Kirkwood Community College - Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Yegge leaving Kirkwood for DePaul

Kirkwood softball coach Joe Yegge is leaving the Eagles after 11 years to become the associate head coach at DePaul University in Chicago.

"Yes, that is true," Kirkwood sophomore Lauren Kuch said Thursday afternoon. "He just told us this morning."

Yegge compiled a 537-112 record with the Eagles, including a 49-13 mark this past season. He led Kirkwood to eight ICCAC conference titles and six trips to the NJCAA Division II World Series.

The Eagles finished 49-13 this season and reached the World Series in Mississippi.

Tracie Adix-Zins was named DePaul's new head coach on July 5. She was an All-American pitcher for the Blue Demons during her playing days. DePaul is an NCAA Division I school that competes in the Big East Conference.

Yegge held a meeting in his office Thursday morning with four of his current players to let them know he was leaving. Other players participated in the meeting by speaker phone.

"Honestly, I was a little bit surprised," said Kuch. "He's always wanted to go somewhere big, and this is a great opportunity for him."

Kuch played for Yegge at Cedar Rapids Prairie for five years before joining him at Kirkwood for this past season. Yegge stepped aside as Prairie's head coach after the 2017 campaign.

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Ketelsen will pitch for Hawkeyes

Adam Ketelsen has changed his mind about pitching for Central Michigan University next season.

The former Kirkwood star will be playing for the Iowa Hawkeyes instead.

"After getting a release from Central Michigan University, I couldn't be more excited to announce that I've decided to further my academic and baseball career at the University of Iowa," Ketelsen announced on his Twitter account Wednesday.

"Thank-you to all my friends, family and coaches that made this possible," he wrote. "Go Hawks!"

Ketelsen, a left-hander from Mount Vernon, compiled an 8-2 record and 2.92 ERA at Kirkwood this season, with 88 strikeouts in 61 2/3 innings. He helped the Eagles reach the Junior College World Series for the first time since 1999.

Hunter Lee, another top pitcher for Kirkwood this year, also has joined the Hawkeyes.

3 Eagles find new basketball teams

Three members of the Kirkwood men's basketball program have found new  teams for the 2018-19 campaign.

Chris King is headed to Lindenwood University, an NCAA Division II school in Saint Charles, Mo. King averaged 17.2 points for the Eagles this past season.

Ethan Meeker is headed home to Galesburg, Ill., to play for Knox College, an NCAA Division III school. Meeker averaged 7.5 points this year.

Justin Storey will be staying in Cedar Rapids to play for Mount Mercy University. Storey averaged one point per game for the Eagles.

All three sophomores helped Kirkwood finish 24-6.

Carlo Marble, another sophomore who averaged 8.4 points, has not committed to a four-year school at this point.

Kirsch joins KCC basketball staff

Ryan Kirsch has joined the Kirkwood men's basketball staff as an assistant coach for the 2018-19 season.

Kirsch is replacing Ben Jacobson on the Kirkwood staff. Jacobson, who is battling an inoperable brain tumor, has accepted a sales job in the community.

Kirkwood head coach Bryan Petersen said Jacobson is doing okay while fighting his ailment.

Kirsch served as a graduate assistant at South Dakota State this past season when the Jackrabbits finished 28-7 and reached the NCAA Division I national tournament as Summit League champions.

Kirsch was an undergraduate assistant/student manager at Iowa State from 2014 through 2016, working for ISU head coaches Fred Hoiberg and Steve Prohm. He was a graduate assistant at Augustana University in 2016-17.

Kirsch, a native of Corydon, has an engineering degree from Iowa State and a master's degree in sports management from Augustana. He and his wife, Branygon, reside in Ely.

Rima stepping aside as Prairie coach

Todd Rima confirmed Monday that he'll be stepping aside as the head baseball coach at Cedar Rapids Prairie after this season.

Rima is also the head baseball coach at Kirkwood Community College. Between the two jobs, he's been coaching more than 100 games per year  along with countless practices and college recruiting.

"Looking forward to time with my family!," he told the Metro Sports Report Monday afternoon.

Rima and his wife, Molly, have three children. Jalen Rima plays football at the University of Northern Iowa and they have two young daughters, Bailey and Payton.

Rima has compiled a 129-34 record in four years at Prairie for a winning mark of 79.1 percent. He led the Hawks to the Class 4A state title in 2016 during his second year at Prairie.

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Hutchins joins KCC basketball staff

Cyerra Hutchins is returning to Kirkwood Community College as a new  member of the women's basketball staff.

Hutchins played for Kirkwood Coach Kim Muhl and the Eagles from 2014  through 2016. She played for Loras College for two seasons and was a senior for the Duhawks this past year.

Hutchins attended high school at Cedar Rapids Prairie.

Hutchins replaces Natalie White on the Kirkwood staff. During White's  two years at Kirkwood, the Eagles won the NJCAA Division II national  title in 2017 and finished second in 2018.

White is now working at The Mobile Pack in Iowa City. The company  provides for the health and well-being of dogs, with daytime services  and overnight boarding.

5 Eagles find new teams

Five members of the Kirkwood women's basketball team will continue  their careers at four-year schools next season.

Awal Ajak is headed to Missouri-Kansas City, an NCAA Division I  program. Three Eagles have signed with NCAA Division II schools with  Tayana Wilson going to Limestone, Olivia Usher to Missouri Western and  Christmas Puok to Texas-Permian Basin.

Niaja Taylor will be playing at William Penn, an NAIA school in Oskaloosa.

Kirkwood finished second at the NJCAA Division II national tournament this season with a 34-4 record.

Red Top's Kerr keeps 'working his way in'

All Kirby Kerr has ever needed on the baseball diamond is an opportunity.

And each time he gets a chance, positive results tend to follow.

After a successful freshman season at Kirkwood Community College, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound outfielder/pitcher was looking to join a team for the summer.

Former Kirkwood teammate Cal Clark, who will play next season at Houston Baptist, put him in touch with Red Top Manager Adam Sadler and he was quickly added to the Iowa Valley League team's roster

"Cal Clark gave me an in," Kerr said. "I just kept bugging him about it. He texted (Sadler) and he was more than willing to put me on the team."

Kerr has become the regular left fielder for the Toppers and also has picked up a save as a pitcher. He is appreciative of the chance to play for Red Top, both on Sundays and in the Wednesday Night League.

"On Wednesdays, it's just one game and it doesn't count toward the league record," Kerr said. "It's the same type of baseball, same guys usually. We see some different pitchers, but that's about it.

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Bevans named JUCO Catcher of Year

Monika Bevans of Kirkwood has been named the Diamond Sports/NFCA Catcher of the Year by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.

Bevans, a sophomore from Solon, finished second in NJCAA Division II with 79 RBIs, fifth with 18 home runs, seventh with 86 hits and 10th with a .948 slugging percentage.

Maddie Hansen, currently at North Dakota State, won the Catcher of the Year award for Kirkwood last year.