Kim Reynolds says she’s ‘confident’ Iowa’s universities will find Cy-Hawk game solution
In a press conference Tuesday, Gov. Kim Reynolds said she doesn’t believe ending the Cy-Hawk game is an option for the universities.
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks during her first Condition of the State address in the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines on Jan. 9, 2018.
September 24, 2019
Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Tuesday said she doesn’t believe ending the annual Cy-Hawk rivalry-series game is an option after University of Iowa President Bruce Harreld on Monday told The Daily Iowan he’s “not convinced at all that we should play this game again” because of safety concerns.
“I have full confidence in the two universities sitting down and being able to figure this out,” Reynolds said in her weekly news conference. “They’ll move through it, making sure that they take everything into account. My confidence is with them that we’ll get that done.”
The UI and Iowa State University have worked to investigate alleged harassment of some Hawkeye Marching Band members at the Cy-Hawk game. On Sept. 19, Hawkeye band members publicly alleged they suffered harassment following Iowa’s Sept. 14 victory at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames.
One band member reported broken ribs, while others alleged suffering severe bruising and other injuries.
Harreld told the DI that after the three public state Board of Regents universities improve safety measures, “I think I’ll consider playing this game again. But I’m not going to put our band or our students or our athletes in harm’s way. Something happened, and it isn’t right and we can all do better.”
When asked her opinion about Iowa State’s response to the allegations, Reynolds said that questions of that nature should be directed to the regents or the universities.
Reynolds, an ISU graduate herself, said she was not able to attend this year’s game due to a family wedding.
RELATED: Safety measures must improve before Iowa plays another Cy-Hawk game, UI president says
ISU officials on Tuesday said there were five alleged incidents they had investigated. Like Reynolds, they indicated they are committed to keeping the Cy-Hawk series alive.
“I am very confident that the two universities will be able to sit down at the table and work through a process that allows this tradition to carry on in a manner that protects those that are attending,” Reynolds said in her press conference. “I know they’ll be able to sit down and work through that — and we’ll be able to see this great rivalry continue moving forward.”