Nicholas Baer
The very first shot Nicholas Baer took was a 3-point jumper, which he swished in the middle of the second half against Gardner-Webb.
Immediately, a fan favorite was born.
Baer only averaged 4.8 points and 2.6 rebounds but did appear in 33 games. Most importantly, he made plays at critical moments. Timely blocks, rebounds, and 3-pointers became his calling card.
He carved himself out a role in the reserves, becoming one of Fran McCaffery’s first players off the bench. After several Iowa players left the program, Baer was put on scholarship.
There will be a role for Baer on next season’s Iowa basketball team, and he could even fight his way into a starting position. His 15-point, 4-rebound performance against Villanova in the second round of the NCAA Tournament was one of the few good moments in the drubbing, and the extra experience should help in the future.
In addition to his tangible skills, he seemed to be an emotional centerpiece on the bench mob.
Baer stands to take a huge step forward in his progression next season. He has a somewhat reliable 3-point shot and displayed natural skill in positioning himself for rebounds.
If he can continue to build on those skills, a very solid basketball player could emerge.
— Jordan Hansen
Christian Brissett
Christian Brissett quietly made a case for Freshman of the Year, and he’s not done.
The freshman sprinter on the track team made a name for himself when he won Big Ten Track Athlete of the Week on March 23.
At the time, the Wyncote, Pennsylvania, native led the conference in the 200 meters, 100 meters, and 400-meter relay, a stat-stuffing outing rightfully deserving of this conference award.
But that was in Iowa’s first meet of the outdoor season. Now, weeks later and heading into the Big Ten Outdoor Championships, Brissett ranks eighth in the 100, third in the 200, and is on the 4×100 relay that leads the conference.
Iowa’s sprint group has been one of its best areas this season, despite being hampered by injuries to upperclassman standouts James Harrington and Vinnie Saucer Jr. Brissett has filled the void left by both of these two runners when they’ve missed meets, proving that he’s one of the best freshmen in the Big Ten.
Iowa Director of Track and Field Joey Woody rattled off a list of athletes to keep an eye out for this weekend, and Brissett topped the list.
The Hawkeye track team, a program on the rise, built a roster chock-full of youth. Brissett elevated himself to not only be one of the best freshmen, but one of the fastest runners on the team. The stopwatch doesn’t lie.
— Adam Hensley