Lowe asks for release from Iowa

Defensive back Willie Lowe told ESPN.com that he has asked Iowa to be released from his scholarship.

Lowe, a 5-foot-10, 172-pound senior from Glenville, Ohio, was one of the 13 Iowa players who was stricken with rhabdomyolysis after workouts in late January. Lowe told ESPN that he is still affected by the syndrome, still 20 pounds off his playing weight and experiencing headaches.

Iowa athletics director Gary Barta confirmed Lowe's request for release and said Iowa wanted Lowe to remain in Iowa City.

“I can confirm that William Lowe has requested permission to talk with other schools. While we've honored that request, our interest is for him to remain a Hawkeye," Barta said in a statement. "However, we'll support whatever decision he makes.

"As was stated previously, our medical staff cleared all 13 student-athletes involved in the rhabdomyolsis incident.”

Iowa has announced that all 13 players have been cleared to participate this spring. But Lowe said, "Only a few players are back to full speed that I know of. Some said this wasn't a big deal. But this was a big deal to me."

Lowe wasn't at practice last Wednesday. A few other players didn't practice, including defensive backs Tom Donatell and Greg Castillo and offensive lineman Nolan MacMillan. Donatell was one of the players who was hospitalized.

An intense weightlifting exercise that included squats and sled pushes sent 13 football players to the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics with symptoms of rhabdomyolysis.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said March 23 that all 13 players were medically cleared.

"All 13 players have been cleared medically to proceed forward," Ferentz said. "They've been monitored during this entire time period as you might well imagine. Concern has always been for their well-being. They've all moved along and have been cleared to proceed from the medical front. We're certainly happy about that, happy about getting to moving forward as a football team."

An Iowa investigation concluded that the intense squat workout triggered the rhabdo outbreak.