• World-class education • Big 12 athletics competition • Top-shelf training & competitive facilities • Incredibly loyal and passionate fans Click through these pages to learn more.
Iowa State University: A stimulating research institution with eight colleges – Agriculture, Business, Design, Engineering, Human Sciences, Liberal Arts & Sciences, Veterinary Medicine and Graduate – offering more than 200 fields of study.
Academic mission Our mission at Iowa State University is to create, share and apply knowledge to make the world a better place. That innovativeness is documented in the fact that ISU ranks second nationally in licenses granted on its inventions.
Iowa State is... more than 34,000 students benefitting from an enriching academic curriculum, a renowned faculty and a funloving school spirit. And, within six months of receiving their degrees, approximately 95% of ISU graduates find jobs or continue their education.
How we rank? According to U.S. News & World Report, Iowa State University ... is among the top 25 percent of all public national universities. ... is home to one of the nation’s “learning communities to look for.”
Making a Difference The world’s first digital computer was invented at ISU by John Atanasoff. Lipitor, the biggest-selling drug in history, was developed by alum Bruce Roth. George Washington Carver (pictured) was a world renowned plant scientist, who earned two degrees from Iowa State.
Academic facilities The Hixson-Lied Student Success Center (pictured) was opened in 2007. It includes space for academic tutors, a resource library, computer labs and study rooms. The Rod & Connie French Athletics Academic Center (second floor of the facility) is dedicated for student-athlete use only. It is conveniently located for easy access.
Ames is home ... to Iowa State University, a prestigious institution of higher learning and a proud member of the Big 12 Conference. The city’s friendly hometown personality is annually ranked among the top small cities in the nation to live, work and play.
A great place to live With a population of more than 60,000, Ames is revered for its friendliness and its varied entertainment and cultural opportunities. Main street often bustles with parades and festivals (below) and Campustown (right) is full of shops and eateries, popular among students.
Beauty of Iowa State ISU has one of only three campuses nationally to earn a medallion (for its beauty) from the American Society of Landscape Architects. Its more than 2,000-acre campus includes 200 buildings, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. The Campanile on central campus is pictured.
Centralized location
Iowa State is located minutes from an interstate exchange meaning that it is less than a day’s drive from Minneapolis (204 miles), Kansas City (208), Omaha (131), St. Louis (295), Milwaukee (290) or Chicago (307). The state capital -- Des Moines (pictured) -- is 30 minutes from central campus. Located in the heart of the midwest, Ames boasts a small-town charm with large city amenities nearby.
Factually Speaking Ames is ranked the second-best college town. American Institute for Economic Research
Ames is among the top 10 places to live in America. CNN Money
Ames is one of the 100 best communities for young people. America’s Promise Alliance
Iowa State was named one of the top 50 best colleges in America in 2014. U.S. News & World Report
The great outdoors If you enjoy the outdoors, Ames offers the nationally acclaimed, 14-acre Reiman Gardens, 33 woodland parks and 55 miles of bike and pedestrian trails. The opportunities are limited only by your imagination.
Leisure time ISU students love to congregate on central campus and the Memorial Union (right). Entertainment options range from Big 12 athletics to Broadway shows; pop artists to comedy acts and dance recitals to operas. Iowa State has played host to acts like Kenny Chesney (pictured), Billy Joel, the Rolling Stones, Elton John, Paul McCartney and many others.
The Big 12 is
B IG T I M E Iowa State is a member of the prestigious Big 12 and it participates on both a national and league basis in 18 Division IA intercollegiate sports. If you want to test yourself against the best, then the Big 12 is for you. Bowls. Tournaments. Olympians. Future pros. NCAA Champions. Academic All-Americans. Challenge yourself at ISU.
It was a very
good year Iowa State was an enormous success on the athletics fields in 2014-15. Here were some of our accomplishments. • Ranked No. 45 in the Learfield Sports Directors’ Cup, making the top-50 for the fifth time in the last six seasons • 2014 Big 12 Women’s Cross Country champions • 2015 Big 12 Men’s Basketball Tournament champions • Three individual national champions
We’ve Got
Cyclone Spirit
ISU’s student spirit was ranked No. 1 nationally in an ESPN.com survey. Cy was voted the nation’s most intimidating mascot as well as mascot of the year in consecutive seasons.
Our Cyclone Faithful following Pre-game spirit, a great band, an award-winning mascot and a renowned student section are all part of a memorable gameday experience. Cyclone Nation loves its student-athletes. Join our family and wear the cardinal and gold proudly.
Support services Support units for Iowa State Athletics create specialized programs to benefit each individual Cyclone as it relates to their personal needs and desires in the areas of: • • • • •
Academic Support Strength & Conditioning Sports Medicine Media Training Video Analysis
Giving back Community service is part of playing for the Cyclones. Iowa State student-athletes, through the work of the StudentAthlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), are active in the community and love that opportunity to give back.
CYCLONE successes
18 NCAA championships 132 conference champs 52 Olympians 7 Olympic gold medalists 120 NFL draft picks 35 NBA draft picks 13 WNBA draft picks
Homes for the CYCLONES Competition and training facilities for Iowa State student-athletes are among the finest in the region.
ACADEMICS
The Association of American Universities is a collection of the 60 most noteworthy institutions of higher learning in the U.S. Iowa State was accepted into the AAU in 1958.
ATHLETICS
Being a Cyclone means you’ll be challenged by the nation’s finest competition in front of fan bases that are among the loudest and most knowledgeable in the nation.
AMES
A community that offers small-town charm and big city amenities within a short driving distance.
Iowa State Track and Field and Cross Country - Big 12 Conference - Dedicated Coaches - Academic Excellence - First-Rate Facilities Click through these pages to learn more.
The Big 12 The Big 12 Conference has claimed 53 team and 552 individual NCAA titles. The Big 12 Conference is made up of 4,600 athletes in 24 different sports. In cross country and track and field, the Big 12 Conference has had 211 individual NCAA Champions and 18 NCAA Team Championships.
Martin Smith 2014-15 marks Smith’s second season as the Director of Iowa State Track and Field/Cross Country. Smith lifted the Cyclones above expectations in 2014, rewriting the record books with 52 new places on the program’s all-time top-10 lists, including seven program records. In a 35-year collegiate career, Smith has coached nearly 300 All-Americans, and his teams have won 26 conference championships. Smith is one of the nation’s most prestigious coaches, having success at Oklahoma (2005-13), Oregon (1998-05), Wisconsin (1983-98), Virginia (1980-83) and George Mason (1979-80).
Cyclones in the Olympics In each of the last 10 Olympiads, Iowa State track and field athletes have showcased their abilities on the world’s biggest sporting stage. 22 former Cyclones have competed in the games 35 times, most recently Lisa Uhl in the London 2012 games. ISU’s remarkable Olympic success serves as the foundation for many future Cyclone Olympians.
Strength and Conditioning Iowa State athletes train in an athlete-only Olympic weight room with specialized strength coaches for individual event groups. Athletes have access to chiropractic care, massage and ART (Active Release Technique) specialists, and state of the art facilities to assist their elite level training regimens.
Top Notch Facilities Thanks in large part to the efforts of Bill Bergan, in October 1995 ISU’s cross country program dedicated a $250,000 cross country course, the first course in the nation designed exclusively for competitive cross country racing. In its tenure, the course has hosted the NCAA D-I Cross Country Championships in fall of 1995 and 2000. It has also played host to a number of other major cross country meets, including the 2008 Big 12 Cross Country Championships and 2013 NCAA Midwest Regional. The course is currently being irrigated in an effort to develop the site into one of the nation’s premier racing venues.
The Bill and Karen Bergan Track is part of a 13-million dollar addition to Iowa State athletics facilities. The Cyclone Sports Complex features the new track, an artificial grass soccer field and a new softball stadium. Iowa State is slated to host the 2014 Big 12 Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The Lied Recreation Center offers firstrate, year-round practice facilities fully equipped with a 300-meter track, four pole vault runways, two jumping pits, a large training and fitness center and an unparalleled sports medicine center. The 13-million dollar indoor track facility holds the largest indoor track in the nation, and the Cyclones annually host several collegiate meets at the ISU Harry Hoak Track, including the ISU Classic and the Big 12 Indoor Track & Field Championships.