Matt Weitzel

University of Iowa Associate AD for Strategic Communications. SID #5. Native of Mundelein, Illinois, living the dream in Iowa City.

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

@OralB downloaded the app. Signed up for an account and the app won’t let me login. I can login on a computer no problem but the app won’t. Thoughts?

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

@SID_Nate

[HawkeyeFBNotes @HawkeyeFBNotes]

The mobile Fight For Iowa pass (limited quantity) and UI Student tickets are on sale now!

🎟️: https://t.co/3G5OY3E4dm

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

Finkbine’s renovation is going to be well worth the wait. ⛳️

https://t.co/W6soROgxf1

[Dan Pompei @danpompei]

Logan Jones had Bear written all over him. The Bears hit a home run with an Iowa center 45 years ago when they signed should-be Hall of Famer Jay Hilgenberg. And the player who lined up to Hilgenberg's left for many years, Mark Bortz, was a former DT at Iowa like Jones.

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

Quite the performance on the big stage late last night for the Hawkeye All-American. 🤩

[Iowa Gymnastics @IowaGymnastics]

ICYMI⚠️

Aurélie Tran is the national runner-up on the uneven bars, matching the highest placement for a Hawkeye gymnast at the NCAA championship!

Her score of 9.975 also marks a new program-best score at nationals.

🔗: https://t.co/PiyEDJ1URD

@Aurelie_Tran_ x #Hawkeyes

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

Local @HawkeyeFootball stories ⤵️

📰 RBs take strides under new RB coach Jay Norvell: https://t.co/WQJSB6gXet

📰 QB battle to extend into fall camp: https://t.co/C6qQXhWDHb

📰 Jay Norvell and his journey back to Iowa City: https://t.co/u4tcfZJubj

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

Some amazing stuff from new @HawkeyeFootball
running backs @CoachJayNorvell today talking about returning to Iowa City.

https://t.co/c26TyB9Pdz

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

@rbalick @SXMCollege @DustyDvoracek @dannykanell @CoachFerentz @CJVogel_OTF Thanks for the invite and having Coach Ferentz on the show. 👊

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

#ICYMI 📰 Outstanding article by @ESPNRittenberg on Hawkeye offensive lineman Gennings Dunker. #Hawkeyes

[Adam Rittenberg @ESPNRittenberg]

For years, he was 1 of 5 offensive linemen at Iowa. Then the NFL pre-draft process showed why he’s truly 1 of 1.

“The story of Gennings Dunker has certainly benefited with the helmet off.”

I went to the Iowa City Culver’s to meet the mulleted king.

https://t.co/DEsGJWb9zX

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

Strong fall and spring seasons already have the #Hawkeyes with their third highest point total in the 32-year history of the Directors' Cup.

[The Iowa Hawkeyes @TheIowaHawkeyes]

The Hawkeyes check in ranked No. 1️⃣3️⃣ in the @Learfield Directors’ Cup Standings!

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

@tsnmike @sportingnews Congrats, Mike. You will be missed on full-time beat. Enjoy the more relaxed schedule.

[CJ Moore @CJMooreHoops]

Ben McCollum is at his best in the final 24 hours before tip-off, when he crams for the test and usually finds the answers.

An inside look at what that looks like for @IowaHoops (free for all to read): https://t.co/eeFSuID71H

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

We need to see announcer cam of Kevin Harlan calling some of the final plays of @IowaHoops-Nebraska. #Hawkeyes

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

How about the @IowaHoops bench, scoring half the team's points (38) in Iowa's 77-71 win over Nebraska. Next up, Houston/Illinois in the Elite Eight on Saturday. #Hawkeyes

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

I am happy to join the thousands of fans supporting @TheIowaHawkeyes today. ✅

[The Iowa Hawkeyes @TheIowaHawkeyes]

Hawks Helping Hawks… it’s what we do. 🤝

Today our teams are taking part in a friendly competition, vying to be the sport with the most individual donor support.

Help your favorite sport win the One Day of Iowa Giving Challenge: https://t.co/xua4FEK30N

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

I believe the last time @IowaHoops beat a No. 1 seed in an NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament came in 1980 regional semifinals against top-seed Syracuse. #Hawkeyes

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

@Zhoops44 Unlikely. CBS stand alone doubleheader to start the day (my guess is St. Louis games).

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

Owen is as professional as they come and we’re going to miss him on the local sports beat in Eastern Iowa.

Owen always asked respectful questions to our student-athletes/coaches and went the extra mile on research to give a story an added layer.

[Owen Siebring @owensiebring]

Friday will be my last day at KGAN.

Our station is going through some transitions, and I (along with some of my colleagues) was given the option to either sign a new contract... or have March 20 be my last day.
And I chose the latter.
Frankly it has less to do with the change, and more to do with my current life status. I'm in a serious relationship with a wonderful women who lives in Michigan. So the next step was already going to be a relocation closer to her... this just pushed that decision forward by several months.

The most difficult part of these last days is knowing how many stories I wanted to tell, but will be left unfinished. I won't get to cover the Hawkeye women's team in another NCAA tournament... I won't get to cover Quentin Nauman's final State track meet... I won't get to see the next chapter of Hawkeye football.
This makes it painful to say goodbye, but it is necessary.
It's been a tremendous honor over the last 4 years to cover sports in my home market. Every sports anchor dreams of doing big things in the world of broadcasting... but if you can't make it big, then working in your home market is a special honor that not a lot of people get to enjoy.
I've worked for almost 9 years in this state, and I've had the pleasure of working alongside some of the greatest journalists Iowa has ever known. Calling myself a colleague of guys like Keith Murphy, Scott Saville, Brad Pautsch, Ron Steele, Chad Leistikow, Scott Dochterman, Jeff Linder, Mike Hlas... that has been an honor that I'll never forget.

What's next for Owen? I have no idea. And frankly that's frightening... to be face-to-face with not knowing where my next paycheck will come from; I haven't had to deal with that in over a decade, and it terrifies me.
Next week I'll be going to Kenya for a couple of weeks to visit some of the locations where my girlfriend runs a non-profit. After that, I'll likely be sticking around Iowa a little while longer before relocating to Michigan. But what I'm doing to make a living? I really don't know.
I'm hoping to pick up some freelance work here or there; I have a few leads on that front, but I'm not sure what that might actually look like. I love this job, and deep down I believe this is the line of work I was built for. But it's entirely possible that this is the end of my television career, and a time for a transition to something else.
Again, it's a frightening perspective, and one that I didn't think I would be facing at this stage of my life... but here we are.
If anyone reading this has any connections in western Michigan, or knows of any places to pick up some freelance writing, shooting, reporting, or anything in a related field-I'd be happy to hear about it!

I'll post more when my last day comes this Friday. But for now, just know that every day on this job has been a joy, and I'll miss eastern Iowa dearly.

[Matt Weitzel @BigWeitz]

Hawkeye history 🏆 👋

[Iowa Track & Field/Cross Country @IowaXC_TF]

𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌��𝐈𝐎𝐍 ‼️

Ryan Johnson wins Iowa's first NCAA Weight Throw Title with a 25.64 meter throw! 💥