(Iowa City) The Hawkeye Wave has been voted the Best College Sports Tradition. They were voted this in the 2024 USA Today readers. The tradition began in 2017. The Wave is where fans, players, and coaches wave to pediatric patients at the hospital. The initiative aims to uplift the spirits of children and their families facing health challenges. The University of Iowa also runs the Kid Captain program to honor and share the stories of pediatric patients. Each Kid Captain also chooses the song played in Kinnick Stadium during the Hawkeye Wave.
The University of Iowa, in collaboration with the UI Stead Family Children’s Hospital, has been involved in various initiatives to support young patients long before the famous Wave, as stated in a UI press release. 2009, they introduced the Kid Captain program to honor these patients and share their inspirational stories. During each home Iowa football game, a Kid Captain is featured and receives a commemorative jersey, special recognition from both the hospital and the football team, and opportunities for behind-the-scenes experiences. Other notable mentions for the award include the Army-Navy Game, Purdue’s Big Bass Drum, Wisconsin’s Jump Around, Texas A&M’s The 12th Man, Virginia Tech’s Enter Sandman, and Script Ohio.
