Articles Tagged: Kirkwood Eagles

Even though Kirkwood was playing just a few miles from its campus, the jitters were there. The Eagles regrouped for a 22-25, 25-11, 25-22, 25-12 win over Carl Sandburg in the first round of the NJCAA Division II tournament.

As Kirkwood — ranked second in NJCAA Division II — ran roughshod through their volleyball schedule over the past month, they knew conference supremacy would only be earned against No. 10 Iowa Central. The result was emphatic.

Kirkwood defeated DMACC 3-1 in a junior-college volleyball match at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday.

For Kirkwood’s Emma Meester, the transition from freshman to sophomore has suddenly thrust her into a leadership role on the Eagles’ freshman-heavy volleyball roster.

Photos from the Southeastern vs. Kirkwood volleyball match at Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids on Wednesday.

After helping Cedar Rapids Xavier reach the boys’ state golf tournament last fall, Garrett Nurre and Logan Otting will take a swing among professionals at the Greater Cedar Rapids Open golf tournament, which begins Thursday at Hunters Ridge.

Doug Wagemester has been at Kirkwood Community College for 26 years, including 15 as head men’s basketball coach. He has gotten an opportunity to be part of a major-college program at Mississippi State, which is why he is stepping down as Kirkwood’s athletics director.

For one-third of Kirkwood Community College’s 58-year existence, James Mollenhauer has served on the campus’ Board of Trustees, including as chair for the last seven years. But after 20 years of service, Mollenhauer – at age 85 – officially will retire Oct. 10.

Kirkwood’s softball team left no doubt in its quest to return to the NJCAA Division II World Series. The Eagles hammered Southeast (Neb.) Community College, 15-1 and 8-0, to win the best-of-3 series and advance to the national championships.

Jackson Payne is direct and unafraid to discuss his path of hurt and heartbreak that includes injuries that derailed his University of Iowa career, the deaths of a close friend and his grandfather weeks apart and the uncertainty before he called Kirkwood Coach Todd Rima for another shot at college baseball.

Top-seeded Kirkwood won three straight elimination games, including back-to-back victories over Iowa Central to win the NJCAA Region 11-A championship. The Eagles advance to a district tournament series May 10-11 at home.

A 2008 Cedar Rapids Washington High graduate, Phil Richmond grew up hearing Polish spoken by his maternal grandparents who had emigrated from Poland in Eastern Europe after World War II. Now 34, Richmond never dreamed he would end up living in Poland and chasing his baseball dreams as a right-handed pitcher and sometimes position player.

Seventh-ranked Kirkwood hosted No. 8 DMACC in an NJCAA softball doubleheader Wednesday at Kirkwood. The Eagles and Bears split the twinbill and both games were decided in extra innings.

Kirkwood didn’t have a baseball field when John Lewis started at the school. Now, the diamond is named after the Hall of Fame baseball coach. The program revealed the new name during a doubleheader sweep Wednesday against Southeastern.

Kirkwood’s Grace Zaugg displays resilience in softball while her biggest fan fights cancer to cheer her on. Her mother has been ‘Shelly Strong’ after a brain tumor was discovered in November.