Nebraska, Iowa Heroes To Be Honored Friday

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Nebraska and Iowa will meet Friday in Lincoln for the 15th annual Heroes Game, presented by Pioneer Seeds. As part of the rivalry game, citizen heroes were selected from each state, with Ashley De La Cruz-Martin chosen as Nebraska’s Hero and Jayce Koob selected as Iowa’s Hero. Both will be recognized Friday, Nov. 28, at Memorial Stadium.

The Heroes Game was created to honor the rich football traditions of the University of Iowa and the University of Nebraska football programs while also annually honoring community heroes in both states. The 2025 citizen heroes have positively impacted the community and stand as an inspiration to others.

Jayce Koob, a 12-year-old sixth grader from MOC-Floyd Valley Community School District, awoke in the middle of the night to heavy smoke and alarms, but he managed to get out of the burning house.  With no phone and alone, Jayce traveled almost a mile to alert neighbors in rural Sioux county to call for help. The tragedy claimed the lives of three teenagers, but his heroic efforts saved a fourth teen inside the house.

“Jayce Koob exemplifies the very essence of courage and selflessness that we strive to celebrate through the Pioneer Heroes program. His quick thinking and bravery in the face of unimaginable tragedy saved a life and reminds us all of the power of resilience and compassion. We are honored to recognize Jayce as an Iowa Pioneer Hero,” said Beth Goetz, the Henry B. And Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. “Thank you to Pioneer for shining a light on Jayce’s incredible story and for your continued commitment to honoring true heroes in our communities.”

“Pioneer is incredibly grateful to honor both Ashley and Jayce for their heroic and impactful efforts in our Midwest communities,” said Jeremy Renz, Pioneer Vice President - Sales. For nearly 100 years, we’ve been helping and honoring farmers throughout the U.S. and we are excited to keep that tradition going by honoring local heroes that live and work in the communities we serve every day. This partnership is one small way we can express our sincere gratitude for those heroes.”

Ashley De La Cruz-Martin, a 16-year-old from Columbus, Nebraska, was on her way into the Pawnee Plunge Water Park in late July, when she witnessed a man collapse in the parking lot. Drawing on her recent CPR training, Ashley immediately recognized the life-threatening situation and began administering CPR until paramedics arrived. Her quick thinking and decisive action saved the gentleman’s life.

“We are proud to recognize the life-saving act by Ashley De La Cruz-Martin and honor her as this year’s Nebraska Pioneer Hero. Ashley’s actions are representative of what this honor entails and make her a true citizen hero,” said Troy Dannen, Nebraska’s Director of Athletics. “The Pioneer Heroes Game reminds us all that life is much bigger than a three-hour football game. We are proud to partner with Pioneer and the University of Iowa each year to continue this great tradition on Thanksgiving weekend.”

Cruz-Martin and Koob will attend the game as special guests of the teams, receive on-field recognition at halftime, and have their names inscribed on the game trophy.

Pioneer, a current partner of both the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Iowa Hawkeyes, is a multi-year title sponsor of the Heroes Game. The ongoing relationship between Pioneer and Nebraska is overseen by Husker Athletic Partners, a Playfly Sports Property, the university’s athletics multimedia rightsholder. The ongoing relationship between Pioneer and Iowa is overseen by Learfield’s Hawkeye Sports Properties, the University’s athletics multimedia rightsholder and locally based team.