Iowa court storm leads to coach smacking fan’s phone; apology issued by Hawkeyes

A legal storm turned into yet another fiasco after a student appeared to hold his phone near Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg’s face.

Students and Iowa Hawkeyes fans rushed the field after their 57-52 victory over the ninth-ranked Cornhuskers, and things changed when Hoiberg appeared to snatch a phone from the hand of a student, who appeared to be recording video.

The student ended up in the handshake line between players and coaches and was led away by another Iowa staff member.

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Iowa Hawkeyes forward Cooper Koch celebrates with fans after the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers on February 17, 2026, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa. (Matthieu Holst/Getty Images)

Iowa apologized, saying the fan “gained access to the field through a restricted area, directly confronting Coach Hoiberg and putting Nebraska players, coaches and staff in a reactive situation.”

“We apologize for this incident and will conduct a review of our procedures and safety measures to determine what adjustments may be necessary to further strengthen our protocols and help prevent similar incidents in the future,” the school added.

Hawkeyes forward Alvaro Folgueiras celebrates with fans after the Nebraska Cornhuskers game on Feb. 17, 2026, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. (Matthieu Holst/Getty Images)

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The Big Ten said it had discussed the situation with both schools and would not take any disciplinary action against Hoiberg. The conference said it appreciated Iowa’s efforts to address postgame safety protocols.

In an email to Fox News Digital, Nebraska said it would “defer to input from Iowa and the Big Ten on this matter.”

Although Iowa was unranked, the Hawkeyes were actually 1.5-point favorites in the contest.

Nebraska head coach Fred Hoiberg reacts to an official’s foul during the Hawkeyes game Feb. 17, 2026, in Iowa City. (Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

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The Big Ten does not impose fines during legal storms, but could fine schools if appropriate measures are not taken to ensure safety.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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