2021 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.

TIM 
DWIGHT

Entrepreneur, NFL Star &
Iowa Hawkeye Legend
• ​​Founder Tim Dwight Foundation
• President of ​​Iowa Solar Energy Trade Association
• ​​An NFL Wide Receiver - 1998-2007 - with Falcons,
Charges, Patriots, Jets and Raiders 
• ​​Iowa Hawkeye  track and field legend.
• In football held a number of school records and was a two-time All American
• ​​Big Ten Conference award in his and Johnny Rodgers honor -- Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year
• ​​1999 Big Ten Champion in 100 meter dash, 4x400-meter relay and 4x100-meter relay teams

JESS 
​SETTLES

Big Ten Commentator, Farmer & Former Iowa Hawkeye Basketball Player
• ​​Announcer with Big Ten Network 
• ​​Played basketball at University of Iowa (1993-99)
• Big Ten Rookie of the Year 1993
• All Big Ten 1995
• Previously coached high school and college basketball programs 
• Farms on the family farm in Southeast Iowa
• ​​Winfield, Iowa native

CASEY BLAKE

Former MLB Player
​​• 11-year MLB  Career - 167 homeruns and 616 RBIs 
• Played first and third base for 
Cleveland Indians and Los Angeles Dodgers 
• Also played with Blue Jays, Twins,
 Orioles and Rockies 
​​• Attended Wichita State  - 3x All-American,
2x Academic All-American & played in College World Series
​​• Created a foundation with his wife to help
​his hometown and local school district 
​​​• ​​Indianola, Iowa native​​

CARSON 
​KING

Philanthropist/Viral Sensation
• ​​Became viral sensation in fall 2019 when asking for beer money with sign on ESPN'S Game Day
•  Took 15-minutes of fame and raised $3 million for University of Iowa's Stead Family Children's Hospital
• ​​Founded Carson King Foundation
• ​​Prairie City, Iowa native

SCOTT
SIEPKER

Iowa Nice Guy/Actor/Writer
​​• ​​Best known as the Iowa Nice Guy
• Actor, writer, producer, and filmmaker
• Co-founder of Iowa Filmmakers
​​• ​​Iowa Outdoors Co-Host
​​• ​​Sound Off Guest Host

​​

NATE
​TEUT

President Des Moines Buccaneers
​​• 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
​​• Fourth Round selection by Chicago Cubs in 1997 
​​• Iowa State Cyclones Baseball – First Team All Big Eight (1996)
​​• Born in Newton, Iowa

MERV 
​KRAKAU

Former NFL Linebacker & 
Member of ISU HOF
• ​​Played six seasons in NFL with Buffalo Bills
and New England Patriots
• Played at Iowa State from 1969-1972
•  Named Sports Illustrated Lineman of the Week and was an All-American Defensive End - 1972
• Member of the Iowa State University
​Athletics Hall of Fame - 2007

KAHLIL
​CARTER

Former Professional Football Player - NFL & NFL Europe
•  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
​​• Played for NFL Europe with Scottish Claymores

NICK 
​EASLEY

Former Iowa Hawkeye & Newton Cardinal 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 

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

FRED
JACKSON

Coe College Hall of Famer & Former NFL Player
•  Played nine season with Buffalo Bills
•  Retired as a Bills player in 2018
•  2010 Bills Walter Payton "Man of the Year" award
  • First player in NFL history to compile 1,000 rushing and 1,000 kickoff return yards in a season (2009)
• 7x All American in football and track at Coe
​•  Inducted into Coe College Hall of Fame in 2017
for football and men's track and field

PATRICK JACKSON

Coe College Hall of Famer & Semi Pro Football Player
​​• Played semi-pro football for 12 years with Sioux City Bandits, Cedar Valley Vikings, Iowa Lightning and North Iowa Bucks, which inducted him into its Hall of Fame in 2016
• Inducted into Coe College Hall of Fame in 2017
for football and men's track and field
​• 2x All American in track
​• Member of the two record holding relay teams: indoor 4x200 meter relay time of 1:29:98 (2002) and 4x100-metere relay of 41.26 (2003)

GREG
​BRUNNER

Former Iowa Hawkeye & Eurpoean Professional Basketbal Player
•  Played basketball ~ University of Iowa (2002-06)
•  Iowa’s all-time leading rebounder (990, 7.8 avg.)
•  #6 in Iowa history in blocks (104)
• #9 in Iowa history in made field goals (553)
•  #10 in career scoring with 1,516 points
• ​First team All-Big Ten as senior
• Member of 2005 USA World University Games that won gold medal with 8-0 record
•  Played professional basketball overseas 9 years 
• From Charles City, Iowa 

SEAN ROBERTS

KXnO Radio Personality
• ​​Producer/Host of KXnO Morning Rush
• ​​Host of KXnO Saturday Morning Pregame
• Host/Creator of The Seantourage Show Podcast
• Loves radio, playing golf and in my men’s wood bat league baseball league
•  "I have a 1 year old pug named Rosie"

JASON
DENT

Rodeo Clown, Auctioneer & "Big Brother" Season 19 Contestant
•  Rodeo Clown as "Whistle-Nut" and
​travels with his trusty 1,800-pound bull Ole
•  Appeared on CBS's Big Brother Season 19
• Auctioneer with Wagner & Dent Auctions
•  "I'm a storyteller extraordinaire. My stories are true, very handy, very creative, and infectious"
• From Humeston, Iowa

BROOKS
​REYNOLDS

Founder of Bacon Fest & Philanthropist
• ​​Founded Blue Ribbon Bacon Fest in 2008
• ​​Expanded Bacon Fest to Colorado, Minnesota, Iceland, and Japan
• Has raised over $1 million for nonprofits since 2008
• Volunteers with Boys and Girls Club of Central Iowa, Young Variety, Central Iowa Shelter & Services, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and many more
• Des Moines Register Juice Young Professionals Award 2010 and received the Variety the Children's Charity International Presidential Citation Award in 2011     
•  Newest venture is the newly remodeled "J.R's Southpork Ranch" opening at the 2021 Iowa State Fair

TYLER 
​KLUVER

Host of Washed Up Walkons Podcast & Former Iowa Hawkeye football player
•  Played football at University of Iowa
• Was a 4-year starter at long snapper
•  Co-host of super popular Podcast
​ "Washed Up Walkons"
• Today he is a Crossfit and Personal Trainer
•  Married to wife Lauren and lives in Waukee
• From Marshalltown, Iowa

MASON
​MITCHELL

ARCA Champion & Entrepreneur
• ​​2014 ARCA Racing Series Champion 
• 2015 Iowa Speedway ARCA Race Winner
• Springfield Mile Track Record Holder
• Toledo Speedway Track Record Holder
• In 55 ARCA starts, 1 championship, 3 wins, 24 top 5's, 44 top 10's, 7 Pole awards, and 793 laps lead
• President of Alpha Properties
• West Des Moines, IA Native​

GARRETT
​STURTZ

Drake Men's Basketball
• Join Drake Bulldogs Men's Basketball team in 2018
• Averaging 8.2 points per game
•  Named to the All-Bench & Scholar Athlete Teams
•  2019 Conference Regular Season Champions
•  2021 NCAA Tournament Appearance
• Scored more than 1,500 points in high school
• From Newton, Iowa

ELIAS 
​JOHNSON

Emmy Winner, Journalist & Former Pro Golfer
• ​​Nationally recognized journalist
• 4x Emmy award-winner
• President, CEO of Fine | Focus Media
• Member of the 2006 PAC-10 champion Arizona State University wrestling team at 141 lbs.
• Married with three children in Urbandale
• Two sport athlete at Iowa Central Community College in wrestling and golf
• Played golf two years as a professional on the Pepsi Tour in Arizona, also served as an assistant club professional at Las Sendas Golf Club in Mesa, AZ
* 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.