Lots of good basketball in Iowa — and Kirkwood is best again

The University of Iowa in general — and Caitlin Clark specifically — have been the dominant story this year in women’s basketball far beyond Eastern Iowa.

Heck, Clark and the Hawkeye women have sucked the oxygen out of pretty much every sports story near and far since last year’s run to the Final Four.

It’s been a great story to watch and, in some ways, participate in.

But it’s not the only story this basketball season.

There was the Iowa State men and the fantastic job T.J. Otzelberger has done molding that program year after year with two Sweet 16 appearances in his three seasons.

There’s the young and fun-to-watch Iowa State women making it to the second round of the NCAA tournament, Drake men and women earning NCAA berths.

A little closer to home, there’s the Kirkwood women’s team, which — if you missed it — won its ninth junior college national title in Joplin, Mo., last month.

Lisa Bluder at Iowa and Otzelberger and Bill Fennelly at ISU are fantastic coaches, but their accomplishments pale in comparison to what Kim Muhl has done at Kirkwood.

In his just completed 35th season, consider the following:

— He is a 22-time Region XI coach of the year.

— His teams have made 23 NJCAA tournament appearances.

— His teams have won at least 20 games in 35 consecutive seasons. The last three won at least 30 games.

— He’s never had a losing season.

Oh and there’s this — 1,045 career wins against 171 losses.

Kirkwood will honor the team and its Hall of Fame coach Tuesday at 11:15 a.m. in Iowa Hall.

This year’s team ended its season at 35-2, winning its last 21 games including the 69-58 verdict over top-seeded Johnson County in the finale on March 23.

That’s an impressive resume for a man who still loves what he’s doing — most of the time

The 68-year-old Muhl has acknowledged recently his distaste for bus rides. And when you’re a two-year college in southwest Cedar Rapids with a modest budget, bus rides are in the job description.

No charters to Lincoln, Neb., for this program.

“We’re lucky when we go the night before,” Muhl said with a laugh.

Still, he wouldn’t change a thing. You see Kirkwood is what all junior colleges should strive to be — a place to start your college education and improve your game with the hopes of moving on and moving up.

The junior college way is the original transfer portal.

“Just seeing kids get better,” he said when asked why he’s still doing this after more than three decades. “Having a chance to go to another level.”

In his younger days, Muhl said “another level” meant NCAA Division I. These days, he’s just as happy to see his former players on rosters in NCAA II, NCAA III or the NAIA.

“Our kids always get better,” he said.

This year’s team is a perfect example of that. At one point, Muhl struggled to bring this team together.

“I knew we had some good pieces,” he said. “They weren’t as one (early). They weren’t together enough.

“It was a gradual thing, but it gradually got better and better. They dialed in and got more focused.”

What did it take to flip that switch, to go on that season-ending 21-game winning streak?

“We just told them ‘what do you want to do? Do you want to win or just be OK? It’s your team. Do you want to do it or not do it?’” Muhl said. “It just took time for them to buy in.”

He’s also proud of the fact this team’s 14-player roster had eight Iowans, including a special freshman from Atkins, former Benton Community standout Jenna Twedt. She averaged 14.4 points per game and was one of three Eagles to earn all-tournament honors at the national tournament.

Sophomores Demetria Prewitt and Kaylee Corbin also earned spots on that team.

Winning — and winning a lot — never gets old.

“No, no,” Muhl said. “At our level we have a new team every year.”

Which means a new challenge every year, something Muhl still relishes.

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