Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! It’s a marathon podcast to wrap up the year of Iowa athletics. Tom Kakert, Matt Randazzo, Kyle Huesmann, and Tanner Lafever come together to talk all things Hawkeyes for one of the longest pods that we have done. 

First, we open talking transfer portal and the latest news regarding Iowa football. They picked up a defensive lineman commit and we discuss that news and how he fits into the roster. We also talk about the Hawkeyes missing on a quarterback in the portal and look at what could potentially be next at the position. Plus we discuss other prospects that Iowa is after in the portal. 

Second, we discuss the Hawkeye basketball team coming from behind and winning on a neutral site over Utah. What were our thoughts on the victory and how Payton Sandfort, Josh Dix, and Brock Harding were key down the stretch of the game. Why was this win so important to the post season hopes of the Hawkeyes as they get ready to head back into conference play to start the new year?

Then we go into a long and interesting look back at Iowa athletics in 2024. We start with the biggest story of the year, Caitlin Clark and the Iowa women’s basketball and the impact they had not only in Iowa, but around the country. We look back at the Lisa Bluder retirement, Jan Jensen hiring and Lucy Olsen picking the Hawkeyes. 

Then we move to wrestling where Tanner discusses the Iowa women’s team winning a national title and Spencer Lee and Kennedy Blades picked up silver medals in the Paris Olympics and perhaps more coming in LA in 2028. 

We talk Iowa soccer and baseball before diving into the top stories for the Hawkeye men’s basketball team, which include the son’s of the head coach heading to play basketball at Butler. Finally we wrap up the nearly two hour long podcast with a long discussion about Iowa football and we pick some bowl game winners for you.