Garza swept all the major postseason awards (Wooden, Naismith, Associated Press, Oscar Robertson, NABC, Lute Olson, Sporting News) to become the consensus national player of the year for 2021. Iowa’s first two-time unanimous consensus first-team All-American led the nationally-ranked Hawkeyes to 22 victories and a third place Big Ten finish in 2021. The Washington, D.C., native majoring in Economics, led the nation in total points (747), player efficiency rating (35.84), 30-point games (8), field goals made (281), and 20-point games (22). Garza ranked second nationally in points per game (24.1), fifth in free throw attempts (199), 10th in free throw makes (141), and 11th in double-doubles (13). His 747 points extended the single-season school record he set last season (740). The two-time Big Ten Player of the Year broke Iowa’s 32-year-old scoring record held by Roy Marble on Feb. 21, 2021. He finished his Hawkeye career with 2,306 points, which ranks seventh-best in Big Ten history. In addition to ranking first in career scoring, Garza is tops at Iowa in 30-point games (13), conference scoring (1,399), field goals made (870), field goal attempts (1,594), and 40-point games (2); second in rebounds (931); fourth in double-doubles (34); fifth in blocked shots (154); sixth in free throw makes (446) and attempts (636); and 16th in 3-pointers made (120). He is the only men’s basketball player in Big Ten history to accumulate 2,250 points and 900 rebounds.
Tausaga won the 2019 NCAA discus title and was a finalist for the 2019 World Championships. An eight-time All-American and five-time Big Ten champion in the throws for Iowa, she holds school records in the indoor shot put, outdoor shot put, weight throw, hammer and discus. During the 2020 indoor season, Tausaga was named USTFCCCA Indoor Midwest Regional Female Field Athlete of the Year, Big Ten Indoor Field Athlete of the Year, and Big Ten Indoor Female Field Athlete of the Championships. For the 2021 outdoor season, she leads the nation in the discus (199-6, 60.81m) and posted the fifth-best mark in the shot put (58-10 1/2, 17.94m). A native of Spring Valley, Calif., Tausaga is majoring in Communication Studies and African American Studies.
Lee won his third NCAA title in 2021, becoming the seventh three-time NCAA Champion in Iowa wrestling history. The Murrysville, Pa., native was awarded the Hodge Trophy, which goes to the nation’s top college wrestler, for the second straight year. During the 2021 season, Lee posted an undefeated record and scored bonus points in all but one match en route to a Big Ten title and being named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. A Sport & Recreation Management major, Lee interned with Iowa’s “Fan First” Program, is a three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, volunteers his time including with ISAAC Day of Caring, and is a frequent volunteer for student-athlete speaker panels with the I-Club. He also earned the Golden Herky for Record Breaking Performance.
Mueller made history by becoming just the 22nd person, and one of only two women at the University of Iowa, to earn the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. As a Biomedical Engineering major, honors student, and on the pre-med track, she has participated in over 1,000 hours of community service, many hours of research, was a senator on University Student Government, and served as the 2021 ISAAC President. The Petrolia, Ontario, Canada, native is a multiple recipient of Dean’s List and President’s List honors, as well as multiple Academic All-Big Ten and Distinguished Scholar awards. After her final season throwing the javelin for the Hawkeyes, she plans to attend the University of Oxford in England with her Rhodes Scholarship, studying stem cells and regenerative engineering, after which she has been accepted and earned a full scholarship for Harvard University Medical School.
