For the third consecutive year, the University of Northern Iowa has enrolled an incoming freshman class of over 1,500 students. UNI welcomed its 150th class in 2025, a group that includes 1,549 freshmen and 804 new transfer students, marking the school’s largest total of new undergraduate students since 2017.
UNI also enjoyed an increase in new graduate students (664) for the fourth consecutive year. The university’s total enrollment of 9,204 (7,800 undergraduate/1,404 graduate) marked the second straight year that UNI has boasted a total of over 9,200 students and the fourth time in the past six years that the school has eclipsed that mark.
Based on applications received as of early September for admission in Fall 2026, students across the Midwest are showing increased interest in the University of
UNI enrollment tops 9,200 for two years in a row
Iowa. Thanks to UNI’s Neighboring State Rate which offers in-state tuition and fees to undergraduate students from the six states bordering Iowa, applications are up 99% from those states.
“We couldn’t be more excited to welcome our 150th class of UNI students to campus,” said UNI President Mark Nook. “We are particularly encouraged that the numbers of our incoming freshmen, transfers and new graduate students have all increased compared to last year. Nearly one in seven UNI students now graduate in three years,” Nook continued.
“This trend not only saves our graduates thousands of dollars and results in low average student debt, but it also means that Iowa is benefiting from well-trained, workforce-ready employees who are contributing to our state in vital roles in a variety of disciplines. The University of Northern Iowa remains com-
mitted to developing skilled and vibrant individuals who serve in communities in Iowa and across the globe.”
In addition to its impressive three-year graduation rates, UNI has boasted its three highest four-year graduation rates each of the past three
years, a mark that stands nearly 20 percentage points above similar universities.
UNI students are also increasingly choosing to live on campus. A total of 3,431 students have signed housing contracts for the 2024-25 academic year, the highest num-
150th Class Spotlight
ber of resident students since 2018 when 3,558 individuals lived on campus. Those numbers mean that 37.3% of UNI’s entire student body lives on campus, the highest percentage dating back to the 19992000 academic year.
150th Class SPOTLIGHT
Freshman Josie Brown, member of Class 2025, looks ahead to journalism classes, campus life
By Lily Munnik News Editor
Editor’s Note: UNI is marking its 150th anniversary this academic year. As the newspaper of record on campus, the Northern Iowan is showcasing a weekly feature profiling members of the sesquicentennial class.
Josie Brown, a Cedar Rapids native, is a part of the 150th freshmen class at the University of Northern Iowa. She is majoring in digital media journalism and plans to add a public relations minor in the following year. She also looks forward to joining The Northern Iowan to begin building her experience as a writer.
When deciding where to attend college, Brown felt like UNI was the right fit.
“You have the bigger classes, but there are still familiar faces when walking to class,” she said.
Brown is living in the dorms and said the Welcome Week activities during move-in made her feel at home. “It was helpful to meet a bunch of different people on my floor right away,” she said.
She added that one of her favorite aspects of campus life so far has been the sidewalk chalk messages advertising upcoming events.
“I’m not super active on social media, so walking to my classes and seeing the chalk on the sidewalks with different events is super welcoming,” she said.
With four years ahead of her, Brown is eager to get more involved in campus life and take advantage of the opportunities UNI has to offer.
“I’m just really looking forward to trying new things,” said Brown. “My high school was 2,500 kids and now I’m at a school with almost 10,000, so there’s many different clubs and opportunities.
UNI ROTC program to remain on campus under new U.S. Army structure
By InsideUNI
The University of Northern Iowa said that its Army ROTC program will remain on campus under a revised U.S. Army Cadet Command restructuring plan.
This follows a late June announcement that UNI’s program had been identified for inactivation as part of a nationwide “rebalance and optimization” impacting ROTC programs across the country. University officials and partners in the Iowa National Guard immediately began exploring alternative options to maintain opportunities for students and cadets.
This week, the Army communicated updated guidance confirming UNI’s ROTC program will stay in Cedar Falls. Under the new structure, the program will transition to an extension unit of the University of Iowa’s ROTC program. UNI cadets will continue to complete all four years of their training on the UNI campus.
“The Army’s decision affirms the strength of UNI’s ROTC program and ensures that students can continue to pursue their education and military training
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right here in Cedar Falls,” said UNI President Mark Nook. “Many individuals, from our faculty and staff to the Iowa National Guard and Army, made it possible to find a path forward for our cadets.”
“We are proud of our longstanding partnership with the Army and of the generations of leaders who have come through this program,” said Brenda Bass, dean of the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. “UNI’s ROTC program is academically strong and has some of the best facilities in the region. We are grateful to Army ROTC Cadet Command and the Iowa National Guard for their innovative collaboration that will allow UNI’s proud ROTC legacy to continue.”
UNI has a long history of preparing student-leaders for military and civilian careers while contributing to regional officer commissioning and military readiness. This year, the university will celebrate 40 proud years of UNI ROTC with a special reunion planned during the weekend of UNI Homecoming.
For more information about UNI’s Army ROTC program, visit csbs.uni.edu/ rotc.
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LILY MUNNIK News Editor
Courtesy photo Josie Brown is a freshman majoring in digital journalism at UNI.
Dean Wilson to speak at TEDxUNI
By Estelle Johnson Executive Editor
Dr. Leslie Wilson has spent more than 30 years working at the University of Northern Iowa.
She has been dean of the Wilson College of Business for 10 years, and has shared her business knowledge with thousands of eager students during her time at UNI.
Wilson’s journey to her current dean position was rightfully earned by her lifelong dedication to the university.
“I started as an adjunct professor in 1985, so I’ve been here 40 years,” said Wilson. “But I was a graduate student here before that.”
UNI is celebrating its sesquicentennial anniversary – many changes have occurred in the 150 years of UNI, but Wilson can recall changes made since her arrival on campus.
“I look back a long time and we’re very different than what it was like when I first started here,” she said. “Curris is a new building to me – it wasn’t here when I first started on campus.”
“All of my classes were in Seerley Hall, that’s where the business college was at that time.”
Not everything has changed, though. “If anything has stayed the same, it’s the faculty commitment to students’ success, and faculty commitment to offering rigorous classes – so that when students graduate and go to work, they’re ready for challenges,” she said.
As a lifelong learner and educator, Wilson takes chances – and on Oct. 25, she will be presenting her TEDx talk to the world from the Gallagher Bluedorn in Cedar Falls.
“I decided to apply for TEDx because I was giving a speech at a conference in Washington, D.C., on the topic of employee ownership,” Wilson explained. “To some extent, the speech was about what we are currently doing at the Wilson College of Business and the Iowa Center for Employee Ownership.”
The focus of Wilson’s TedX talk is employee ownership – why businesses should be thinking about employee ownership as an ownership model, as compared to multiple external stockholders owning a company.
“Let’s say somebody is retiring – they have options, like selling to a hedge fund, or selling to a larger corporation,” Wilson noted. “But what often happens in those situations is that those other outlets will not necessarily preserve the business in that location.”
Big corporations may take the assets, such as customers, equipment and intellectual property. The rest, big corporations may not keep, which means local businesses don’t stay in the community in which they’re founded.
“When you have a community of 5,000 people, and there’s 50 of them employed at this particular
location, those 50 account for a lot of the employment in that area,” she said.
“There are employee ownership options, one is called an ESOP which is Employee Stock Ownership Program,” Wilson said. “If it’s an employee-owned company, the people who are working for the company own part of the stock.”
When Wilson applied to TEDx, the organizers asked her to upload a video speech.
“I had nothing put together, but I laid it out for them – this is what I’m going to talk about, and this is why it’s important,” she said.
Ten of the TEDx speakers have a connection to UNI, including alumni, faculty and current UNI student Muhammad Tahla.
Within the Wilson College of Business, faculty members are learning more about employee ownership, and Wilson herself encourages faculty to build upon their current research. She’s confident that knowledge will make its way into the classroom.
“As faculty learn more about employee ownership, I hope it will be integrated into what we are teaching students,” said Wilson. “Students may even look for an employee-owned company to work for.”
While Wilson spreads her knowledge around her respective department, she feels the pressure of performing for the world.
“It’s a pretty big stage that people are on, and by stage, I don’t mean Gallagher’s stage – TEDx is much bigger than just that, they record it, it goes out to YouTube,” she said.
Even though YouTube is the ultimate audience, “it’s important that you get good vibes from the people in front of you as well,” she said.
Beyond Wilson’s TEDx talk, she is looking forward to the Wilson College of Business turning 45 years old.
“It’s exciting to be an educator and to be thinking about what’s next,” Wilson said. “And that’s why ‘Our Tomorrow’ campaign resonated with so many people – because the investments we make today will pay off for our graduates tomorrow.”
Courtesy photo Leslie Wilson is the dean of the David W. Wilson College of Business.
Courtesy photo Leslie Wilson is the dean of the David W. Wilson College of Business.
Iluminando el camino: Septiembre es el Mes Nacional para la Prevención del Suicidio
By Ally Knight Escritora
Luis Alvarez Traductor de Español
Septiembre es el Mes Nacional para la Prevención del Suicidio. Hablar sobre el suicidio puede ser difícil, pero es un problema que debe abordarse. El suicidio es la segunda causa principal de muerte entre personas de 10 a 24 años. En 2023, más de 49,000 personas murieron por suicidio, lo que equivale a una muerte cada once minutos.
Muchas universidades en todo el país han implementado programas gratuitos de consejería para que los estudiantes puedan hablar con profesionales sobre los problemas que enfrentan durante sus estudios. Los problemas de salud mental pueden surgir o agravarse por el estrés, la ansiedad y muchos otros factores. Es importante utilizar los recursos gratuitos que ofrece UNI para recibir la ayuda que necesitas, cuando la necesitas.
UNI ofrece servicios de consejería de lunes a viernes, de 8:30 a.m. a 4:30 p.m., y las citas son gratuitas, ya que los
estudiantes pagan una cuota de salud que cubre estos servicios. Existe una tarifa de $25 dólares por inasistencia para quienes no se presenten o cancelen sin reprogramar. Se recomienda a los estudiantes descargar la aplicación TELEHEALTH para sesiones gratuitas de telemedicina.
Le pregunté a Jennifer Jass, directora de los Servicios de Consejería de UNI, qué pueden hacer los estudiantes para mejorar su salud mental. Ella respondió: “Mejorar la salud mental es un proceso continuo, y nadie se siente al 100% todos los días. Las dificultades son parte del crecimiento, ya que no se puede desarrollar resiliencia sin practicarla. Un buen punto de partida es enfocarse en lo básico. Por eso ofrecemos nuestro taller Thriving Minds, que cubre estrategias respaldadas por investigaciones para apoyar tu bienestar”.
En 2020 se implementó la Ley de Mejora de la Línea Nacional de Prevención del Suicidio, que cambió el número nacional de atención en crisis mental y suicidio a 988. Al llamar o enviar un mensaje de texto a ese número, la persona es conectada con un consejero capacitado en crisis que brinda apoyo emocional gratuito y confidencial
a quienes se encuentran en angustia emocional.
Hablar sobre el suicidio es importante, y todas las personas deberían estar informadas al respecto. Cualquier mención de pensamientos suicidas debe tomarse en serio. Algunas señales de advertencia incluyen expresar verbalmente el deseo de terminar con su vida, sentir que no hay razones para vivir, despedirse de seres queridos, regalar sus pertenencias y actuar de forma más imprudente. Sé observador y presta atención a cambios repentinos de ánimo en tus amistades.
Reconocer y comprender las señales de advertencia es el primer paso hacia la prevención del suicidio. Si crees que alguien que conoces podría estar en riesgo, es importante hacer lo posible por ayudarle. Esta conversación puede ser muy difícil, pero unas pocas palabras pueden salvar una vida.
Empieza preguntando: es una acción sencilla que puede marcar una gran diferencia. Puedes decir: “Quería saber cómo estás porque últimamente no te he visto como siempre”, o “He notado algunos cambios, ¿todo está bien?”
Hacer estas preguntas permite que las personas expresen cómo se sienten
o se sientan más cómodas para compartir lo que está pasando.
“Es muy importante hablar sobre la salud mental porque todos la tenemos. Algunos días nos sentimos bien, y otros días luchamos. Las conversaciones abiertas no solo apoyan nuestro bienestar, sino que también reducen el estigma para los demás. He visto a más estudiantes abrirse sobre sus dificultades, lo cual es alentador, porque no podemos apoyarnos si no sabemos cómo se siente alguien. Compartir nuestras experiencias nos ayuda a sentirnos menos aislados, fortalece nuestras conexiones y nos da espacio para desarrollar habilidades de afrontamiento y resiliencia.
Lo más importante es que hablar sobre la salud mental puede salvar vidas, ya que es el primer paso para prevenir una crisis”, afirma Jass.
Si conoces a alguien que ha perdido la vida por suicidio, debes saber que no fue tu culpa. Es probable que esa persona supiera que tú habrías ayudado si hubieras podido. Muchas personas tienen miedo de admitir lo mal que se sienten y no quieren ser una carga para sus amistades o familiares.
La American Foundation for Suicide Prevention es una de las organizaciones
más grandes que trabaja para visibilizar la prevención del suicidio y apoyar tanto a quienes están luchando como a quienes han sido afectados por el suicidio. AFSP fue fundada en 1987 y su misión es “salvar vidas y ayudar a quienes han sido afectados por el suicidio”.
El suicidio es un tema difícil, pero es necesario hablar de él. Si tú o alguien que conoces está pasando por un momento difícil, por favor busca ayuda: llama al 988 para hablar con un profesional de salud mental, acude al centro de consejería o habla con una persona de confianza.
Este artículo está dedicado a la memoria de mi primo Justin Majors, quien falleció por suicidio en 2021 a los 23 años. Tenía un corazón enorme y se preocupaba profundamente por los demás. Aunque Justin no sobrevivió a su batalla silenciosa, eso no significa que tú no puedas hacerlo. Busca ayuda con alguien en quien confíes. No estás solo.
Ally Knight/Northern Iowan
Si tú o alguien que conoces necesita servicios de salud mental, la línea directa de prevención del suicidio al 988 es un recurso gratuito disponible para cualquier persona que llame. La Universidad del Norte de Iowa ofrece servicios de consejería que los estudiantes pueden aprovechar durante sus años académicos.
AI: Can it truly be a tool?
Disclaimer:
By Leila Muftah Staff Writer
Since its rise to prominence in recent years, AI has been the subject of numerous discussions. How can AI be used? What purpose does it serve? How can it help us? What can we expect from AI? How will it affect the job marketplace? What will it look like in the future? These types of questions have only intensified over the years, though one tends to spark more heated debate than the others.
Is AI a tool? The thought of AI as a tool is a common conclusion for many. It’s a comfortable thought. One that could relieve one’s worries over AI and provide them with a different yet helpful outlook. Though the idea of a machine assisting people has brought a wave of discomfort for some, rather than tranquility.
If you were to ask some people, they would say that, fundamentally, it's a tool. It was created and designed by humans to aid in tasks that would require human intelligence, such as decision-making and problem-solving. It's a system that was specifically made to learn from and be trained by humans, and it lacks the independent mindset of a person, thus making it reliant on us to perform functions accordingly. It’s dependent on us, relies on hand-fed information, and is designed
AI is a tool ... The choice about how it gets deployed is ours.”
– Oren Etzioni CEO of the Allen Institute
for Artificial
Intelligence
with the intention of being used as an aid for humans. All these kinds of characteristics lead to people deeming it a “tool.”
People also consider it a tool if it aids in things such as papers and assignments. If able, AI can provide suggestions and generate ideas, such as using certain words or sentences to make an argument more compelling and understandable.
Though if you were to ask others if AI was a tool, they would rather say it's a substitute or a threat. Since becoming significant, the threat of AI takeover has increased for some people, and it may have already begun for others.
Certain jobs have already taken a hit due to the rise of artificial intelligence. Artists, producers, writers, and anyone dwelling in the creative realm of entertainment have experienced grievances thanks to AI. From the likes of gen-
erative AI essentially stealing from creators and using existing works to “create” original stories, to AI replacing people in the workforce, this “tool” seems to be taking away opportunities rather than granting them.
Now, when it comes to generative AI, one can argue that it’s simply a tool, an instrument meant to aid in the writing or creative process of specific projects, but there have been numerous occasions where generative AI has been misused and utilized in ways that restrain human creativity and opportunity.
There have been cases where people would enter art contests and win prizes, and it’s only after their conclusion that the artist is outed for using AI to create the award-winning work. This is controversial for many people, mostly artists and other creative minds, as art often takes hours, even days or months to create,
and essentially hearing that your piece wasn’t just good enough, but lost to something that only took seconds to make is not only discouraging, but extremely harmful to those who use art as a creative medium and a source of income.
With generative AI, the job market for people in the engagement and entertainment industry has suffered. There have been multiple accounts of artists losing their positions – thanks to companies relying on, and opting to use AI for their projects.
When questioned about these decisions, artists are often given the same excuses.
“AI’s more creative,” “AI can speed up the creative process,” “It’s better to work with,” and “AI saves us money.” All of these reasons have been given to artists and designers shortly after being laid off from their respective projects. These kinds of excuses not only hin-
der creativity, but it strengthens the belief that a machine can do everything a person can – but better.
Can AI be considered a tool if it has the potential to take away opportunities for certain individuals? Well, it would have to depend on how people use AI. As a tool, AI can greatly assist people. It can be used to help improve things such as essays and reports, by suggesting certain words and phrases that’ll help create a more compelling piece of work. It can also be used as a guide for people, a starting point.
People can use generative AI to aid them in the idea process, helping them create prompts and provide thoughts to the person using it. However, as much as AI can be easily used as a tool, it can just as easily be misused and labeled as a threat or hindrance.
As a tool, it can easily be taken advantage of and used to inflict harm upon individuals, such as ripping away job opportunities, stealing pieces of work with the claim of originality, and erasing the idea of creativity as a medium. As easy as it can be to label AI as a useful and helpful tool, it can be just as simple to abuse and misuse if left in the wrong hands.
UNI sesquicentennial exhibit showcases campus history
From Adam Amdor University Relations
As we celebrate UNI’s Sesquicentennial Celebration, the UNI Museum invites you to explore a special curated exhibit honoring our past, celebrating our present and inspiring our future.
This one-of-a-kind exhibit showcases artifacts, photographs and stories from every chapter of UNI’s history — from our 1876 founding to today’s thriving campus community.
The heart of our sesquicentennial celebration exhibit is in UNI’s Rod Library, where you’ll find
authentic artifacts from UNI’s history.
From our earliest days as the Iowa State Normal School to our present as a nationally recognized university, these artifacts tell the story of the people, places and events that shaped UNI.
The University of Northern Iowa will host the grand opening of a dedicated sesquicentennial exhibit, a curated display highlighting UNI’s 150year history.
Located in Rod Library, the museum exhibit features rare artifacts, photographs and stories that showcase the university’s evolution from its found-
ing as a Civil War orphan’s home to today.
Following the grand opening, the exhibit is free and open to the public anytime during Rod Library’s normal operating hours.
The opening is Sept. 29, at 1 p.m., in Rod Library. The event is free to all students and the public.
For more information on UNI’s sesquicentennial celebration, be sure to check out 150.uni.edu
Walking tours to explore campus architecture as part of sesquicentennial celebration events
As part of the UNI Sesquicentennial Celebration, the university is partnering with the Cedar Falls Historic Preservation Commission to offer two special architectural walking tours.
"UNI's architecture and architectural history are deserving of celebration, and the 150th anniversary is a good time to appreciate the care that has gone into the design and maintenance of buildings on campus," said Jim O’Loughlin, professor of English at UNI, who also sits on the steering committee for the sesquicentennial celebration.
The one-hour tours, set for Thursday, Oct. 2 at 3:30 p.m. and Friday, Oct. 3 at 5:30 p.m., will guide participants across campus to explore the distinctive exteriors and unique interior spaces of UNI’s historic buildings.
"UNI has a number of architectural gems and buildings with interesting histories. Even people who spend a lot of time on campus will learn some new things on this tour," said O’Loughlin.
Tours will begin at Bartlett Courtyard, near the Commons, and span approximately 1.25 miles, visiting nine locations across the university campus.
From InsideUNI
Courtesy/University of Northern Iowa Seerley Hall, named after former UNI President Homer H. Seerley, was the campus library until Rod Library was built in 1964.
Courtesy/UNI Archives
From left to right: The Commons building in 1932, Sabin Hall in 1912 and the Towers in 1967. Each building on campus has its own history, and during the sesquicentennial year, UNI celebrates the memories,
CAMPUS LIFE
Superman: The savior of superhero cinema
Josue Villatoro Staff Writer
Hope. A feeling that has slowly faded over the years. Comic-book storytelling has changed over the course of time to fit the grit around realism for the sake of “relating” to audiences more with the superpowered beings depicted on screen. It is with great relief that film director and Co-Ceo of DC Studios, James Gunn, is a man of his word and brought us the film that he promised when it was first announced that the DC Universe would encounter a cinematic reboot. Ditching the origin story to throw you right into the action, “Superman” avoids the repetition that many superhero films has plagued for too long. Giving us a man of steel in the early years of his career, fans will be pleased to find it reminiscent of the original animated series by Bruce Timm. By keeping it true to the ideology around DC’s first superhero, we have a film that feels straight out of the comics. Optimism and idealism are the core for the entirety of this film, and it feels refreshing to see a DC Comics property with the feeling that the best days are ahead of us. The world around this film feels large, important, and grand yet it is only the beginning of the DCU.
David Corenswet knocks it out of the ballpark with his touching performance that
radiates inspiration and a jovial spirit, giving us the best Superman performance on screen since the late Christopher Reeve’s portrayal. Acting alongside him is Rachel Brosnahan, who is the most comic-accurate Lois Lane to be put to the screen by truly adopting the character’s plucky and fierce determination with delivering the harsh truth while also having remarkable chemistry with Corenswet’s Superman. Nicholas Hoult’s performance as the hero’s archnemesis, Lex Luthor, is ripped straight out of the pages with his egomani-
acal actions that clashe’s excitingly with the heroes, setting a menacing and petty proximity. The film features a beloved set of side characters by the moniker “The Justice Gang,” consisting of Ed Gathegi’s show stealing Mr. Terrific, Nathan Fillion’s hilarious Guy Gardner/Green Lantern, and Isabel Merced’s stylish Hawkgirl that will make you excited for their next appearances ahead. Gunn even manages to capture one of the greatest portrayals of canine behavior with Krypto The Superdog, that will rocket your love for dogs to the moon.
James Gunn is renowned for his signature humor during emotional moments for these types of films and while the humor works, at times it can be a little forced considering how well developed the dramatic factor is. But for all that, this film is very heartfelt on the matter of good and evil, making the action throughout have meaning rather than just being present for entertainment. The camerawork for the flying sequences is perfectly executed to pay off on Superman’s might and discerns the momentum that the metahumans exhibit. The use of 360
and tracking shots was done well and really puts the viewer in the speed of these characters quite often, showing off a different side of superhuman flight. Considering how some visual effects have been in recent times blockbusters, it is with immense joy to say that this film is gorgeous and stunning to look at with the action sequences.
You’ll start to realize how pessimistic the man of steel has become over the last decade when you watch “Superman”. This first chapter in the DCU proves that the world needs enthusiasm towards the human spirit, naivete during the harsh times, and emphasis on morality to progress forward. Escapism may not always be favorable, but Gunn showed how much is the right amount for this period of change. Buoyant ideologies and values are needed for these grim times and it feels great to see heroes help others in need once again instead of just prioritizing the defeat of their enemies.
“Superman” returns the renowned icon as the flagship character of the DC Universe, throwing out cynicism for purity with its heartfelt character dynamics, comic-accurate tone, and a smile-inducing story that defines the meaning of DC’s greatest hero and shows humanity at its best.
COHEN HUISMAN
Courtesy Photo
“Superman” (David Corenswet) reconciles his alien Kryptotonian heritage with his human upbringing as reporter Clark Kent, embodying truth, justice, and the human way in a world that views kindness as old-fashioned.
Panther Party on Family Weekend
COURTESY/JOSUE VILLATORO
President Nook joins panther fans in the UNI-Dome during the football game. The UNI Panthers took on Eastern Washington in a close game, Panthers won 17-14
COURTESY/UNI Facebook
UNI Dance Team poses with young dancers at the Family Weekend football game.
COURTESY/UNI Facebook
Family poses in front of the Campanile, which is decorated speical for the sesquicentennial celebration.
COURTESY/UNI Facebook
Junior Maddie DeJong celebrates Family Weekend tailgating with family before the UNI football game.
COURTESY/UNI Facebook
Panthers pose in front of an arch on campus, showing their love for the University of Northern Iowa.
Transfers shake up Premier League
By Sam O’Hair Sports Writer
With the English Premier League and soccer exponentially growing in popularity here in the States, more and more eyes have landed on FIFA’s transfer window, as time set aside for all of Europe’s clubs to bolster their squad. This year’s window was defined by dramatic transfer sagas, war between clubs over top talent, and millions of pounds spent all in the hopes of finding team success.
Year to year many clubs find exactly what they are looking for in the transfer window –tacking on the talent that helps propel the group towards glorious triumph in domestic and European competitions. However, whenever one club finds success, another must find failure. With the transfer window just ending and the Premier League season booting up, here are the clubs I saw as winners and losers of the window.
Liverpool F.C.: A Window of Dreams
Liverpool F.C. very well may have put together the best summer we have seen in the Premier League era this window. They opened their significant transfers by breaking their record fee as a club, acquiring the signature of German playmaker Florian Wirtz off of Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million ($157,400,000). The club paired Wirtz with Dutch wingback Jeremie Frimpong, reuniting the dominant duo by coughing up another £29.5 million ($40,000,000) to Bayer Leverkusen. Frimpong aims to replace the magically creative Trent AlexanderArnold, a tough loss for the club at the right-back position. Around two weeks later the Reds signed Alexander Isak from Premier League foe Newcastle United, smashing the English record transfer fee, by paying £125 million ($169,500,000) for the striker. While Liverpool have spent heavily, I see Isak and Wirtz as world class talents – not bad business for the reigning Premier League champions. With returning Golden Boot winner Mohammed Salah and company, I believe Liverpool’s attack will be outright deadly. I trust Arne Slot to get the best out of his new weapons making them my heavy favorites to make their way back to the top of the Premier League table. Some notable arrivals include Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Milos Kerkez, Hugo Ekitike, Giovanni Leoni, and Alexander Isak. Their key departures are Trent Alexander-Arnold, Caoimhin Kelleher, Jarell Quansah, Luis
Diaz, Tyler Morton, Darwin Nunez and Ben Doak. The net spend was £218.4 million, which equals out to be $296,500,000 USD.
AFC Bournemouth: Buying Low, Selling High Not every group is able to splash money around like Liverpool did this summer. Smaller scale clubs are forced to be much more disciplined in their spending – scouting young and promising talent to later sell for profit when developed. No club exemplified this blueprint better than AFC Bournemouth this summer.
The Cherries managed to have the largest positive net spend of all clubs in the Premier League, netting themselves an earned £100.3 million ($135,900,000) by the end of the window. To put this achievement into perspective, 14 out of 20 Premier League Clubs saw themselves lose money throughout the window; 10 of which by a margin of £100 million or more. I believe in the club to reinvest in itself and ideally put forth a stronger squad later down the road. Losing core defenders Dean Huijsen, Illia Zabrnyi, and Milos Kerkez does hurt – but I can’t overlook the sheer profit the club amassed, along with their track record for finding gems in young players.
The club managed to hang on to a strong core, including talented winger Antoine Semenyo. Semenyo has swiftly bagged two goals and one assist in four matches for the Cherries thus far already leading the club to a strong 7th place position in the table. Notable arrivals include Bafodé Diakité, Djordje
Petrovic, Ben Doak, Amine Adli, Adrien Truffert and Álex Jiménez. Notable departures are Ilya Zabarnyi, Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez, Dango Outtara, Phillip Billing The net spend is £100.3 million, which is about $135,900,000.
Brentford F.C.: Brain Drain Raises Questions Brentford is a club of similar size to Bournemouth –yet I find their summer more worrying than promising. They’ve lost their head coach Thomas Frank to Tottenham Hotspur. Frank was truly the mastermind behind Brentford, his effective ability to recruit prospering players and upset massive clubs with his creative tactics saw the club wildly successful during his stint. He took the club from a measly second-division side all the way to a threatening
competitor in the top flight of English soccer. Without Frank, I believe the club will undergo an identity crisis – which could threaten relegation.
Adding the departures of captain Christian Nørgaard and top scorers Bryan Mbeumo and Yoanne Wissa, my concerns grow even larger. The Bees have failed to find true replacements for any of the talent lost – leading to a questionable summer window in my eyes. Notable arrivals include Dango Outtara, Antoni Milambo and Michael Kayode. Notable departures are Bryan Mbuemo, Yoanne Wissa, Christian Nørgaard and Mark Flekken. The club’s net spend equates to £56.6 million, around $76,700,000.
Newcastle United: Tragic Loss and Desperate Spending
I find few clubs have ever experienced a transfer window as devastating as Newcastle United did this summer. After winning their first trophy in over 70 years last season, I trusted the club to carry over their success into next season. The Magpies were believed to have the most money to spend on their squad of all competitors in the Premier League: what could go wrong? Disaster struck the club suddenly as previously mentioned Swedish star Alexander Isak informed the club he wanted out. Isak was more than a player to Newcastle; He was a symbol of hope to the fans of the club, who credited him for ending their bleak trophy drought. Newcastle hunted for their next night in shining armor – but found themselves outclassed by slightly more appealing clubs time and time again. João Pedro? Chelsea swooped in. Bryan Mbuemo? He preferred to join Manchester United. Hugo Ekitike? Liverpool came calling. Newcastle ended up desperate – overpaying largely for forwards Nick Woltemade and Yoanne Wissa. I do think the club carried out good business at times, especially getting their hands on youthful winger Anthony Elanga for £61.4 million ($83,200,000). I believe that the club’s foundation will hold strong, yet a step down from glorious trophies and Champions League qualifications are expected. Notable arrivals are those of Yoanne Wissa, Nick Woltemade, Jacob Ramsey, Malick Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale and Anthony Elanga. Notable departures include Alexander Isak, Lloyd Kelly and Sean Longstaf. Their net spend accumulates to £102.8 million, roughly $139,400,000.
Newcastle United took a big hit this window after winning their first trophy in 70 years.
COURTESY/FAST COMPANY
Liverpool is the favorite to win this year, coming in at +120 odds.
Panther XC runs in Redbird Invite
By Carter Lust Sports Writer
After a promising season opener at the Cyclone Preview, the University of Northern Iowa men’s and women’s cross-country teams traveled to Normal, Illinois, for their second meet of the year. The Redbird Invite featured six midwestern schools in both the men’s and women’s races, providing the Panthers with familiar competition on the course. It was also the debut for UNI across their regular-season racing distances, with the men covering 8-kilometers and the women covering 6k.
Sunny skies prevailed in Normal as the UNI men took the grass at 9 a.m. Rising temperatures and a slight wind made for less-than-ideal conditions to begin the morning, but the Panthers rallied to a fourth-place finish. With top runners Chase Lauman and Carsen Owens still out, Colin Lillie again paved the way for Northern Iowa as their first finisher. The sophomore ran 25:37.40 for a new personal best and 25th place. Freshman Ethan Olds crossed the line next for the Panthers, placing 29th in 25:45.80. Micah Rees was just a few steps behind Olds, running 25:47.60 for 30th place. Trailing Olds was Drew Dombarsky, who finished 36th in a career-best time of 26:00.70. Rounding
out the Panther scorers was Ty Getz, who finished 40th overall in 26:08.30. The duo of Jonas VanDis and Caleb Kass were not far behind, etching times of 26:29.60 and 26:30.50 for 50th and 51st place, respectively. Brayden Picken brought home the Northern Iowa men by finishing 61st in 27:24.70.
Wartburg College secured
the men’s team title with 16 points, narrowly missing a perfect score. Lance Soboski led the second-ranked team in the NCAA Division III as he captured the individual crown in 24:34.50.
Similar weather conditions continued for the women’s race as UNI leapt from their box at 9:45 a.m. The Panthers took second place, narrow-
ly falling to Missouri Valley Conference rival Illinois State. Leah Klapatauskas was the top finisher for Northern Iowa, placing fifth in a new personal record of 21:54.90. A trio of Panthers followed suit, led by senior Millie Hill. Hill ran 22:07.30 for seventh place, pursued by freshman Lindsey Sonderman. Sonderman finished her first 6k in 22:17.60
en route to placing eighth overall. Meghan Wheatley anchored the trio by securing ninth in 22:25.00 - a new personal best for the sophomore. Kaylee Woolery was the final scoring runner for the Panthers, finishing in 22:50.90 for 16th place. Senior Melody Ochana ran through the finishing chute next, claiming 20th place with a time of 22:59.80. Hot on her heels was sophomore teammate Clare Wright, who ran 23:04.80 on her way to finishing 21st. Evie Henneberry was less than a second behind Wright, clocking 23:05.00 for 23rd place. The duo of Josee Simonson and Brooke O’Brien were also within a second of each other, as Simonson ran 23:10.90 and O’Brien 23:11.20. Sarah Fedderson was the final Northern Iowa woman to cross the line in 23:15.20 for 31st place.
The Illinois State Rebirds claimed the team title with 28 points, while UNI scored 45 in a second-place finish. Adriana Crabtree of Illinois Wesleyan was the individual champion with a time of 21:32.30.
The UNI men’s and women’s teams will be back in action on Sept. 26 at the Gans Creek Classic in Columbia, Missouri. The meet will be the largest the Panthers will compete in all regular-season, with upwards of 30 teams expected to attend.
Lopes floors Silva, Crawford tops Canelo
By Mason Kalkbrenner Sports Writer
The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s second annual “Noche UFC” took place on Saturday, Sept. 12. This particular event is in honor of Mexican Independence Day, featuring many fighters of Mexican and Latino heritage. Going into the event, the card was stacked with high-profile talent, with the featherweight main event of Diego Lopes and Jean Silva, two fighters seen as potential title contenders.
The fight brought an explosive, back and forth brawl that assured fans of a result outside of the judge’s scorecards. Ultimately, the hand raised belonged to that of Diego Lopes, after delivering a brutal spinning elbow, followed by a flurry of punches.
This TKO win was big for Lopes, as he lost his last fight against featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski. To be able to bounce back against the rising star and “Fighting Nerds” member
Jean Silva in such a fashion, it undoubtedly brought Lopes back into title fight consideration. In his
gon interview, Lopes reminded everyone that he’s one of the best.
“Saturday night, I show
you guys this game has levels. There are levels, and there are high levels. I’m staying at a high level, I proved it tonight”.
With this victory, Lopes has cemented himself as the top of the featherweight division, second to only the champion, Alexander Volkanovski.
This wasn’t the only major fighting event this past weekend. A historic boxing match between super middleweight champion, Canelo Alvarez, and challenger, Terence Crawford went down at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Crawford moved up two weight divisions for this bout, already putting him in unfamiliar territory. Furthermore, Alvarez has had one of the most historic boxing careers in recent history. But Terence Crawford is simply no pushover. He is a four-division world champion and has defeated Canelo Alvarez in the past. In this particular bout, Crawford entered as the underdog. Fans and experts alike argued that moving up two weight class-
es would be too much for Crawford. He proved them wrong.
Crawford won by unanimous decision, becoming the undisputed super middleweight champion and the first men’s fighter since 2007 to win undisputed championships in three weight divisions. Crawford used his skill and speed to overwhelm Alvarez throughout the entire fight, cementing a powerful and dominant victory. After the fight, Crawford showed nothing but praise for the former champion.
“He’s a strong competitor. Like I said before, I got nothing but respect for Canelo. I’m a big fan of Canelo and he fought like a champion.” Crawford returned the personalized belts to Alvarez after the fight, further displaying his respect for his opponent. Terence Crawford’s performance in this fight showed he is worthy of being a historic champion, but his actions of respect outside the ring are what secured his legacy as one of the greats.
post-fight octa-
COURTESY/UNI ATHELTICS
The Panthers are in action next week on Sept. 26 in Missouri.
COURTESY/YAHOO SPORTS
Diego Lopes’ victory cemented himself as one of the best featherweight fighters in the UFC.
Panthers battle at Bluejay Invitational
By Nicole Waters Sports Writer
The Panther volleyball team traveled to the Bluejay Invitational in Omaha, Nebraska over the weekend. UNI was set to face tough competition, including No. 4 Louisville and No. 18 Creighton. This weekend would also bring about a lot of family competition. Head coach Bobbi Petersen and libero Jadyn Petersen faced Louisville’s Payton Petersen, who is Bobbi’s daughter and Jadyn’s twin sister. Setter Reese Booth also faced Creighton, her mom’s former team. Kirsten Booth coached the Bluejays for 22 seasons, tallying 502 wins before resigning this spring to pursue opportunities outside of coaching. Safe to say the Panthers drew a large road crowd.
UNI started the weekend off against the Rice Owls, which saw an early 5-5 tie between the teams. The Panthers would then go on a 4-0 run to take the lead at 9-5, thanks to a Jadyn Petersen ace. They followed with a 5-0 run to put the score at 16-7, as Reese Booth also added an ace. Maryn Bixby tallied three blocks as Northern Iowa went on to win the first set 25-13.
The second set saw more
grit coming from the Owls before Bixby and Cassidy Hartman both tallied aces, as UNI built a healthy lead. But Rice found their way back.
Tied at 21-21, the Panthers would take the edge as Kate Shafer and Lindsay Oldendorf notched late kills to take the set 26-24, putting them ahead two sets to none. Splitting the first 12 points of the third set, UNI went on a 9-0 run to command the lead. Lily Dykstra
had multiple kills, as well as an ace from Petersen, helping the Panthers hold off the Owls 25-20 in the third set to take home a match win.
Their second match of the weekend saw them facing the No. 4 Louisville Cardinals, a rematch of last year’s NCAA Tournament five-set thriller. The Panthers kept their pace early in the first set, staying within two of the Cardinals, before Louisville found a 6-2
run working in their favor to take a 14-9 lead. Hartman led the Panthers with five kills, and Oldendorf had a pair of blocks, but it wasn’t enough as the Cardinals edged the Panthers 25-18 in the first set.
UNI’s offense started to find its groove in the second set. Service aces from Hartman and Taryn Rice helped the Panthers to keep their groove with Louisville in a set that featured 12 ties and four lead changes. Despite trailing 20-15, UNI managed to rally off a 6-2 run to tie the set up at 22, but could not finish the set and dropped it 25-23.
Set three saw the Panthers answer back as they notched an early ace thanks to Rice, they battled back and forth with the Cardinals, making the score 14-14 before Louisville took the lead at 19-16.
Northern Iowa went on a 7-0 run, including four kills from Dykstra, to help push UNI to the lead and secure a set three 25-21 win. The fourth set saw the Cardinals coming out strong and leading the whole way. Calia Clubb would find herself in double-digit kills in the final set, as well as Shafer notching an ace, as they dropped the set 25-17 and lost the match 3-1.
The final match of the weekend saw the Panthers
facing the No. 18 Creighton Bluejays to close out the tournament. The Bluejays racked up five aces on the Panthers in the first set. Dykstra had four kills, Hartman added three and Clubb notched two in the first set. Attack and service errors for Northern Iowa would boost Creighton on a 6-0 scoring run and close out the set with a 25-13 set win over UNI.
The Panthers’ blocking defense improved in the second set, with Bixby adding two blocks at the net. UNI found an early 10-6 lead in their favor, but the Bluejays found their way back and tied the set up at 12-12. Creighton went on to take the set 25-20 for a 2-0 lead. Set three saw struggles on the Panthers’ offensive side as they saw eight attack and three service errors. An early 8-7 lead and an ace from Booth would soon disappear as Creighton found themselves on a 4-0 run to take the lead, as well as another 5-0 to close out the match with a 25-17 win and a sweep over the Panthers.
Despite the tournament not going in favor of the Panthers, junior Lily Dykstra was named to the Bluejay Invitational All-Tournament Team for Northern Iowa.
UNI holds off Eagles’ late comeback
By Michael Spahn Sports Editor Assistant
The Northern Iowa Panther football team defeated Eastern Washington on Saturday by a score of 17-14.
The Panthers led by 17 points entering the fourth quarter, but the Eagles came soaring back, cutting the lead to three, and ultimately missing a game-tying field goal with 12 seconds left. UNI head coach Todd Stepsis thinks the close win will be a confidence boost for his team.
“For as tight as that game was, we don’t think it should’ve been that tight,” said Stepsis. “I’m extremely proud of how these guys handled it. We are still learning how to win and finish games, to be in a close game and come out on the good end, I think it will give us more courage.”
The Panthers got off to a hot start offensively, scoring on their first play. Quarterback Matthew Schecklman found Tyson Kershaw over the middle for a 79-yard touchdown to give UNI a 7-0 lead early
in the first quarter. “We knew coming in that was going to be the first play with the safeties coming down,” Kershaw said postgame. “I’m glad the coaches
had faith in me to make that play.”
The Panther defense had a stellar day themselves, shutting out the Eagles’ offense in the first half. With UNI
leading 10-0 halfway through the third quarter, Schecklman converted on his second long touchdown pass of the game, finding Ayden Price for a 63-yard touchdown to make
it 17-0. Schecklman threw for a career-high 359 passing yards, clocking one of his best games since arriving at Northern Iowa.
“I love that he’s a me guy,” said Stepsis postgame. “When he makes a poor decision he never plays the blame game just like on his first interception, he is always taking ownership.”
The Eagles’ offense finally came alive in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Nate Bell rushed for two touchdowns on back-to-back drives, cutting the Panther lead to three points. Facing fourth down and two, the Panthers had a chance to put away the Eagles with a first down, but they couldn’t convert. The defense held their own to finish the game, forcing the missed field goal late in the game.
Northern Iowa improves to 2-1 with back-to-back home wins to start the season. The Panthers will hit the road on Saturday to take on Utah Tech. Game time is slated for 7:00 p.m. and can be found on ESPN +.
NORTHERN IOWAN/MACI SWANSON
The Panthers are next in action this Thursday vs Tennessee Tech.
NORTHERN IOWAN/MACI SWANSON
The Panthers record now sits at 2-1 on the 2025 season.
Across
1) Awareness-raising ads
5) The GOAT, to a Cavs fan
9) Take ___ breath
14) Top-notch
15) Mozart's "___ kleine Nachtmusik"
16) Word before "trick" or "laundry"
17) Poser
19) Pickle unit
20) Tags on Insta, say
21) Suffix with lemon
22) Includes in the poker game
24) Suffix with road and speed
26) Phone greeting in Central America
27) Where you might find single Panthers?
30) Hall named after Henry H, where a Panther might live
35) Embellish
36) Hamster's home
37) Tennis great Arthur
38) Cellar stock
39) More achy
40) Kunis of "Black Swan"
41) Trait transmitter
42) "Famous" cookie maker
43) Jockey, or where a Panther might live
44) Takes care of business, literally?
46) Gondoliers
47) Took a load off
48) Hall named after Henry C, where a Panther might live
50) Recently remodeled dorm
54) "___ we there yet?
55) When doubled, a dance
58) "Sounds like ___!"
59) Cry to a cop
62) Put away
63) Empty
64) "___ it the truth!"
65) Sword sharpener
66) Classic CIA-vs.-KGB spoof
67) Picnic pests
Down
1) Bearded Smurf 2) Put in order 3) Chemical suffixes
4) Part of a tennis match
5) Robot from Futurama, or where a Panther might live
6) Equestrian, or where a Panther might live
7) Free throw score
8) Dweeb
9 Revenue source for a website
10) Questionable "university" 11) You are, in Spanish 12) Coup d'___
13) Obsessive fire starter, informally 18) Consumed 23) Raring to go
