CELEBRITY GUESTS
When participating in Newton Cares Classic you will be swinging your clubs alongside some amazing talent on the pavement, field, court or screen.
NCC gets you up close and personal with some of the most popular athletes,
​actors and celebrities in Iowa and beyond.

THOM
​DARDEN

Former NFL Player
• 1st Round/Pick 18 in the 1972 NFL Draft
• Played for Cleveland Browns from 1972-1981
• 3x Second-Team All Pro - 1976, 1978, 1979
• 1st Team All -Pro Bowl - 1978
•  NFL Interception Leader - 1978
• Played at University of Michigan-1969-1971
•  All-American - 1971
•  2x First Team All Big Ten - 1970, 1971
• ESPN chose Darden's Nov. 21, 1971, interception against Ohio State as one of the
"100 Plays, performances and moments
​that define college football"
• From Sandusky, Ohio
• Today he is Principal of The Darden Group, Inc., a financial services company
• Lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife Melissa

AUSTIN 
​BLYTHE

Former Iowa Hawkeye
​& NFL Player
• ​Iowa Hawkeyes Offensive Lineman (2012-2016)
• Finalist for the Rimington Award
•  Member of the 2016 Rose Bowl Team
•  Drafted 2016 by NFL
•  Played in NFL for seven seasons - Colts, Rams, Chiefs, Seahawks
•  Played in Super Bowl LIII with the Rams
•  Retired from NFL in February 2023
•  Lives in Williamsburg with wife and children

SCOTT
HELVERSON

NCAA & NFL Referee
​​​​• Played football at University of Iowa; Starting wide receiver for two Big Ten Conference titles
• Participant in five bowl games -- Rose, Peach, Gator, Freedom, Rose and was Co-MVP 1985
• Iowa High School football officiant 1988-1995
• Iowa Conference officiant 1990-1995
• Division III National Championship officiant Alonzo Stagg Bowl 1993
•  Iowa High School State Championship officiant 1994
• Big Ten officiant 1995-2002 - Officiant in five bowl games
Las Vegas Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl National Championship 2001, Gator Bowl, Peach Bowl
• NFL Europe officiant 2000 - 2002
NFL Europe World Bowl officiant 2002
• NFL Back Judge 2003 - current
-16 playoff games
-Five Wild Card games
-Five Divisional Playoff games
-Three Championship games
-One Pro Bowl
-Three Super Bowls - 2008 XLII, 2011 XLV and 2021 LXI 
•Proud father of three beautiful daughters 27, 24 and 21

HUNTER
McELREA

Indy Lights Driver
​​• Joined Andretti Autosport team in November 2021
Won his first Indy Lights race at the Indy Lights Presented by Cooper Tires on July 2
​​• Began his career karting at age 7
​​• Third generation driver - Grandfather Rod McElrea won the New Zealand Beach Racing Championship in 1971; Father Andy McElrea won the New Zealand Formula Ford Championship in 1991
​​• McElrea is a New Zealand native and grew up in Australia

LEVI
​PAULSEN

Former Iowa Hawkeye
​Football Player
• ​Iowa Hawkeyes Offensive Lineman (2015-2019)
• He and his twin brother Landen both played for Hawkeye football
•  Member of the 2015 Rosebowl Team
•  Member of 2019 senior class that set Iowa football record most total wins in a 5-year span
•  Academic All-Big Ten player  for four years
•  Lives in Kalona, Iowa with his girlfriend
•  Enjoys anything outdoors, loves dogs, hunting, biking and running

NICK
​EASLEY

Former Iowa Hawkeye & NFL
​Football Player
​​•  Played for Iowa Hawkeyes in 2017-18 & 2018-19 seasons after transferring from junior college
​​•  2019 Outback Bowl MVP
​​•  Undrafted free agent with Buffalo Bills in 2019
​​•  Buffalo Bills practice squad member (2019-2020)
​​• From Newton, Iowa ​

KEITH 
​DUNCAN

Former Iowa Hawkeye
​Football Player
​​• Placekicker for Iowa Hawkeyes 2016-2021
​​• Played in 2017 Outback Bowl, 2019 Outback Bowl
and 2019 Holiday Bowl
​​• Consensus First-team All American (2019)
​​• Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year (2019)
​​• First-team All Big Ten (2019)
​​• Third-team All Big Ten (2020)
​​​​• Set North Carolina high school state records for most field goals in a season (22) and total field goals (51) and consecutive extra points made (104)
​​• Started Keith Duncan Kicking
Instagram: @keithduncankicking
Twitter: @KD_Kicking

NATE TEUT

President of DM Buccaneers & Former MLB Pitcher 
​​• President of  Des Moines Buccaneers Hockey Club
​​• EVP/Assistant GM of Iowa Cubs – 2012-2017
​​• Nine seasons of Professional Baseball (LHP Pitcher) | Cubs, Marlins and Brewers organizations
​​• Major League Debut with Florida Marlins on May 4, 2002 (Miller Park)
​​• Fourth Round selection by Chicago Cubs in 1997 
​​• Iowa State Cyclones Baseball – First Team All Big Eight (1996)
​​• Born in Newton, Iowa

KAHLIL 
CARTER

Former NFL & European Professional Football Player
•  10 year Professional Football career
​(NFL, CFL, AFL, NFL Europe
• Member of  coaching staff for  for Iowa High School State champions Valley High School, Pioneer Conference champions Drake University, 2x CFL Divisional champions Calgary Stampeders
• Played for NFL with Buffalo Bills in
​​• Played for NFL Europe with Scottish Claymores

NICK
ANDERSON

Former Iowa Hawkeye Football Player
• Iowa Hawkeye Special Teams Player
​​• Academic All Big 10 - 2019 and 2020
​​• Hometown: Waukee, Iowa
* Please note, celebrity guest appearances are subject to change. Celebrities will be paired with sponsors and then foursomes as available. We encourage everyone to chat with celebrities, get photos and ask for autographs.