Thursday April 9th Local Sports

TONIGHT:

AM-1300 KGLO — Minnesota Twins Classic — May 3, 2011 — Francisco Liriano fires no-hitter for Twins — 7:00

 

IOWA CITY — Iowa wrestling coach Tom Brands has been named the national coach of the year. Brands was honored by the National Wrestling Coaches Association after leading the Hawkeyes to a 13-0 dual record and the Big Ten Tournament title. They were favored to win the national crown before the NCAA Championships were cancelled.

Brands says this team was successful on the mat and in the classroom.

It’s the second coach of the year honor for Brands, who previously was named the InterMat Coach of the Year.

 

 

 

MASON CITY — The NIACC basketball teams will be getting a new Iowa Community College Athletic Conference opponent. Iowa Western is planning to join the Division II level of the conference in men’s basketball starting in the 2020-21 season, with the women’s basketball team joining in the 2021-22 campaign. The moves would give the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference’s Division II men’s league a total of nine teams with each team playing 16 conference games. The Division II women’s league would increase to 10 teams with 18 conference games being played starting in the 2021-22 season. Both NIACC basketball teams have played Iowa Western in non-conference competition for several years, the men since the 2016-17 season, the women since the 2011-12 season.

 

 

 

NEWTON — The Iowa Speedway will be hosting an IndyCar Series doubleheader in July as part of a revamped schedule. The July 17th and 18th races will be under the lights. Mark Miles is president of Penske Entertainment which operates the series.

The Iowa Speedway is one of two venues to be awarded two races and Miles calls it an efficient way to rework the schedule.

Miles says all sports are working with their broadcast partners in hopes of putting together a new schedule.

The first IndyCar race is scheduled for June sixth at Texas and Miles says there are no plans to run races without fans.

Single race and event weekend ticket information will be available in the coming days.

 

 

 

CLINTON — Stadiums will be quiet today in what was scheduled to be opening day in the Midwest League, but the coronavirus pandemic has left everyone wondering if there will even be a minor league baseball season. The Clinton Lumberkings were scheduled to open the season at Beloit tonight. Lumberkings general manager Ted Tornow says the fans and sponsors have been supportive.

Tornow says minor league baseball should not return until the time is right.

The Iowa Cubs were to have opened the Pacific Coast League season Thursday at Nashville.