Discontinued: The Decision That Changed Iowa Athletics – As the pandemic shut down college athletics in 2020, the University of Iowa decided to cut four varsity sports, changing the lives of dozens of student‑athletes. For many, their sport is not just what they do — it’s who they are. Through interviews with athletes, coaches, attorneys, and journalists, *Discontinued* explores the fallout, from a Title IX lawsuit to lasting questions about belonging. What happens to someone’s sense of self when the sport they’ve committed to since childhood is suddenly taken away?
Six years after the university cut for teams, athletes, parents, and alumni are still living with the aftermath. Some have found closure. Others are still trying to understand what was lost.
This episode looks at where those affected are now, and how the decisions made in 2020 continue to shape their sense of belonging, their connection to Iowa, and what the future of college athletics might hold.
Producer: Megan Klein
Assoc. Producer: AJ Reisetter
Host: Savannah Nguyen
Editor: Camryn Warn
Discontinued: The Decision That Changed Iowa Athletics
As the pandemic shut down college athletics in 2020, the University of Iowa decided to cut four varsity sports programs, irrevocably changing the lives of dozens of student-athletes. For athletes at any level, their sport is not just what they do — it’s who they are. For college athletes, that connection is inseparable from school pride.
Through interviews with athletes, coaches, attorneys, and journalists, Discontinued explores the fallout of the cuts, from the Title IX lawsuit that challenged it to the lasting questions about belonging and who universities consider expendable. What happens to someone’s sense of self when the sport they’ve committed to since childhood is suddenly taken away?
28 May 2026
Discontinued Pt. 3: Fight for Iowa
As the fallout from the cuts deepens, some athletes refuse to accept the decision quietly.
This episode follows swimmer Sage Ohlensehlen and the attorneys behind the Title IX lawsuit that challenged Iowa’s decision, while also tracing Kareem Allaf’s role in the effort to save men’s tennis. As the fight unfolds — in courtrooms and beyond — athletes begin to push back against an institution that has already moved on.
Producer: Claire O'Donnell
Assoc. Producers: Lily Kopp, Kellen Rife
Host: Brendan Schnoebelen
Editor: John Murphy
Discontinued: The Decision That Changed Iowa Athletics
As the pandemic shut down college athletics in 2020, the University of Iowa decided to cut four varsity sports programs, irrevocably changing the lives of dozens of student-athletes. For athletes at any level, their sport is not just what they do — it’s who they are. For college athletes, that connection is inseparable from school pride.
Through interviews with athletes, coaches, attorneys, and journalists, Discontinued explores the fallout of the cuts, from the Title IX lawsuit that challenged it to the lasting questions about belonging and who universities consider expendable. What happens to someone’s sense of self when the sport they’ve committed to since childhood is suddenly taken away?
28 May 2026
Discontinued Pt. 2: The Silent Season
As the season unfolds, athletes are left to compete in an atmosphere of empty stands and the knowledge that it will be their last as Hawkeyes. This episode explores the emotional fallout following the university's decision to eliminate four athletic programs, tracing the shift from the initial shock of the announcement to the resilience of athletes competing through the final weeks of their careers — sometimes fueled by resentment toward their own institution.
Producer: Emily Nyberg
Assoc. Producers: Delaney Spizzirri, Isabelle Woody
Host: Devin Kearney
Editor: Ciceli Lawson
Discontinued: The Decision That Changed Iowa Athletics
As the pandemic shut down college athletics in 2020, the University of Iowa decided to cut four varsity sports programs, irrevocably changing the lives of dozens of student-athletes. For athletes at any level, their sport is not just what they do — it’s who they are. For college athletes, that connection is inseparable from school pride.
Through interviews with athletes, coaches, attorneys, and journalists, Discontinued explores the fallout of the cuts, from the Title IX lawsuit that challenged it to the lasting questions about belonging and who universities consider expendable. What happens to someone’s sense of self when the sport they’ve committed to since childhood is suddenly taken away?
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
YouTube views
14,250
Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025
Podcast Authority Score: 37 / 100
A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.
Quality
45
Social presence
0
YouTube
72
Engagement
0
Contact Iowa SJMC Podcasts
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of Iowa SJMC Podcasts?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
