Rob Gray

Darien Porter’s stock-in-trade is special teams at Iowa State — and now he’s got the strength and experience to shine as a cornerback, as well.

Tamin Lipsey played hurt the final nine weeks of last season, guiding his team to its second NCAA tournament Sweet 16 appearance in three years. Now Iowa State’s star guard must rest and recuperate.

State track and field, Class 2A: Noelle Steines embraces the obstacles she has overcome to win four more championships this weekend in her first track season at Tipton.

State track and field, Class 1A: Baylor Speidel and Tiernan Boots’ swift 1-2 finish in the 100 helped ensure that the Lions would cruise to a second straight state title. Lisbon scored 76 points.

State track and field, Class 1A Friday: Lisbon exacted revenge on the rest of the 800-meter relay field while winning the event in a Class 1A record time of 1:28.46 at Drake Stadium.

State track and field, Class 2A: Tipton’s girls’ distance medley relay team attained a state championship for the first time since 2007.

Class 1A girls’ state track and field, Thursday: Meghan Wheatley battled. That’s what the North Linn senior distance runner does. Every race. Every obstacle. Every moment she’s on the track for her last Class 1A girls’ state track and field meet at Drake Stadium.

Class 1A boys’ state track and field, Thursday: Schaefer didn’t start competing in track and field until last season. After a forgettable 2023, he fully dedicated to the craft this season and has made major gains for the tradition-rich Lions, punctuated by a runner-up finish in the long jump.

Class 2A girls’ state track and field, Thursday: Tipton’s Noelle Steines became a five-time state champion, breezing to a title in the 3,000 meters in a time of 10:08.85

Class 2A boys’ state track and field, Thursday: Jesup’s Jack Miller won the long jump, then changed shoes to sprint in the 200.

Matt Campbell’s Cyclones will enter this summer’s strength and conditioning period on a mettle-based mission much like the Iowa State football coach did while starring for Division III Mount Union from 1999-2002.

Bill Fennelly often jokes about how long he’s been coaching women’s basketball. The self-deprecating riffs are laced with humor, but Fennelly’s longevity in the profession is no laughing matter. He’s entering his 30th season as Iowa State’s head coach and that experience has helped him deftly maneuver within the murky waters of the transfer portal, where potential prizes and pitfalls seem to lurk around every corner.

Kevin Dresser’s Iowa State wrestling program is coming off a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships — its best finish since 2010 — and all the coaches accompanying him on the Cyclones’ 18th annual Tailgate Tour have their respective programs on marked upswings, as well.

John Reniewicki didn’t enter the Drake Relays to make history. Or break a 40-year-old record in the 1,500-meter run owned by the legendary miler Steve Scott. So as the 28-year-old former walk-on runner at Arizona State outdueled this week’s Grand Blue Mile champion, Vince Ciatti, he tuned out PA announcer Mike Jay, who informed the crowd at Drake Stadium of his tense record-breaking performance in real-time.

Cam Jones already owns Iowa State’s indoor and outdoor records in the shot put. Friday night, the former Cedar Rapids Kennedy prep added an elite Drake Relays title to his long list of honors.