The University of Iowa announced on Friday morning that Athletics Director Gary Barta is retiring. The announcement was a surprise. Barta’s current contract wasn’t set to expire until June 2024, and earlier this year he told the Gazette he hadn’t given “any consideration” to retirement. The statement released by UI Athletics on Friday quoted Barta […]
Gary Barta
UI Athletics will reimburse state the $2 million to settle football discrimination lawsuit
Three days after the State Appeals Board voted 2-1 to pay $2 million from the state’s general fund to help settle a lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in the University of Iowa’s football program, UI President Barbara Wilson issued a statement saying the university will reimburse the state. “After listening to the concerns of Iowans, and […]
UI racial discrimination lawsuit settled for $4.2 million; Auditor Sand demands Gary Barta be held accountable
The University of Iowa and the Iowa Board of Regents have agreed to pay $4.2 million to settle a racial discrimination lawsuit brought by eight Black former Hawkeye football players. Because Iowa law requires lawsuit settlements against state agencies be paid from the state’s general fund, Iowa taxpayers will be providing $2 million to settle […]
UI settles Title IX lawsuit filed by women swimmers, will pay $400,000 and hire expert to make sure it follows the law
The University of Iowa has agreed to pay $400,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging the university has been violating its obligation under Title IX to provide opportunities for female athletes, the Gazette reported on Wednesday afternoon. As part of the settlement, UI will also hire a sports law expert to monitor the Athletics Department’s compliance […]
University of Iowa is adding a women’s wrestling team
The University of Iowa Athletics Department announced on Thursday morning it is adding a women’s wrestling program. The department anticipates the women wrestlers to begin competing in the 2023-24 season, according to a news release. UI Athletics said the addition would make it “the first NCAA Division I, Power Five conference institution to offer the […]
In Kinnick there will be beer, UI Athletics announces
There may be no beer in heaven (more on that in a moment), but there will be in Kinnick Stadium when the Hawkeyes kick off the 2021 football season against the redundantly named Indiana Hoosiers on Sept. 4. There’ll be wine, too. The University of Iowa Athletics Department announced on Thursday morning it is launching […]
Despite pandemic deficit, Kirk Ferentz collected full salary, bowl-game bonus for 2020
As the University of Iowa Athletics Department was facing a massive financial shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the summer of 2020, a number of the department’s employees accepted, voluntarily or otherwise, reduced salaries and bonuses. Among these employees were head coach of men’s basketball Fran McCaffrey (who volunteered for a $255,000 salary cut), […]
Left to ‘completely rebuild’ their team after COVID cuts, UI women swimmers are taking the university to task over Title IX
There were “mixed emotions” when University of Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta met with the women’s swimming and diving team on Feb. 15 to let them know their program, which the university had cut on Aug. 21, would be fully reinstated. While there was excitement and optimism over the news, there was also frustration over […]

