The University of Iowa Athletics program spans more than a century of tradition, including a venerated football team founded in 1889 as well as prodigiously successful wrestling and basketball programs. Consistently ranked among the top 25 college stadiums in the nation for attendance, Kinnick Stadium regularly houses more than 70,000 spectators in its stands during home football games. The venue takes its name from Iowa football legend Nile Kinnick, who in 1939 commemorated his Heisman Trophy win by painting himself bronze and dashing across the field.
Since the inauguration of Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 1983, the men's and women's basketball teams have posted .777 winning percentages. One of the largest university-owned facilities in the nation, Carver-Hawkeye packs in more than 15,000 fans for events that have included Big Ten and NCAA Championships as well as an exhibition match featuring the 1984 Olympic men's basketball team. The stadium also hosts the wrestling team, which boasts 18 undefeated seasons and a trophy case of retired mouth guards in its storied history.
