Iowa Alumni and Friends Share Their Favorite Hawkeye Memories
“The Catch” from Drew Tate (08BA) to Warren Holloway (04BA). The buzzer beater by Caitlin Clark (24BBA) against Indiana. The Iowa men’s basketball team advancing to the Elite Eight this past March. These are Hawkeye memories we will never forget.
But beyond the historic athletic feats, big Hawkeye moments happen every day. We recently asked alumni and friends to share their favorite UI memories—here’s what they had to say:
“Storming the field with my son after the Hawks upset Michigan in 2016 and running into Desmond King (16BA) on the field who scooped up my son for a picture!”
—Gabe Cooper
“The first day I put on the black and gold and walked onto the baseball field to play for coach Duane Banks.”
—David Maschino
“My first day on campus in 1980. I was so proud, happy, and scared to be there. I was a country kid in the ‘big city.’ I’ll never forget that feeling.”
—Cristina Leonard (90BGS)
“Broadcasting an Iowa women’s basketball game on KRUI.”
—Michelle Griffin-Wenzel (97BS)
“Walking back downtown in heavy snow after a men’s basketball game in the old Field House in 1980–first time I’d been on campus in a heavy snow. We didn’t have our coats, so we sprinted the entire distance to Joe’s Place.”
—Ken Saunders
“Playing softball with my roommates and friends.”
—Dan Goergen (85BA)
“Seeing Bruce Springsteen at Hancher in September 1975 on the Born to Run tour.”
—Dan Brown (81BA, 83MA)
“Dorm life. I made great friends and lifetime memories.”
—Melissa Stedman Erbes-Roney (02BA)
“Marching at the Rose Bowl game and in the Rose Parade, a dream since I was 3 years old! Also, I was happy my mom was able to go. We spent years watching the games.”
—Patti Weissinger
“When I got my acceptance letter to be enrolled for classes. This is one of the things I am most proud of—being a University of Iowa graduate.”
—Mandi Lynn (14BA)
“Sitting at any Iowa football game with both of my parents next to me.”
—Scott Paulsen (90JD, 90MBA)
“Any game with my mom!”
—Terry Dreckmeier (92BS)
“On the sidelines in 1981 when we knew we were going to the Rose Bowl, celebrating with the team, and a long-stem red rose in my teeth.”
—Lori Roberts (82BS)
“The day I received my acceptance letter in the mail.”
—Kelsey Bumsted (02RADT, 04BS)
“The first day I arrived on campus in 1974 after a two-day trip from the East Coast.”
—Rod Gallo (77BS)
“The few moments after my parents left after helping me move into Quad, my freshman year in August 1983. My door was open and the hallway was buzzing with other guys moving in. My roommate hadn’t arrived yet. All of my stuff was put away. All of my clothes shoved in drawers. I just sat there quietly. That feeling of excitement. More than a little scared.
I kept thinking, I am in college now. At IOWA. I am a HAWKEYE now.
I was a first-generation college student from a small rural Iowa town, plopped on a Big Ten campus of 30,000 students, on my own for the very first time. I was overjoyed. I was terrified. I’d never had that feeling in the 18 years before that moment, and I have not had it in 42 years since. Yeah. I’d give anything to feel that feeling again.”
—Eric Craver (87BA, 91MA)
Return to Campus for Alumni Day
Hawkeye memories are made long past graduation. Join generations of alumni and return to campus April 17-18 for our inaugural Alumni Day.