From the West Coast to Iowa State: Colin Amick’s Inspiring Story

Iowa State University is typically known for being a midwestern college, where the vast majority of students come from surrounding areas. With over half of the student population being from the state of Iowa alone, there is a true midwestern and local feel to the school.

I’m attending Iowa State next year as a college freshman, and I’m from California. Not a single person from my graduating class of 600 is headed to Ames, IA, with me. In fact, I don’t even know a kid locally who’s going to school there. It’s pretty crazy considering how big and well-known Iowa State is as a school. It’s going to be a unique culture shift, but one that I’m ready for.

Recently, I got a chance to talk to Cyclone freshman Colin Amick, a current football player for the program. Amick was an FCS Freshman All-American last season, playing for the Montana Grizzlies on their offensive line. Montana was a national semifinalist at the FCS level last season. Amick now comes to Iowa State as a key young player for the future of the program.

But one of the most interesting things about Amick is that he isn’t from the Midwest like almost everyone else. He’s actually from the West Coast, just like me. Amick grew up in Sammamish, WA, a suburb of Seattle.

Colin Amick making transition from West Coast to Midwest

Iowa State offensive line Colin Amick (56) warms up with teammates before the spring football game. — Iowa State offensive line Colin Amick (56) warms up with teammates before the spring football game at Jack Trice Stadium on April 25, 2026, in Ames, Iowa | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

I had the pleasure of talking to Amick about his journey from the West Coast to Iowa State.

“The main reason I chose Iowa State was the staff and the atmosphere,” Amick said. “Their biggest focus while bringing in a whole new group of guys has been making everyone feel at home. Coach Rogers has given us all the opportunities we need to turn this new team into a family, whether that’s through DNA meetings with Coach Kris, community outreach, or team activities.”

For a team that’s almost entirely made up of transfers, it’s interesting and positive to see that head coach Jimmy Rogers is helping them all feel at home. It’s a huge plus for the program and showcases Iowa State’s mission of turning campus into a home for students, no matter where you are from.

Growing up in two different environments geographically, Amick said that “the biggest difference is definitely the towns. Growing up about half an hour outside of Seattle, everything was just so busy. We had three huge high schools in just one town. It’s a complete shift from the small-town feel here in Iowa. Transferring in from Montana actually helped me get used to that smaller town vibe, and honestly, I really prefer it now. I've come to see that in these tighter-knit communities, the fans are just so much more loyal and engaged in the program, which is awesome.”

I really connected with this answer that Amick had to say. As a guy living in quite a busy town as well, it’s a sigh of relief to see that my hopes of a small college town feel appealing to others as well.

Officially signed #CyclONEnation pic.twitter.com/Vb0pDqWCip
— Colin Amick (@ColinAmick_) January 7, 2026

Recently, the Big 12, along with many other conferences in college sports, elected to use conference realignment to their advantage. They added the Colorado Buffaloes, the Utah Utes, the Arizona State Sun Devils, and the Arizona Wildcats two seasons ago.

Personally, as a West Coast guy, I think it’s cool to see new teams come into town. And Amick agrees, as “it helps a ton with travel. My family’s plan is to end up down in Arizona, so any of those West Coast games are going to be great. But actually, the best setup for us is the UCF game. Most of my extended family lives in Florida, so I’ll probably have around 20 people in the stands for that one.”

Even teams like the UCF Knights have had a recent entry into the conference. Expanding to Florida allows Amick to get even more opportunities to play in front of his extended family.

Finally, we talked about how a West Coast bond is key in a locker room. “We have a bunch of ballers from the West Coast on the roster,” he said. “Bryson Lamb is from not too far from where I grew up in Washington. Having him and a few other Washington guys here makes it easy to connect and talk ball about our old high schools.”

Iowa State isn’t just a midwestern school. It’s a place where people come from across the country, and in some cases across the world, to all meet up for a unique college experience. Amick proved to me how the place that you are from isn’t a problem at school, but actually a positive that helps you connect with others, increase diversity, and gives you the ability to bond over unique experiences.

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