University of Iowa Athletics
WR

#89 Nico Ragaini

Height 6-0
Weight 196 lbs.
Class Sr.
Hometown East Haven, Conn.
High School Notre Dame
Previous School Avon Old Farms Prep
Nico Ragaini - Football - University of Iowa Athletics

Hawk Item – – Will return for fifth season in 2023 . . . one of 12 seniors named to 2022 Player Council . . . redshirted in 2018 after seeing action in just three games . . . one of 12 true freshmen to see action in 2018 . . . attended Avon Old Farms Prep School for one semester following high school career . . . enrolled in 2018 spring semester and participated in spring practice . . . career totals include 125 receptions for 1,354 yards.

2022 Honors – – Team Hustle Award, offense . . . 2022 – – Listed as first team wide receiver following spring practice . . . did not see action in 7-3 opening win over South Dakota State due to injury . . . did not see action in 10-7 loss to Iowa State due to injury . . . saw action in 27-0 win over Nevada as offense gained 162 net rushing yards . . . two receptions for 56 yards vs. Nevada, with a long of 46 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 27-10 win at Rutgers, but had no statistics . . . started at wide receiver in 27-14 loss to #4 Michigan . . . four receptions for 55 yards vs. Michigan, with a long of 28 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 9-6 loss at Illinois . . . matched career-high with seven receptions at Illinois, good for 46 yards, with a long of 15 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 54-10 loss at #2 Ohio State . . . one reception for two yards at OSU . . . added one solo tackle . . . saw action in 33-13 win over Northwestern as offense gained 398 yards total offense . . . four receptions for career-best 66 yards vs. Northwestern, with a long of 24 yards, along with 12 yards on one rushing attempt . . . started at wide receiver in 24-3 win at Purdue as offense rushed for 184 net yards and gained 376 yards total offense . . . three receptions for 56 yards and a touchdown at Purdue . . . 29-yard scoring reception gave Iowa 14-0 advantage . . . started at wide receiver in 24-10 win over Wisconsin . . . three receptions for 15 yards vs. Wisconsin . . . saw action in 13-10 win at Minnesota . . . one reception for 11 yards at Minnesota . . . saw action in 24-17 loss to Nebraska . . . matched career-high with seven receptions for 60 yards vs. Nebraska, with a long of 20 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 21-0 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky . . . two receptions for 21 yards vs. Kentucky, along with one rushing attempt for five yards.

2021 Honors – – Team Hustle Award, offense . . . 2021 – – Started at wide receiver in 34-6 win over #17 Indiana . . . two receptions for 21 yards vs. Indiana, with a long of 11 yards . . . saw action in 27-17 win at #9 Iowa State . . . one reception at ISU . . . started at wide receiver in 30-7 win over Kent State as offense rushed for 206 yards and gained 418 yards total offense . . . four receptions for 54 yards vs. Kent State, with a career-long of 48 yards to set up Iowa’s final score of the game . . . saw action in 24-14 win over Colorado State . . . two receptions for 38 yards vs. CSU, with a long of 34 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 51-14 win at Maryland as offense gained 428 yards total offense . . . two receptions for 19 yards at Maryland, with a long of 10 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 23-20 win over #4 Penn State . . . four receptions for 73 yards and one touchdown vs. PSU, including game-winning 44-yard touchdown reception with 6:26 remaining in the game . . . started at wide receiver in 24-7 loss to Purdue . . . two receptions for 29 yards vs. Purdue, with a long of 16 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 27-7 loss at Wisconsin . . . three receptions for 35 yards at Wisconsin, with a long of 23 yards . . . saw action in 17-12 win at Northwestern as offense gained 185 net rushing yards . . . two receptions for five yards at Northwestern . . . saw action in 27-22 win over Minnesota . . . one reception for 13 yards vs. Minnesota . . . saw action in 33-23 win over Illinois . . . two receptions for 20 yards vs. Illinois, with a long of 12 yards . . . saw action in 28-21 win at Nebraska as offense gained 186 net rushing yards . . . one reception for 24 yards at Nebraska . . . saw action in 42-3 loss to #2 Michigan, but had no statistics . . . started at wide receiver in 20-17 Citrus Bowl loss to #22 Kentucky, but had no statistics as offense rushed for 173 yards and gained 384 yards total offense.

2020 Honors – – Preseason first-team All-Big Ten punt return specialist by Phil Steele . . . 2020 – – Saw action in all eight games, with two starts . . . 18 receptions for 191 yards . . . also had one rushing attempt for a one-yard touchdown . . . saw action in 24-20 loss at Purdue as offense gained 460 yards total offense . . . four receptions for career-high 61 yards at Purdue, with a long of 28 yards . . . one of three wide receivers in the starting line-up in 21-20 loss to Northwestern . . . three receptions for 16 yards vs. Northwestern . . . one of three wide receivers in starting line-up in 49-7 win over Michigan State as offense rushed for 226 yards and gained 405 yards total offense . . . three receptions for 32 yards vs. MSU, with a long of 28 yards . . . saw action in 35-7 win at Minnesota . . . one rushing attempt at Minnesota resulted in one-yard touchdown for first career rushing score . . . one reception for 10 yards at Minnesota . . . saw action in 41-21 win at Penn State as offense gained 175 net rushing yards . . . four receptions for 46 yards at PSU, with a long of 26 yards . . . saw action in 26-20 win over Nebraska . . . two receptions for 24 yards vs. Nebraska, with a long of 16 yards . . . saw action in 35-21 win at Illinois as offense gained 242 yards total offense . . . two punt returns for two yards at Illinois . . . saw action in 28-7 win over #25 Wisconsin, recording one reception for two yards.

2019 Honors – – First-team All-Big Ten punt return specialist by Phil Steele . . . 2019 – – Saw action in all 13 games, with two starts . . . led team in receptions and ranked third in receiving yards (46-439), with two touchdowns . . . averaged 10.7 yards on nine punt returns . . . saw action in 38-14 win over Miami as offense gained 213 net rushing yards and 465 yards total offense . . . one reception for 45 yards to set up a touchdown, along with one rushing attempt for two yards . . . also had two punt returns for 16 yards . . . saw action in 30-0 win over Rutgers as offense gained 438 yards total offense . . . three receptions for 21 yards, with a long of 12 yards . . . also had two punt returns for 11 yards . . . one of three wide receivers in starting line-up in 18-17 win at Iowa State . . . led team with career-best five receptions for 43 yards at Iowa State, with a long of 18 yards . . . one punt return for 15 yards at Iowa State, which led to Iowa’s only touchdown . . . saw action in 48-3 win over Middle Tennessee as offense gained 644 yards total offense . . . two receptions for 39 yards vs. MTSU, with a long of 35 yards . . . saw action in 10-3 loss at #18 Michigan . . . career-best six receptions for 46 yards at Michigan . . . career-best four punt returns for 54 yards at Michigan, including a long of 17 yards . . . saw action in 17-12 loss to #9 Penn State . . . career-high seven receptions for 55 yards vs. PSU, with a long of 18 yards . . . saw action in 26-20 win over Purdue . . . six receptions for 31 yards vs. Purdue, with a long of 13 yards . . . started at wide receiver in 20-0 win at Northwestern, recording one reception for four yards . . . saw action in 24-22 loss at #16 Wisconsin . . . six receptions for 32 yards at Wisconsin, including three-yard reception for first career touchdown . . . saw action in 23-19 win over #7 Minnesota . . . two receptions for 30 yards vs. Minnesota, including 21-yard scoring reception on Iowa’s first drive of the game . . . saw action in 19-10 win over Illinois as offense gained 387 yards total offense . . . two receptions for 27 yards vs. Illinois, with a long of 18 . . . saw action in 27-24 win at Nebraska . . . three receptions for 12 yards at Nebraska . . . saw action in 49-24 Holiday Bowl win over #22 USC . . . two receptions for 54 yards vs. USC, with a long of 30 yards.

2018 – – Saw action in three games, recording one reception for seven yards . . . saw action in 33-7 win over Northern Illinois, but had no statistics as offense gained 209 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 38-14 win over Northern Iowa as offense gained 545 yards total offense . . . first career reception for seven yards vs. UNI . . . saw action in 63-0 win at Illinois, but had no statistics as offense gained 400 yards total offense . . . did not see action in 31-28 win over Nebraska . . . did not see action in 27-22 Outback Bowl win over #18 Mississippi State.

High school honors – – Two-time Male Athlete of the Year in New Haven . . . earned All-New England recognition at prep school . . . earned all-state honors for final three high school seasons after starting as a wide receiver as a freshman . . . named to Walter Camp all-state team as a junior and senior . . .  Career – – Four-year football letterman as wide receiver and defensive back, helping prep team win 26 games in final three seasons . . . career totals include 3,345 receiving yards in four seasons . . . set state record for career receptions (222) . . . 46 receptions for 923 yards and nine touchdowns in prep school . . . as a senior recorded 59 receptions for 988 yards . . . totaled 1,591 all-purpose yards and scored 13 touchdowns . . . added 41 tackles and two interceptions on defense . . . collected 64 receptions for 903 yards as a junior, totaling 1,708 all-purpose yards . . . as a sophomore recorded 71 receptions for 1,036 yards and 14 touchdowns . . . 28 receptions for 418 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman . . . also participated in lacrosse and indoor track as a prep . . . holds school lacrosse records for career assists (109) and points (180) . . . earned all-state recognition in track on 4 x 400-meter relay unit . . . team captain as a senior.

Personal – – Born 1/26/99 . . . sport and recreation management major . . . National Honor Society . . . parents are Josanna and Gianni Ragaini . . . high school coach was Tom Marcucci . . . prep school coach was Bill Mella.