Iowa State Cyclones Are Missing Out Without a Baseball Team

The Iowa State Cyclones athletic department is missing out without a baseball team.

Apr 13, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Baseballs used for batting practice, seen before the Athletics face the Texas Rangers at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

There is no doubt that the Iowa State Cyclones are one of the most successful athletic programs in the entire country.

Their football team has had tons of recent success, especially under former head coach Matt Campbell. Their men’s basketball has done phenomenally under T.J. Otzelberger as well, reaching a plethora of Sweet Sixteens in his five years at the helm. Even their women’s basketball has proven to be one of the better programs in the country.

But there’s another major sport in the college athletics world, and Iowa State doesn’t even have a team competing.

Over the last few years, there has been a massive surge in hype around college baseball. It’s an up-and-coming sport, with teams typically in the south having 10,000+ seat stadiums, unreal atmospheres, and iconic programs.

Iowa State needs to look into adding baseball program again

Mar 12, 2026; Kansas City, MO, USA; Iowa State Cyclones mascot during a timeout against the Texas Tech Red Raiders during the second half at T-Mobile Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

After an NCAA Tournament similar to March Madness, the season ends in Omaha, NE, in one of the coolest finishes to a tournament in sports, the College World Series. College baseball is clearly one of the best and most up-and-coming sports in the US.

Of the 69 power conference programs in America, only five don’t currently have Division I baseball. Those are the Colorado Buffaloes, the Syracuse Orange, the SMU Mustangs, the Wisconsin Badgers, and of course, Iowa State.

Of all 16 teams in the Big 12, the Cyclones are the only program without a baseball team. While everyone else is eating, Iowa State is starving.

It’s an absolute whiff from the athletics department. With the rise of college baseball coming quickly, Iowa State needs to put its foot in and sponsor a team.

With a clear hole in the spring season, baseball could be the perfect way to round out their sports calendar. Also, with tons of talent in Iowa, many can stay close to home, playing for the Cyclones, and rivaling the Iowa Hawkeyes, who have their own program.

And who knows. A couple of years down the line, Iowa State could make a run and end up in Omaha. If so, they would make an abundance of money, while also building a massive community in Ames, IA, that would support Cyclone baseball.

It will take a few years, as they would likely need a new stadium, jerseys, and of course, players and coaches. But if they begin soon, the process will be done quicker, and Iowa State’s already elite athletics program will take the next step in the right direction, just like they have been over the past decade.