Indiana guard Caitlin Clark is introduced during a preseason game between the Indiana Fever and Brazilian National team at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City on Sunday, May 4, 2025. The Fever defeated Brazil, 108-44.
The Daily Iowan reflects on 2025 through a gallery of the year’s most powerful visuals.
Photographers from The Daily Iowan visuals team covered over one thousand stories, spanning not just the Iowa City area, but also covering events from across the state and country, such as this year’s Iowa State Fair, or October’s “No Kings” Protests in Washington, D.C.
The spring semester saw many Iowa athletic events, in addition to a strong presence of activism and protests across the Iowa City area. Between an extravagant underground wrestling event, women’s basketball legend Caitlin Clark returning to Iowa City, and protests against new immigration laws and the discontinuation of living learning communities on the UI campus, the photographers of The Daily Iowan captured over four hundred stories in the spring semester of 2025.
During the summer, the DI visuals team covered events such as the long-standing Iowa State Fair, a visit and celebration from President Donald Trump, and Iowa’s historic Ragbrai bike tour.
In the fall semester of 2025, the DI visuals team produced visuals for exactly six hundred stories. The fall semester saw the most stories of any month, with September and October tying the record for 163 stories produced. Iowa football returned with a new quarterback, Mark Gronowski. The Iowa City area held its Election Day, voting to re-elect city councillors Megan Alter, Bruce Teague, and Shawn Harmsen. The DI captured powerful moments of protest against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the current Presidential administration.
Children climb onto the State Fair globe during the Iowa State Fair at the Iowa state fairgrounds on Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025. (Emma Calabro) (Emma Calabro)Samson Diener punches Connor Doyle during a Knockout University fight at Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa on Thursday, October. 16, 2025. This was the first time Knockout University has come to Iowa. (Samantha DeFily)Volunteer Keith Wilson helps Chloe Palmer unclamp her back wheel at the Iowa City Bike Library south of downtown on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. (John Charlson)Community members participate in and watch a beer slide during Northside Oktoberfest in Iowa City on Saturday, Sept. 20, 2025. The festival celebrated its 29th year and had live music, beer samples, games, and contests.Iowa No.3 133-pound Drake Ayala and teammates warm up before a wrestling dual between the No.2 Iowa Hawkeyes and the No.1 Penn State Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center in State College Pennsylvania on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025. The Nittany Lions defeated the Hawkeyes 30-8. (Ethan McLaughlin)Attendees hold up flags and signs in front of the U.S. Capitol during a No Kings demonstration in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 18, 2025. (Emma Calabro)Iowa diver pikes mid air during the Hawkeye Invitational in the Campus Recreation and Wellness Center on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025. The Invitational ha taken place from Nov 18 – 21 with competition from teams of teams of UConn, Illinois, Iowa State, Nebraska, Washington State, Kansas, and University of Miami. (Reece Schrader)Iowa running back Kamari Moulton makes a sleeping gesture with his hands during a football game between Iowa and Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025. Moulton earned one touchdown. The Hawkeyes defeated the Badgers 37-0. (Samantha DeFily)Demonstrators march during an immigration protest in downtown Iowa City on Friday, Feb. 3, 2025. Dozens of demonstrators danced, sang, chanted, and marched throughout the early evening. A handful of counter-protesters were in attendance. (Cody Blissett/The Daily Iowan) (Cody Blissett)Community members hold up signs during a rally at the Pedestrian Mall in Iowa City, Iowa on Friday, Sep. 26, 2025. Community members gathered in protest against ICE’s arrest of Jorge Elieser Gonzlez Ochoa while working at Bread Garden in Iowa City on Thursday, Sept. 25 at 11:00 a.m. Jorge’s family members, clergy, and elected leaders spoke at the rally. (Emma Calabro)Marisa Dabice (guitar, vocals) sings during a Mannequin Pussy performance at the Englert for the Mission Creek Festival on April 4, 2025. (Clara Jarecke)Attendees lay their poster against a lamppost and listen to speakers during a protest on the importance of the first amendment in the Pedestrian Mall in downtown Iowa City on Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. Dozens of community members gathered to hear testimonies. (Ava Neumaier)Students throw snow during a snowstorm in Iowa City on Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. Hundreds of students gathered on the Pentacrest throughout the evening. (Cody Blissett/The Daily Iowan) (Cody Blissett)…during an underground pro-wrestling event at Gabe’s in Iowa City on Friday, March 14, 2025. The event featured four matchups between pro-wrestlers from the Black and Brave Wrestling Academy based out of Davenport, Iowa. (Emma Calabro)Protestors walk through City Park during a Good Trouble march in honor of late congressman John Lewis in Iowa City on Thursday, July 17, 2025. Attendees marched across the Hancher bridge to honor Lewis’ civil rights legacy in Selma with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., chanting and cheering. (Ava Neumaier)Liz McDermott, a member of the crowd for the Pete Buttigieg town hall, watches Buttigieg talk. This was held at the Veteran Memorial Building in Cedar Rapids on Tuesday May 13, 2025. (Travis Crabb)A crowd of celebration attendees applaud President Donald Trump during the America250 kick-off celebration at the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, on Thursday, July 3rd, 2025. (Dan Dickerson)Firefighter Melissa Habeger of the Burt Volunteer Fire Department sprays a fire hose at a bucket hanging from a pulley in a game set up by the Bancroft Volunteer Fire Department in Bancroft, IA on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. “On 4th of July we do this for our community,” says Captain Scott Shillington of the Bancroft Fire Department, who adds that the game is a fun way to cool people down on a hot day. The fire department in Bancroft is also hoping to gain fundraising support from riders as they work to raise money for a new fire station. “We updated our equipment before we went with our facility, but now we’re pushing against the clock,” says Shillington who explains that their current building is slated to be demolished for the construction of an additional power plant substation by 2027. “Our community has helped us tremendously, all the equipment that we’ve gotten has been a huge benefit for us.” (John Charlson)Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz and players prepare to take the field during a Cy-Hawk series football game between Iowa and No. 16 Iowa State at Jack Trice Stadium in Ames, Iowa, on Sept. 6, 2025. The Cyclones defeated the Hawkeyes 16-13. (Cody Blissett)Iowa City mayor Bruce Teague, city councillor Megan Alter, and city councillor Shawn Harmsen react to final poll results during a watch party at Big Grove Brewery in Iowa City on election night, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Incumbent city councillors Megan Alter, Bruce Teague, and Shawn Harmsen won at-large and District B elections, respectively, and incumbent Jayne Finch won re-election as an ICCSD School Board member. (Gabby Drees)Iowa State forward Joshua Jefferson jumps over Iowa forward Cam Manyawu during a men’s basketball game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the Iowa State Cyclones at the Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. The Hawkeyes fell to the Cyclones 66-62. (Samantha DeFily/The Daily Iowan) (Samantha DeFily)Dior performs in drag for bargoers of Studio 13 on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. Studio 13 celebrated its 25th anniversary throughout 2025. (Ava Neumaier)Iowa center Layla Hays attempts to gain possession of the ball from UConn forward Sarah Strong during a basketball game between the Iowa Hawkeyes and the UConn Huskies at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025. The Huskies defeated the Hawkeyes 90-64. (Emma Calabro/The Daily Iowan) (Emma Calabro)Attendees try wine outside during the 23rd Dada Prom at Public Space One in Iowa City on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2025. Multiple artists contributed to the annual surrealist art installation, where attendees showed up in costume and enjoyed drinks, games, and food. (Ava Neumaier)
