HTDmainmasthead

 

`1HTD

March 26, 2012

 

 

 

 MORE BLACK AND GOLD  

hawkeyesports.com
UI Athletics Ticket Office
The National I-Club
The National Varsity Club
The University of Iowa
Herky's Locker Room
Hawkeye Sports Properties
Big Ten Network
Big Ten Conference
NCAA








 

 

Hawk Talk Daily is an e-publication of the University of Iowa Department of Intercollegiate Athletics delivered daily and at no cost to friends of the University of Iowa and fans of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

If you have a question about the editorial content, please contact the UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at (319) 335-9431 or (319) 335-9411.

If you are interested in the marketing opportunities inside Hawk Talk Daily, please contact Hawkeye Sports Properties at (319) 338-7474 or the UI Department of Intercollegiate Athletics at (319) 335-9431.

 

If you were on the receiving end of a forwarded copy of HTD and want to be added to the daily mailing list, click HERE

 

 

 



best buy ad banner 090911  
 

MONDAY, MARCH 26, 2012
Your daily dose of black and gold...

Fran McCaffery
UI head coach Fran McCaffery says thanks and reflects on the 2011-12 season.
FRAN MCCAFFERY LETTER TO HAWKEYE FANS
Head coach thanks Iowa fans, reflects on 2011-12 season

Dear Hawkeye fans,

 

On behalf of our players, coaching staff and staff, I would like to thank you for your support of Iowa Hawkeye basketball this season.

 

I've said all along that Hawkeye fans are some of the best fans in the country.  For the second consecutive year our attendance increased, but more importantly the crowds were boisterous and intimidating for opponents.  The Hawks Nest and Hawkeye faithful are knowledgeable and passionate about their Hawkeye basketball, and your enthusiasm and energy made Carver-Hawkeye Arena an electric atmosphere -- especially at our last home game against Dayton!

 

Thanks to your support, you played a factor in us winning six of our last eight games, including posting wins over 13th-ranked Michigan, No. 18 Indiana, 15th-ranked Wisconsin and the first-round NIT game against Dayton.  Over 13,000 Hawkeye fans bought tickets on one-days-notice for our NIT game, which was the highest attended NIT game of 2012. 

 

I couldn't be more proud of our guys' effort this season; they brought it every day.  It was great to see the team's efforts rewarded with a postseason invitation to the NIT.  After a slow start, it was encouraging to see how they responded and finished the season. 

 

Our four victories over ranked opponents, the events surrounding the 1987 Iowa team reunion weekend, posting our first postseason win since 2003, having the pleasure to coach one of the greatest Hawkeyes of all-time in Matt Gatens, seeing the growth and development of our underclassmen and hearing the roar back in Carver-Hawkeye Arena are highlights I will remember from this past season.

 

Having a good team starts with senior leadership, and we had some tremendous seniors.  Co-captains Matt Gatens and Bryce Cartwright really helped mold this team and instill their work ethic and determination onto their teammates.  Our younger guys (Aaron White, Roy Devyn Marble, Zach McCabe, Gabe Olaseni, Josh Oglesby and Melsahn Basabe) learned so much from all of our experienced players.

 

We are going to miss our seniors, especially Matt Gatens.  Matt is one of the best captains I have ever coached and that's an amazing statement coming from me, because I've had some good ones.  Matt really took his game to another level the last six weeks of the season and helped guide this team to its first postseason action in six years.  Being only the second Hawkeye to ever amass over 1,600 points, 450 rebounds, 250 assists and 125 steals says a lot.  But Matt is more than a phenomenal basketball player; he is a humble person with tremendous character.  I'm extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to coach Matt and look forward to watching him continue his playing career on the professional level.

 

Recording seven more wins than the previous season and having some postseason success is another positive step this program has taken.  We're excited to head into the offseason knowing we have a phenomenal nucleus returning.  We return 69 percent of our scoring and 78 percent of our rebounding, while also adding a solid recruiting class that will complement the guys we have returning.

 

Now that the season is over we turn our attention to offseason training, which will begin next month.

 

We look forward to generating more memorable Hawkeye basketball moments in the years ahead.  We thank you again for your continued support and passion for our program and the Iowa Hawkeyes.

 

Fran McCaffery

 

 

 

 

The UI baseball team shut down Northwestern on Sunday to win the rubber game of the three-game series... click HERE to read more. 

 

Two UI men's basketball signees are set to play in the All-American Championships in New Orleans.

 

The Hawkeye women's golf team is in second place following the first round of the Saluki Invitational.

 

todayshawkeyes 

 

 

 

 
 
Copyright © 2010. All Rights Reserved.