Sports

PHOTOS: Heroes Trophy Announced for Iowa versus Nebraska Rivalry Game

The soon to be annual Heroes rivalry game between the University of Iowa and University of Nebraska now has its first trophy and heroes from both states who will be honored during the game.

Black Friday's football match up between the University of Iowa Hawkeyes and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers will be the first between the new Big Ten trophy rivals.

Now the two rivals have a trophy to fight over. And it is!

No, just kidding, that was some other trophy. Let us never speak of it again.

Find out what's happening in Iowa Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Click here to read more about the thoughts behind the Heroes game trophy, including its obvious Grecian motifs.

One of the prominent features of the logo - the laurel leaves - is also a prominent feature of the trophy. The leaves are etched into the football that rests atop the trophy. A variety of staff from each institution were also involved in the project. In ancient Greece, a laurel leaf crown was awarded to the victors of the Olympic Games. Those were the heroes of their time and the laurel leaf crown was considered the symbol of a hero. In today's world, laurel leaves have continued to be a symbol of high achievement and high ideals.

Find out what's happening in Iowa Citywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here is a bigger gallery of the trophy.

Inscribed on the trophy will be two "heroes," one selected from each state. The Iowa honoree will be Buena Vista County Sheriff Gary Launderville, of Storm Lake. Launderville not only is a public servant, he has opened his home to numerous needy children over the years. And that's not all.

Launderville and his wife, Sandy, have fostered 125 children, seven of which they eventually adopted and joined their family of six. Last January, Launderville was hit by an SUV and thrown 20 feet into the air when he was rescuing a mother and child stranded in a raging snowstorm.

Oh, and while we're talking about rivalries, don't forget that you can still help the University of Iowa triumph over Nebraska .


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Iowa City