Hawkeyes News Round-Up: NASCAR Paintjob; Another DeJean, Epenesa in Iowa?

The Iowa Hawkeyes remain top of mind in the sporting world. Football recruiting is heating up, NASCAR is embracing the Black and Gold, and of course, there's always something to be said about Caitlin Clark.

Let's dive into the latest news surrounding Hawkeye athletics.

WNBA Commissioner Responds to Claims Clark is "Targetted"

The conversation about whether other WNBA players are maliciously targeting Caitlin Clark has extra input this week. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert gave her thoughts on the situation.

“I think everybody’s watching Caitlin, so they’re focused only on Caitlin,’’ Engelbert told USA Today. “But when you look across other games (with) other players, it’s a physical game. There’s no doubt about it. It’s a pure shooter’s game, it’s a physical game, it’s a lot of pick-and-rolls, a lot of seeing the floor.’’

Optics are everything in conversations such as these, so Engelbert has a point. Still, there are two sides to the coin, where yes the league is much more physical to the college game and situations such as Chennedy Carter knocking Clark to the floor on an inbound pass.

Regardless, Clark isn't going to get special treatment, which is in the best interest of the league. However, protecting and defending its most prized possession is a business strategy all the same. Disregarding these situations simply because fans persepctives are skewed is a questionable tactic.

Pat Angerer Joins Hawkeye Broadcasts

Former All-American Iowa linebacker Pat Angerer is set to join Gary Dolphin in the commentary booth for the 2024 college football season.

“I would like to thank Learfield and the University of Iowa for this amazing opportunity,” Angerer said. “Since the beginning of this process, they have been nothing but professional and gracious. I am incredibly honored to be a small part of a program that has been so good to me and teammates over the years.

“Ed (Podolak) and Gary (Dolphin) have been a huge part of my Hawkeye football experience as a player and fan, and I hope that I can do them, the university, the football program, and the fans justice. I plan to take the same passion I had as a player to the booth.”

Angerer, an Iowa native, played for the Hawkeyes from 2005-09. He totalled over 250 tackles and helped the Hawkeyes reach four bowl games.

NASCAR Unveils Hawkeye Paint Scheme

Iowa fans will know who to root for in the inagural Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway this Sunday as Corey LaJoie's No. 7 Chevrolet will be decked out in Iowa Hawkeye imagery.

Gainbridge is one of Caitlin Clark's many endorsements, so even though LaJoie is neatural on the paint scheme, it's an understandable pairing.

The Iowa Corn 350 will begin at 7 p.m. Eastern Time on the USA Network.

Iowa Football Offers Cooper DeJean's Brother

Jaxx DeJean, the younger brother of former Hawkeye great Cooper DeJean, has earned a scholarship offer from Iowa.

Jaxx is a 2027 ATH prospect from OABCIG who stands 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. According to On3, DeJean is primarily playing wide receiver and tight end and is being recruited by special teams coordinator LeVar Woods.

As a freshman DeJean hauled in 37 receptions for 500 yards along with 20 carries for 128 yards and 12 total touchdowns. He also had 28 tackles and four interceptions on the defensive side of the ball.

DeJean visited Iowa in November and is the first in-state player to receive an offer from Iowa in the 2027 class.

Iowa Impresses Familiar 5-Star on Visit

Iose Epenesa, the younger brother of former Hawkeye AJ Epenesa, also had a recent interaction with his older borther's alma mater. Iowa hosted the younger Epenesa this weekend and it appears the 5-star and his family were impressed, according to The Gazette.

The Epenesa has had three family members play at Iowa, AJ, Eric and their father Eppy. Kirk Ferentz's staff is doing all it can to ensure Iose comes to Iowa City as well.

During Iose's visit, AJ surprised his younger brother, which according to Eppy, was a pleasent surprise that went over quite well with the 5-star edge defender.

Still, landing Iose is no guarantee. The Hawkeyes are in a tight battle with Miami and Penn State and Iose has made it clear he won't follow in his brothers' or father's footsteps for the sake of it.

Molly Davis Lands Coaching Job

A fan favorite of the incredible Iowa Hawkeye women's basketball teams of the past two seasons, Molly Davis has made her first post-college move. It was announced Wednesday that Davis will be joining the coaching staff at the University of Evansville as a graduate assistant.

“When her coaches at Iowa reached out to me about Molly’s interest in our graduate assistant position, I knew right away she would be a great fit," head coach Robyn Scherr-Wells said in a press release. "She has a high basketball IQ and is a hard worker."

"Molly is a winner and has been a part of many successful teams. She will be a tremendous asset to our players in helping them understand all of the things that go into building a championship program."

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