Iowa cheerleader appears to be OK after scary fall during Gophers-Hawkeyes game

The cheerleader was carried off in a stretcher after falling on his neck during a TV timeout Tuesday night.

Iowa cheerleader Austin Beam is attended to by team trainers and paramedics after being injured during the game between Iowa and Minnesota at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, on Jan. 21, 2025. Beam fell while performing during a time out. | Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Iowa cheerleader who was taken off the court in a stretcher during the Gophers men's basketball team's game against the Hawkeyes Tuesday night appears to be OK and was later seen giving a thumbs up in a social media post.

A TikTok post made Tuesday night appeared to show the cheerleader in a hospital bed and wearing a neck brace while giving a thumbs up in the photo. The post included a caption that reads: "The Iowa cheerleader is OK!!! He appreciates all your support, Hawkeye nation." While an Iowa spokesperson was unable to comment on the cheerleader's status, citing HIPAA, the spokesperson pointed out the post, which was circulating on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday.

well this is a good sign! pic.twitter.com/AMNS1Y5d7f

— j (@JaydaToe70214) January 22, 2025

During a television timeout in the second half of Tuesday's game, the cheerleader lost his footing during a routine and fell on his neck, according to the Big Ten Network broadcast. The cheerleader was attended to on the court and carried off on a stretcher, giving a thumbs up to the crowd as he was taken off the court. The game was delayed about 10 minutes.

The Gophers held off a late Iowa run to beat the Hawkeyes 72-67 Tuesday night, their first win at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa, since 2015.