The bill moving through the Iowa House to reinstate men’s baseball teams at Iowa State University ISU and the University of Northern Iowa UNI has sparked significant discussion.
House File 153, sponsored by Rep. Skyler Wheeler and other lawmakers, is driven by alumni’s calls to restore the teams that were previously discontinued at ISU and UNI. Currently, the University of Iowa is the only state university with a men’s baseball team.
The proposal acknowledges the importance of athletics in drawing students to universities, with Wheeler arguing that the loss of baseball teams has left many Iowans with fewer opportunities to play at the collegiate level in-state.
However, concerns over the cost of maintaining these programs, as highlighted by Carolann Jensen from the Iowa Board of Regents, also weigh on the debate, especially considering the financial pressures college sports face in the modern landscape with changes such as NIL (name, image, likeness) rules.
Rep. David Jacoby has suggested an amendment to the bill to also require the formation of women’s wrestling teams at UNI and ISU. With women’s wrestling gaining momentum, particularly at the University of Iowa, Jacoby argues it would be a wise move to offer more opportunities for women in collegiate athletics.
Though not all lawmakers share Jacoby’s enthusiasm for baseball, the addition of women’s wrestling has generated a playful but thoughtful discussion, and the bill is set to continue through the House Higher Education Committee.