Iowa Football Names Season Leadership Group

IOWA CITY, Iowa – – The University of Iowa football program has named 17 players to the Leadership Group for the 2017 season.  Head coach Kirk Ferentz announced members of the group Thursday.

The group includes five seniors, four juniors, four sophomores, two redshirt freshmen, and two true freshmen. The Leadership Group will vote on the weekly game day captains, be involved in team decision-making throughout the season, and provide feedback to the head coach.  Players were selected by team vote.

“Our senior group, along with Brandon Snyder, provided valuable input throughout our summer workouts and fall camp,” said Ferentz.  “Moving forward, this group has representation from each class and was determined by a team vote as we head into the first week of the season.”

The group consists of seniors DL Nathan Bazata, LB Josey Jewell, LB Ben Niemann, WR Matt VandeBerg, OL Sean Welsh, juniors OL James Daniels, DE Parker Hesse, DB Brandon Snyder, and QB Tyler Wiegers, sophomores LB Amani Jones, DE Anthony Nelson, FB Brady Ross, and QB Nathan Stanley, redshirt freshmen LB Nick Niemann and RB Toren Young, and first-year freshmen DE A.J. Epenesa and OL Tristan Wirfs.

The 2017 Hawkeye Leadership Group includes:

Nathan Bazata                         DL                   Senior                          Howells, Nebraska

James Daniels                          OL                   Junior                          Warren, Ohio

A.J. Epenesa                            DE                   Freshman                     Edwardsville, Illinois

Parker Hesse                            DE                   Junior                          Waukon, Iowa

Josey Jewell                             LB                   Senior                          Decorah, Iowa

Amani Jones                            LB                   Sophomore                  Chicago, Illinois

Ben Niemann                           LB                   Senior                          Sycamore, Illinois

Nick Niemann                         LB                   Redshirt Freshman       Sycamore, Illinois

Anthony Nelson                      DE                   Sophomore                  Urbandale, Iowa

Brady Ross                              FB                    Sophomore                  Humboldt, Iowa

Brandon Snyder                       DB                   Junior                          Larchwood, Iowa

Nathan Stanley                        QB                   Sophomore                  Menomonie, Wisconsin

Matt VandeBerg                       WR                  Senior                          Brandon, South Dakota

Sean Welsh                              OL                   Senior                          Springboro, Ohio

Tyler Wiegers                          QB                   Junior                          Lake Orion, Michigan

Tristan Wirfs                            OL                   Freshman                     Mount Vernon, Iowa

Toren Young                           RB                   Redshirt Freshman       Madison, Wisconsin