Jeff Linder

The Gazette’s 2023 preseason state volleyball rankings. Our No. 1 teams: Waukee Northwest, Clear Creek Amana, Des Moines Christian, Dike-New Hartford and Ankeny Christian.

Prep volleyball 2023: Eight area teams to watch. Iowa City Liberty (5A), Cedar Rapids Xavier (4A) were state champions last season.

Four Gazette area first-team all-state volleyball players return in 2023: Clear Creek Amana’s Bliss Beck, Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Libby Fandel, Marion’s Michaela Goad and Mount Vernon’s Chloe Meester.

Women’s basketball: Addison O’Grady (8-for-8 from the field), Sydney Affolter (15 points, 13 rebounds) ignite the Hawkeyes in Italy.

Iowa women’s basketball dynamo Caitlin Clark sits down for a midsummer game of Twenty Questions before the Hawkeyes leave for their European tour.

Women’s basketball: Where things stand with the Hawkeyes as a summer trip to Europe approaches. Coach Lisa Bluder discusses the post situation and a quiet summer in the transfer portal.

State champions Williamsburg and North Linn landed three first-team players apiece on the Iowa Girls Coaches Association all-state softball teams, released Wednesday.

Area softball Super Ten (final for 2023): State champions Williamsburg, North Linn and Iowa City Regina finish at 1-2-3.

State softball tournament: Ellie Flanagan fires a 1-hitter in North Linn’s 6-0 win over Martensdale-St. Marys for the Class 1A championship.

Top-ranked Iowa City Regina erupted for six runs in the bottom of the third inning and dusted No. 2 Van Meter, 6-2, in the Class 2A championship game of the state softball tournament Friday evening at the Rogers Sports Complex.

State softball tournament: Williamsburg scores four early runs,

State softball tournament: Iowa City Regina, Williamsburg and North Linn take aim at championships Friday.

State softball tournament: Jersey Peyton’s early home run, Ellie Flanagan’s three-hitter and Kenzie Bridgewater’s defense send the Lynx past Clarksville, 2-1, in a Class 1A semifinal.

Dani Laughlin and Courtney Kessler both were 4-for-4, and top-ranked Iowa City Regina pasted No. 5 Interstate 35 in five innings, 13-1. The Regals are a win away from a Class 2A state softball title repeat.

Second-ranked North Linn edged No. 8 Sigourney, 1-0, in Tuesday’s Class 1A state-softball quarterfinal at the Rogers Sports Complex. The Lynx (37-6) won it on an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth, when Kenzie Bridgewater delivered the winning infield single with two outs.