Iowa State Cyclones The Iowa State Cyclones ( commonly referred to as the " ' Clones " ) are the athletic teams of Iowa State University . The university is a member of the Big 12 Conference and competes in NCAA Division I , fielding 16 varsity teams in 12 sports . Overview . Iowa State ' s Athletic Director , Jamie Pollard ( 2005 – present ) , has dramatically changed the direction of the athletic program . Since his arrival , Pollard has replaced two head coaches in football and wrestling , and has also replaced coaches in men ' s basketball , gymnastics , soccer , cross country / track and field , women ' s golf , tennis , and softball . He has dramatically increased the athletic budget and has improved player academics . Additionally , he has initiated major renovations to Hilton Coliseum and Jack Trice Stadium , and constructed a basketball practice facility . Until recently , Pollard did have critics that pointed to poor team performances in men ' s basketball and football . With Pollard ' s hires of Paul Rhoads in football and Fred Hoiberg in men ' s basketball , these concerns have diminished as Iowa State is enjoying increased success on both the football field and basketball floor . Pollard ' s supporters point out the improved facilities , the better patron interaction , and that the increased ticket prices are only average compared to other Big 12 schools . The NACDA Director ' s Cup is an award given annually by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics to the colleges and universities with the most success in collegiate athletics . Points for the NACDA Director ' s Cup are based on order of finish in various NCAA sponsored championships or based on various polls . The following is Iowa State ' s finish in the Director ' s Cup since 1993 : ^ " indicates a current standing " Red indicates ranking down from previous year Green indicates ranking up from previous year Men ' s sports . Baseball . Iowa State University fielded baseball from 1892 until the conclusion of the 2000 - 2001 season . Iowa State discontinued baseball as an official sport due to budget constraints after the 2000 - 2001 season , but it does remain as a club sport . Iowa State had an 1 , 346 - 1 , 412 - 17 all time record including a 7 - 6 NCAA tournament record . Men ' s basketball . The Iowa State Cyclones men ' s basketball team competes in the Big 12 Conference of NCAA Division I athletics . Fred Hoiberg is the current ISU men ' s basketball head coach . Iowa State has a 1160 – 1190 all time record , and has been to the NCAA Tournament fourteen times including two Sweet 16 appearances , an Elite 8 appearance , and a Final Four appearance . ISU has also won six regular conference titles and two conference tournament titles . Iowa State men ' s basketball team plays in Hilton Coliseum , part of the Iowa State Center on the south - east side of Iowa State University , and is known as one of the best venues in all of college basketball . < table class = " wikitable " > < tr > < td valign = top > Hall of fame . The Iowa State University Athletics Hall of Fame ( ISU Athletics Hall of Fame ) was founded in 1997 . Facilities . Hilton Coliseum James H . Hilton Coliseum is a 14 , 356 - seat multi - purpose arena in Ames , Iowa . The arena , which is part of the Iowa State Center , opened in 1971 . It is home to the Iowa State University Cyclones basketball , wrestling , gymnastics and volleyball teams . The building was specifically built to hold in sound with a solid concrete structure , steel doors , and a crowd that sits just a few feet from the court . During big games , players from opposing teams , as well as Iowa State , have even said that the floor has shaken due to the loudness of the crowd . A record basketball crowd of 15 , 000 saw the Cyclones post a 97 - 94 win over Iowa in 1971 . Jack Trice Stadium Jack Trice Stadium ( formerly Cyclone Stadium ) is a stadium in Ames , Iowa . It is primarily used for college football , and is the home field of the Iowa State University Cyclones . It opened on September 20 , 1975 ( with a win against Air Force ) , and with hillside tickets it officially has 55 , 000 seats . The current record for single - game attendance , 56 , 800 , was set on October 13 , 2012 when the Cyclones played Kansas State . In 1997 , the stadium was named in honor of Jack Trice , ISU ' s first African American athlete and the school ' s first athletics - related fatality . The stadium is the only one in Division I - A named for an African American individual . Veenker Memorial Golf Course The 6 , 543 - yard , par - 72 , George Veenker Memorial Golf Course is located just two blocks north of the Iowa State campus . The 18 - hole course was constructed in 1938 from the design of world renowned golf course architect , Perry Maxwell . The course hosted the conference championships in 1982 and 1989 , two regional AIAW championships , and hosts the annual Iowa Masters Championship . It also hosted the 1949 NCAA national championship . Sukup Basketball Complex Opened in September 2009 , Iowa State ' s new basketball practice facility is located on of land ( in west Ames , Iowa ) that was donated by a local developer , Dickson Jensen . The $ 8 million , facility , includes two separate 10 , 000 square - foot gymnasiums for both men ' s and women ' s basketball programs , as well as separate lounges and locker rooms , a theater room , a medical treatment area , and coaches ' offices and conference rooms . Bergstrom Indoor Facility The Steve and Debbie Bergstrom Indoor Training Facility opened in March 2004 . It is a multi - purpose , indoor practice facility . Inside the facility is a full sized Astro turf football field . Though typically associated with football , it is also used for practice by the softball and soccer teams , as well as community events . The building sits just northwest of Jack Trice Stadium and is part of the Johnny Majors Practice Complex . The facility cost $ 9 . 6 million to build and was funded by private gifts to the athletic department and ISU Foundation . Beyer Hall Beyer Hall is home to Iowa State ' s women ' s swimming and diving team and women ' s gymnastics team ( men ' s swimming and diving and gymnastics teams have been discontinued at Iowa State ) . The swimming and diving team practices and holds competition in the Beyer Pool , a six lane , T - shaped , 25 - yard competitive pool with an attached diving well , and seating for approximately 800 spectators . The Beyer Pool has hosted the 1963 and 1971 NCAA meets , as well as numerous conference championships . Though the gymnastics team competes in Hilton Coliseum , they practice across the hall from Beyer Pool in the Amy and Dennis Pyle Family Gymnastics Facility . Renovated in 2002 , the practice facility is used by collegiate and elementary athletes alike . Cross Country Course The $ 250 , 000 , Iowa State Cross Country Course was dedicated in 1995 and was host of the NCAA Division I Cross Country Championships that fall , and again in 2000 . The course runs through the Iowa State Arboretum and was the first course in the nation designed exclusively for competitive cross country racing . Hixson - Lied Student Success Center The 10 million dollar , Hixson - Lied Student Success Center , was designed for improving academic achievement campus wide , with the second floor devoted specifically to student athletes . The facility was built using private contributions . Since its completion in 2006 , Iowa State student athletes have dramatically improved in the class room and now boost a higher average GPA ( Grade point average ) than the rest of the student body . ISU Soccer Complex Built in 1995 when women ' s soccer was added as an official sport at Iowa State , the ISU Soccer Complex sits just east of the Lied Recreation Athletics Center . Permanent lighting was installed in 2004 at a cost of $ 170 , 000 and a team meeting room was added in 2005 . The Iowa State Soccer team practices in the [ Bergstrom Indoor Facility ] during bad weather or field conditions . Jacobson Athletic Building Located off the north end zone of Jack Trice Stadium , The Jacobson Athletic Building houses all football offices , locker rooms , meeting rooms , strength and conditioning room , and sports medicine room . In addition to football , it also houses administrative and coaches offices ( except men ' s and women ' s basketball ) . The administrative and football offices were renovated in 2008 with the renovation to the Jack Trice Stadium . Lied Recreation Center The Lied Recreation Center is a multi - purpose building housing the soccer team lockers , practice facility for wrestling , and a 300 meter track for indoor competition . The $ 13 million center , was host of the 1998 , 2000 , and 2007 indoor track and field Big 12 Championship s . The new mondo track has eight 42 - inch lanes , making it the largest and one of the fastest indoor surfaces in the world . There is portable seating for 2 , 000 spectators and also includes two long jump / triple jump pits and a pole vault runway . The facility also includes showers , sauna s , steam room s , and a sports medicine center . Southwest Athletic Complex The Southwest Athletic Complex is home to multiple sport facilities including : baseball , softball , track and field , and cross country ( technically the ISU cross country course is separate , but it runs around and through the athletic complex ) . The baseball stadium , Capp Timm Field , is still used by university sport clubs , but is no longer used for official athletic competition since the baseball was dropped in 2002 . The Southeast Athletic Complex has been home for the softball team since 1980 . The softball facility was renovated in 2004 , with new bleachers with seating for 500 spectators , a new backstop wall , and new netting . Track and Field also holds outdoor competitions in the athletic complex . Traditions . Mascot Iowa State uses a cardinal , Cy , as its mascot instead of an actual tornado or Cyclone . Prior to the football match up against the University of Colorado on November 12 , 2005 a tornado touched down in Ames , Iowa and forced fans to either stand out in the parking lot and watch the storm or flee to shelter in Hilton Coliseum . It created such an atmosphere that Iowa State was able to win over the favored Buffaloes 30 – 16 . When asked about the event , Colorado coach Gary Barnett said , " I thought we had a pretty good mascot . But when we showed up at Iowa State and they had a real tornado , that ' s the real deal . " Colors ██ Cardinal ██ Gold Originally silver , yellow , and black , the school colors were changed to cardinal and gold in 1899 to make dyeing sweater s easier . A council was formed in October 1899 with the purpose of finding new colors that would be suitable for sweaters . The council reported in favor of cardinal sweaters with gold lettering . According to cyclones . com ( Iowa State Athletics official website ) , the Iowa State teams were originally known as the " Cardinals " , though there is no other evidence to support it , it is assumed that the cardinal color was derived from the original team name . Cheers ISU Fights is the official fight song for Iowa State University : O we will fight , fight , fight for Iowa State , And may her colors ever fly . Yes , we will fight with might for Iowa State , With a will to do or die , Rah ! Rah ! Rah ! Loyal sons forever true , And we will fight the battle through . And when we hit that line we ' ll hit it hard every yard for I . S . U ! Rivalries Iowa State ' s most heated rival is the University of Iowa Hawkeyes . Though the two teams first played each other in 1894 ( in football ) , the Cy - Hawk Trophy was not introduced until 1977 when the two teams met for the first time since 1934 . The trophy was donated by the Des Moines Athletic Club , and is awarded to the victor of the annual football game . The trophy features a football player in the classic running back pose , with the Cyclone ' s and Hawkeye ' s logos . Started in 2004 , the annual Hy - Vee Cy - Hawk Series gives points to the Hawkeyes and Cyclones based on wins in 11 sports and academic achievement . Each team is awarded 2 points for a win ( except football which gets 3 points ) , 1 point for a tie , and 2 points for having athletes average GPA better than national average . At the end of the year all the points are added and the team with the most points wins the series for that year and bragging rights . When the coaches ’ field phones were tested prior to the 1959 Iowa State - Missouri football game in Ames , Iowa , it was found that the teams could hear one another . The problem was solved by game time , but not without considerable worry on the part of the coaching staff . The Northwestern Bell Telephone Company of Ames had a trophy made after the field phone controversy and it continues to be presented today to the winner of the game between ISU and Mizzou . An odd sidelight to the whole affair was that the same thing happened to Missouri later that year in a game played at Columbia , Mo . Voice of the Cyclones . From early 1970s until his death on March 5 , 2003 , Pete Taylor was the " Voice of the Cylcones " . Initially , Pete both worked the ISU events and was the sports director at KCCI TV , formerly KRNT TV . He provided play by play coverage of Iowa State Cylcones Athletics over the Cylcone network both on the radio and on the television . In 1990 after he left KCCI , Taylor joined the Iowa State staff full - time . Following Pete ' s untimely death , John Walters succeeded Pete as the " Voice of the Cyclones " on June 17 , 2003 , providing play by play coverage on both the radio and the television . Initially , John both worked the ISU events and was the sports director at WOI TV . In June 2012 , John left WOI TV and joined the Iowa State staff full - time .