Reece Vander Zee Chasing Opportunity at Iowa

Incoming Freshman Could Help Hawkeyes at WR in '24

Reece Vander Zee (Photo: hawkeyesports.com) /

The University of Iowa's Tippie College of Business ranks among the best in the country. It will be welcoming a freshman this summer that could teach his fellow students a thing or two. 

Reece Vander Zee is leaving behind a successful operation in his hometown of Rock Rapids, Iowa. He runs Carroll Street Sweets with his family. Cookie ice cream sandwiches are the specialty. 

"About eight years ago, we just started selling them outside of our house, and it's really grown," he said. "We probably have 15-20 places that sell them in their stores and restaurants. It's almost to the point where we have to start hiring people to help us out."

Joe and Meredith Vander Zee, along with Reece's five younger siblings, will be running the show while he's in Iowa City. A plan must be formulated for  Saturdays in the Fall. 

The Vander Zees will be busy watching Reece play for the Hawkeye Football team. The 6-foot-5, 200-pound receiver could see the field this season with his talent and a need at his position. He's striving to play right away. 

"Anyone who's a competitor has that mindset," Reece said. "It doesn't matter if it's special teams or I'm playing on offense, I don't really care. I just want to get on the field.

"It's not going to come easy. There might be hiccups along the way, which is to be expected at this high of a level. I think I have a good shot. I'm going to do everything I can." 

Vander Zee will be transitioning back to wideout after playing quarterback for Central Lyon/George-Little Rock this past season. He can lean on his junior-year experience, when he caught 32 passes for 768 yards and 10 touchdowns for an undefeated state champion. 

"I haven't really done much receiver stuff (since then), but hopefully it will be just like riding a bike. It won't be too hard. It might take me a month or so to get back at it," he said. 

An ankle injury ended Vander Zee's senior track season with about a month to go. He ran the 100 meters in 10.99 seconds and 200 in 22.49.  

"It sucks. I was just getting going. My times were dropping," he said. 

Fortunately, Vander Zee can enjoy one more season competing with his high school mates. He's playing baseball this summer after earning all-state recognition from the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association in '23. 

The baseball postseason begins July 6 with the state championship games during the final week of the month. The rest of his '24 classmates will be at Iowa in early June. 

"I'll be a little later than everyone else, but I just kind of decided I wanted to finish out. Baseball is probably my first love. I was probably going to go to college for baseball and then all this stuff for football starting coming in," Vander Zee said. 

The Hawkeyes faced plenty of competition in securing his commitment. He reported scholarship offers from Iowa State, Nebraska and others. 

Vander Zee liked those programs. After his Iowa official visit, he realized he didn't like them as much as the Hawkeyes. 

"I was on my way home, and I was like, "yeah, this feels right." All the guys I met, everything we experienced throughout it, I just felt like the Lord was leading me to seek out the Hawkeyes. That's definitely where I need to be," he said. 

The folks in Rock Rapids will have their collective eyes on Iowa City with three of their own donning Black and Gold. Zach Lutmer is a redshirt freshman, and Graham Eben is arriving this summer, too. They're defensive backs. 

"I probably have it the best having Zach there. Graham and I can bounce any questions we have off of him and be the most prepared we can for a big transition. It's a big advantage having those guys around me," Vander Zee said. 

As tempting as it was to stick with who they knew, Vander Zee and Eben will not be roommates this season. Vander Zee is living with Omaha tight end Michael Burt. 

"We're going to split up and find someone new," Vander Zee joked. "I mean, we're going to be together all the time. We just decided it was good to meet some new people and develop new relationships." 

On3 ranked the '24 Hawkeye Class No. 29 nationally and eighth in the new 18-team Big Ten. It's a tight group. 

"It's high vibes. We have a ton of high-level athletes that know how to get things done. I think we'll continue the winning culture at Iowa, and just be tough and physical," Vander Zee said. 

When he committed to Iowa last summer, Brian Ferentz was the offensive coordinator and Kelton Copeland coached receivers. Tim Lester and Jon Budmayr were hired for those jobs this offseason. 

"I really liked coach Copeland. He was really down to earth, and he was really good to us," Vander Zee said. "At the end of the day, it is a business, and I understood that." 

Lester and Budmayr met with him this spring in Iowa City. 

"Everything was really positive," Vander Zee said. "They're installing the new offense pretty seamlessly. I'm excited to get to work. It might be a little advantage for me that everyone is learning a new system, too." 

From his conversations with Lester and Budmayr, Vander Zee expects to fill the same role to which he committed. 

"I would say it's mostly the same. They see me as an outside receiver, an X and Z type of guy. I'm more of a red zone guy trying to make big plays. So, I don't think it's changed as much for me as maybe some other guys," he said. 

Vander Zee grew up rooting for the Hawkeyes. He's pictured what it will be like to play for them plenty of times. 

"When I put that uniform on and walk out of that tunnel for the first time, it's just going to hit me. That's what I'm looking forward to the most, having that crazy adrenaline rush going. That'll be the best part," he said.