hawkeye men's and women's swimming and diving, men's gymnastics and men's tennis programs were being discontinued after the 2020-21 school year. They said the postponement of fall sports because of the COVID-19 pandemic 'threatens our continued ability to adequately support 24 intercollegiate athletics programs at the desired championship level.”

The league restored fall football last week, bringing back some TV revenue. Barta then said the decision to drop the four teams won't change 'because the financial crisis is certainly still in play.”

'We've had 27 Olympians (in swimming and diving) come out of Iowa in the past 103 years,” said gymnastics team sophomore Peyton Hobson of Salem, Ore. 'Considering the history of that sport, it shows that no team is safe.

'This is just the first step to NCAA Olympic sports not existing as a whole.”

Barta gave the news to the members of the four teams on the morning of Aug. 21 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Athletes who were there said he spoke for a few minutes, then left.

'Gary Barta and his co-workers left all these athletes in the room together and watched us cry,” said sophomore men's swimmer Ryan Purdy of Glenview, Ill.

'They didn't give us options. They didn't give us resources for our mental health. They talked in that room and showed no concern for it. They didn't want to hear what we had to say or feel our own emotions. There was no reaching out from them to check in on their athletes after we were cut.”

'We have received no adequate follow-up since August 21st,” Kerst said. 'The decision itself is very disappointing, but the lack of communication and transparency from our own administration is probably the most frustrating.”

Senior women's swimmer Sage Ohlensehlen of Bettendorf said cutting these sports will have long-term ramifications in the state.

'I had the opportunity to grow as a person and become who I am today because of this program,” she said, 'but now these kids that I coach (on the Iowa Flyers club team), they don't have this opportunity. That to me is the worst part about all this, the opportunity that's being stripped from these kids. ... the youth of Iowa needs these sports. They need all of them.”

Ohlensehlen said she had been planning to apply to Iowa's law school. Now, she said, 'I find that I'm just a little angry and hurt and I want to go far away.”

Comments: (319) 368-8840; mike.hlas@thegazette.com

Iowa's Oliver Okonkwo (front) returns the ball as Will Davies looks on during a men's tennis doubles match against Drake in Iowa City on March 8, 2019. Both are from England and are current members of the Hawkeyes, but their team will be discontinued after the 2020-2021 season. (The Gazette)
University of Iowa
Mike Hlas

Mike Hlas

Columnist, The Gazette

I am the sports columnist and Iowa men’s basketball beat writer for The Gazette.

Capable shooting guards available for Iowa to replace CJ Fredrick

CJ Fredrick transferring stings Iowa, but college sports will survive…

Iowa basketball recruit Riley Mulvey is big guy from big…

Iowa men’s basketball adds 6-foot-11 Riley Mulvey for 2021-22 season

Iowa guard CJ Fredrick entering NCAA transfer portal

All articles by Mike

Give us feedback

We work hard to provide fair, accurate coverage because we value your trust. If you find an error or omission in our reporting, please tell us here.

Submit a story idea

Do you have a story idea that we should look into? Please tell us here.

Related Stories

University of Iowa education dean Daniel Clay named 4th finalist…

University of Iowa education dean Daniel Clay named 4th finalist…

Vanessa Miller Higher Ed 33m ago

3rd University of Iowa presidential finalist vows to tackle diversity,…

3rd University of Iowa presidential finalist vows to tackle diversity,…

Vanessa Miller Higher Ed Apr. 20, 2021 10:41 am

University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art seeks docents

University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art seeks docents

Community Apr. 19, 2021 3:25 pm

Iowa Hawkeyes

Capable shooting guards available for Iowa to replace CJ Fredrick

Capable shooting guards available for Iowa to replace CJ Fredrick

Mike Hlas

Hawkeye Basketball 90m ago

Iowa talks ’next men up’ mentality at tight end, defensive…

Iowa talks ’next men up’ mentality at tight end, defensive…

Leah Vann

Hawkeye Football Apr. 21, 2021 12:28 am

CJ Fredrick transferring stings Iowa, but college sports will survive…

CJ Fredrick transferring stings Iowa, but college sports will survive…

Mike Hlas

Hawkeye Basketball Apr. 20, 2021 6:43 pm

Iowa basketball recruit Riley Mulvey is big guy from big…

Iowa basketball recruit Riley Mulvey is big guy from big…

Mike Hlas

Hawkeye Basketball Apr. 20, 2021 3:32 pm

Sports

Capable shooting guards available for Iowa to replace CJ Fredrick

Capable shooting guards available for Iowa to replace CJ Fredrick

Mike Hlas

Hawkeye Basketball 90m ago

Prairie girls take their shot at unprecedented Drake Relays glory

Prairie girls take their shot at unprecedented Drake Relays glory

Jeff Linder

High School Track and Field 4h ago

Xavier boys’ soccer on a mission in 2021

Xavier boys’ soccer on a mission in 2021

Nathan Ford

High School Soccer 4h ago

Photos: Xavier vs. Washington boys’ soccer

Photos: Xavier vs. Washington boys’ soccer

Jim Slosiarek

Apr. 21, 2021 12:34 am

News

Tanager Place raises awareness for Mental Health Month

Tanager Place raises awareness for Mental Health Month

Community 24m ago

Ex-Iowa school janitor who sexually abused child gets prison

Ex-Iowa school janitor who sexually abused child gets prison

AP

Crime and Courts 47m ago

Police looking into death of teenage girl at Iowa hog…

Police looking into death of teenage girl at Iowa hog…

AP

News 2h ago

Watch: Gov. Kim Reynolds holds news conference at 11 a.m.…

Watch: Gov. Kim Reynolds holds news conference at 11 a.m.…

The Gazette

Health Care and Medicine 4h ago

Opinion

Not all denial is created equal

Not all denial is created equal

Jonas Magram

Guest Columnists 3h ago

Iowa GOP shortchanges education

Iowa GOP shortchanges education

State Sen. Herman Quirmbach

Guest Columnists Apr. 19, 2021 5:58 pm

Our leaders have sparked violence, but Congress can act

Our leaders have sparked violence, but Congress can act

Guest Columnists Apr. 20, 2021 9:29 am

Iowa’s rural hospitals are vital to the economy

Iowa’s rural hospitals are vital to the economy

Jason Harrington

Guest Columnists Apr. 19, 2021 5:54 pm

FOLLOW US

The Gazette is Iowa’s independent, employee-owned source for local, state, and national news coverage.

© 2021 The Gazette

All Rights Reserved.

  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy
  • Web Accessibility

Contact Us

  • 116 3rd St SE
    Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
  • customercare@thegazette.com
  • (319) 398-8333
  • Live Chat

Links

  • Puzzle Answers
  • CR Arrest Database
  • Article Removal Request
  • Gazette Archives
  • Green Gazette
  • Corridor Careers Jobs
  • Work at The Gazette
  • Customer Care

© 2021 The Gazette

All Rights Reserved.

  • Advertise with us
  • Privacy
  • Web Accessibility
Folience A Folience Company