Dave Paulsen

Northern Iowa cross country and track and field coach Dave Paulsen has been awarded a contract extension through the 2022 season. The extension comes on the heels of a conference championship in the outdoor season for the men’s track and field program. It is the second Missouri Valley Conference title since Paulsen took over as head coach for the 2015-16 season.

“Dave and his staff have done a great job leading our Track and Field and Cross Country programs,” said UNI Director of Athletics David Harris. “In consecutive years, we have won a conference championship in Women’s Cross Country and a conference championship in Men’s Outdoor Track and Field. As an alum, Dave has great passion for this institution and a burning desire to lead the Panthers to more championships in the years to come. We are excited to have him leading our Track and Field and Cross Country programs and look forward to working together toward an even brighter future ahead.”

In his second year as the head coach of the cross country teams, Paulsen earned MVC Coach of the Year after the women’s team exceeded its No. 6 preseason ranking to capture the conference title. Four Panthers placed in the top 10. The women placed ninth at the NCAA Midwest Regional, the team’s highest finish in UNI history. Paulsen just wrapped up his third year as the leader of the Panther cross country and track and field programs and was named USTFCCCA’s Midwest Coach of the Year. Paulsen will enter his 11th year with UNI having served as an assistant coach at his alma mater.

Erik Sowinski photo courtesy/iaaf.org

A former Iowa All-American will be one of the favorites in the 800 meter run at the U-S Track and Field Championships. Erik Sowinski burst onto the international scene in 2013. The five time All American for the Hawkeyes was a late addition to the 600 meter run at the Millrose Games in New York. He not only pulled off a shocking win but he set an American record in the process.

Three weeks later he won the 800 meter title at the U-S Indoor Championships.

“It was definitely a good year and it opened a lot of doors,” said Sowinski. “It proved to me that I could compete with anyone on this circuit and I have kept that mentality going forward.”

Sowinski duplicated his 800 indoor championship in 2014 and a win in Des Moines next week would be his first outdoor title.

“It would be huge”, added Sowinski. “I have been second. I have been third and I have been fourth but I have not been able to win that outdoor title. To do it at Drake would be extra special because I will have a lot of family and friends in the stands.”

Sowinski may be peaking at the right time. He is coming off a win in Germany in his last race and prior to that ran a season best at a meet in the Netherlands.

Renee Gillispie

Renee Gillispie has been named head softball coach at Iowa.

Gillispie is the fifth head coach in program history. She comes to Iowa after 18 years as head coach at UCF where she compiled a record of 625-403-1 (.608), won five conference championships, and advanced to seven NCAA Regionals, including four straight regional final appearances.

Gillispie is a native of Danville, Iowa, and played collegiately at Kirkwood and West Texas A&M University.

“The Hawkeye family and Iowa softball took a huge step forward today,” said Iowa athletic director Gary Barta. “Renee Gillispie has proven she can win, graduate, and do it right. It is great to have coach Gillispie on the team.”

“I am honored to return to the state of Iowa as the head softball coach at the University of Iowa,” Gillispie said. “Having the opportunity to take over this program and return it to the championship culture it once had excites me.”

Gillispie started UCF’s Division I program in 2002, and averaged more than 36 wins per season. She has coached 75 all-conference honorees, 35 all-tournament selections, and 25 NFCA all-region selections.

She replaces Marla Looper, who resigned after eight seasons at the helm.

Nick Allgeyer

Iowa redshirt junior Nick Allgeyer became the third Hawkeye selected in the 2018 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft when he was chosen in the 12th round by the Toronto Blue Jays.

The left-handed pitcher from St. Louis was selected with the 356th pick. Allgeyer joins former Hawkeye Matt Dermody in the Blue Jays’ organization. He is the 18th player selected under Iowa head coach Rick Heller.

Allgeyer was a first-team All-Big Ten starting pitcher in his first season in Iowa’s weekend rotation. He finished the season with a 5-4 record and a 2.41 ERA over 97 innings, fanning 95. Allgeyer ranked in the top-four in the Big Ten Conference in strikeouts (second), ERA (fourth), and innings (fourth), while being fifth in strikeouts looking (26) and 10th in batting average against (.235).

After missing the 2017 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, Allgeyer posted a quality start in 13 of his 15 outings. His 95 strikeouts were tied for the second most in a single season in school history, while his 97 innings were the most since 2010 and the sixth-most all-time.

Allgeyer is the sixth starting pitcher to be drafted and the second-highest pitcher selected (Blake Hickman, 7th Round) during the Heller tenure.