Iowa has not had a 1st or 2nd Team Consensus All American since 1952

[OnceAhawk]

That's 64 years, folks. And no, Ronnie Lester was never a consensus All American.

The last time Iowa had a B1G player of the year? Sam Williams in 1968, which is 48 years ago. You might recall Andre Woolridge leading the B1G in ppg and assists in 1997 yet it was Bobby Jackson of the academic fraud Minnesota team that won player of the year in 1997.

Can Uthoff become a Consensus All American and the B1G player of the year? Time will tell. Currently he leads the B1G in scoring and blocks.

Scott Dochterman mentioned this during an "On Iowa Podcast."

 

[Suterman]

Those are sobering statistics.

 

[QChawks]

Our last big ten title was 36 yrs ago too.

Regular season champions
1923, 1926, 1945, 1955, 1956, 1968, 1970, 1979

 

[markfromj]

Lester, though, was AP second team, correct?

 

[HoustonHawkeye]

JU is not part of a blueblood program. Hard to see him get consensus, let alone 1st team on any of the post season teams.

 

[SDHawkDoc]

I still get pissed when I think of that season Woolridge had and how he was robbed of B1G POY. It should be the best player and how much he elevates his team. That year it was Woolridge, no doubt.

 

[StormHawk42]

JU is not part of a blueblood program. Hard to see him get consensus, let alone 1st team on any of the post season teams.

If he keeps up his pace, I think he definitely lands on a couple 1st team AA teams. Consensus on the other hand is gonna be tough.

 

[bagdropper]

I seem to recall Bobby Jackson having an incredible B10 season for Minnesota that year. Not necessarily stat-tacular so much as being clutch.

Ronnie Lester is the guy that should have gotten more love nationally, but his senior season, he was robbed by injury, and his junior year he was under Magic Johnson's shadow.

I will say this about Lester, I've always thought it was the ultimate compliment. Magic Johnson once said the toughest player he ever went up against in college was Ronnie Lester. And that respect was paid by Magic, for I believe Lester briefly played for the Lakers late in his career, and wound up being a long time scout for them after he retired. I'd be willing to bet Magic had a hand in that happening.

Good enough for me. Best Iowa player of my lifetime. I don't think it's even close. We who saw him in his career, we know how damn good a player he was pre-injury.

 

[wneff]

Lester, though, was AP second team, correct?

Yes, in 78-79 season. Was announced the same day Lute said he wasn't leaving us for the PAC-10 (USC at that time).

 

[El Simbolo]

Is there such a thing as consensus 2nd team AA? I kind of link consensus in my mind to being in the vast majority of 1st teams. But maybe that applies more to football where there are 22-25 1st team AA spots. Being in the top 10, or even 15, in basketball is pretty impressive so I'd say 3rd team AA in bball is still a pretty big deal

 

[Clonewithasigh]

That's 64 years, folks. And no, Ronnie Lester was never a consensus All American.

The last time Iowa had a B1G player of the year? Sam Williams in 1968, which is 48 years ago. You might recall Andre Woolridge leading the B1G in ppg and assists in 1997 yet it was Bobby Jackson of the academic fraud Minnesota team that won player of the year in 1997.

Can Uthoff become a Consensus All American and the B1G player of the year? Time will tell. Currently he leads the B1G in scoring and blocks.

Scott Dochterman mentioned this during an "On Iowa Podcast."

Uthoff makes 2nd team AA, if I was guessing.

 

[SoonerBeAHawk]

I was looking at some historical records last night too.

Just 3 Final Four appearances. The Fabulous Five teams of '54-'56 and, of course, Lute's '79-'80 squad.

Only one undefeated team in the Big Ten, Ralph Miller's "Six Pack" of 1970. Three Iowa squads finished with only 1 loss in Big Ten play, the '55-'56 squad and two earlier teams.

Lots of good Iowa teams, but few great ones.

 

[anon_i8nzeu2gbf0ba]

Iowa's 6-6 center Don Nelson, who went on to star with the Celtics and coach in the NBA for decades, made some AA teams in 1960 or 61.

And yes, if you missed Ronnie Lester's career, you missed something special. And Ronnie was only 16 years old when he enrolled at Iowa, BTW. Only those knee injuries prevented Lester from consensus All-America status and Iowa from winning the national title in 1980. Again, more of Iowa's rotten luck.

 

[Ronman]

As usual, the consensus All-American team is picked preseason.

 

[YouGotThatRight]

The Fabulous Five teams of '54-'56 .

1956 was sure a great year for the Hawkeyes. Final Four team in the spring and Rose Bowl team in the fall.

 

[El Simbolo]

While I agree Iowa has had few "great" teams I wouldn't say you have to have 1 or fewer conference losses to be "great"

 

[SirLawrence44]

That's 64 years, folks. And no, Ronnie Lester was never a consensus All American.

The last time Iowa had a B1G player of the year? Sam Williams in 1968, which is 48 years ago. You might recall Andre Woolridge leading the B1G in ppg and assists in 1997 yet it was Bobby Jackson of the academic fraud Minnesota team that won player of the year in 1997.

Can Uthoff become a Consensus All American and the B1G player of the year? Time will tell. Currently he leads the B1G in scoring and blocks.

Scott Dochterman mentioned this during an "On Iowa Podcast."

 

[SirLawrence44]

As a side note, Iowa was rated #1 in 1945...mainly because of the Wilkinson brothers who transferred from NCAA champ Utah.
..
1 Iowa (17–1)
2 Oklahoma A&M (27–4)
3 DePaul (21–3)
4 Rice (20–1)
5 Army (14–1)
6 Navy (12–2)
7 Ohio State (15–5)
8 Bowling Green (24–4)
9 Notre Dame (15–5)
10 Kentucky (22–4)
11 St. John's (21–3)
12 RPI (13–1)
13 Akron (21–2)
14 NYU (16–8)
15 Muhlenberg (24–4)
16 South Carolina (19–3)
17 Valparaiso (21–3)
18 Tennessee (18–5)
19 Rhode Island (20–5)
20 Hamline (20–4)
21 North Carolina (22–6)
22 Temple (16–7)
23 Illinois (13–7)
24 Penn (12–5)
25 Yale (14–4)

 

[El Simbolo]

Crazy the discrepancy in number of games played back then

 

[OnceAhawk]

Lester, though, was AP second team, correct?

Scott mentioned that one outlet named him an All American but he was not consensus

 

[OnceAhawk]

I still get pissed when I think of that season Woolridge had and how he was robbed of B1G POY. It should be the best player and how much he elevates his team. That year it was Woolridge, no doubt.

They should strip Minny of the 1997 Big 10 title (its vacated but that's not enough) and the POY award and award it to the runner ups.

That would make Iowa the 1997 B1G Champs and Andre POY.

 

[OnceAhawk]

I seem to recall Bobby Jackson having an incredible B10 season for Minnesota that year. Not necessarily stat-tacular so much as being clutch.

Ronnie Lester is the guy that should have gotten more love nationally, but his senior season, he was robbed by injury, and his junior year he was under Magic Johnson's shadow.

I will say this about Lester, I've always thought it was the ultimate compliment. Magic Johnson once said the toughest player he ever went up against in college was Ronnie Lester. And that respect was paid by Magic, for I believe Lester briefly played for the Lakers late in his career, and wound up being a long time scout for them after he retired. I'd be willing to bet Magic had a hand in that happening.

Good enough for me. Best Iowa player of my lifetime. I don't think it's even close. We who saw him in his career, we know how damn good a player he was pre-injury.

whats sucks is the Ronnie Lester era was 35 years ago; a whole generation ago when Iowa made the Final 4.

 

[OnceAhawk]

Iowa's 6-6 center Don Nelson, who went on to star with the Celtics and coach in the NBA for decades, made some AA teams in 1960 or 61.

And yes, if you missed Ronnie Lester's career, you missed something special. And Ronnie was only 16 years old when he enrolled at Iowa, BTW. Only those knee injuries prevented Lester from consensus All-America status and Iowa from winning the national title in 1980. Again, more of Iowa's rotten luck.

35 years ago is a long time. Unfortunately most missed Ronnie Lester's career.

 

[soybean]

That's 64 years, folks. And no, Ronnie Lester was never a consensus All American.

The last time Iowa had a B1G player of the year? Sam Williams in 1968, which is 48 years ago. You might recall Andre Woolridge leading the B1G in ppg and assists in 1997 yet it was Bobby Jackson of the academic fraud Minnesota team that won player of the year in 1997.

Can Uthoff become a Consensus All American and the B1G player of the year? Time will tell. Currently he leads the B1G in scoring and blocks.

Scott Dochterman mentioned this during an "On Iowa Podcast."

Not consensus, but a All American nonetheless. Also was two-time 1st team all Big10 also. Best Iowa player I ever saw and the only twoplayers close tohim that I saw were Roy Marble and Sam Williams.

 

[SCHawkFan]

Iowa's 6-6 center Don Nelson, who went on to star with the Celtics and coach in the NBA for decades, made some AA teams in 1960 or 61.

And yes, if you missed Ronnie Lester's career, you missed something special. And Ronnie was only 16 years old when he enrolled at Iowa, BTW. Only those knee injuries prevented Lester from consensus All-America status and Iowa from winning the national title in 1980. Again, more of Iowa's rotten luck.

17, but still young. Born January 1, 1959.

 

[HoustonREDHawk]

I can't find it, but I am almost certain that Ronnie Lester was a pre-season all American his senior year. The 79-80 Hawks were 15-0 when Ronnie played, until his last game in the final four when he reinjured his knee about half way through the first half against eventual champ, Louisville. I am pretty sure that Ronnie was never a post-season all American, but opponents all knew better.