The Iowa State football team and its legion of nearly 15,000 fans recently attended the Insight Bowl in Tempe, and we enjoyed an incredible week of activities. The Insight Bowl organizers have been known as the gold standard for hospitality and, after our trip, I can affirm this well-deserved reputation. Executive Director John Junker and his hundreds of staff and volunteers — including the Tempe Diablos — made certain the Cyclones enjoyed amazing hospitality. We made many friends and cannot wait for a return to Tempe for a future bowl. You provided our team, staff and fans lifetime memories that we’ll cherish forever. Thank you for giving the Cyclones a chance to showcase our institution and football program and providing us a bowl experience like none other.

Jamie Pollard is the director of athletics at Iowa State University.