Patients, families to pick future 'Hawkeye Wave' songs at Iowa football games

As The Athletic's Scott Dochterman and The Associated Press (h/t ESPN) explained, fans were recently asked to vote for a new song that would replace Pat Green's "Wave on Wave" tune that had played during what's become known as the "Hawkeye Wave" since it started in 2017. Instead, the university announced Wednesday that patients and families will select a new song throughout the campaign. 

Specifically, a children’s hospital patient chosen to be the "Kid Captain" for a given week will help pick a song. 

"We felt after five years it was time for the fans to choose the song for the Hawkeye Wave, and the fans suggested we extend that honor to the children," University of Iowa vice president for external relations and senior advisor to the president Peter Matthes said. "The children are the true heroes, so the choice is theirs. That is something we can all agree on, and I cannot thank our fans enough for their input, engagement, and generosity." 

Matthes added: 

"The interest and passion for the Hawkeye Wave cannot be overstated, and the selflessness of the Hawkeye community proved once again why The Wave is the greatest tradition in college sports. The response for a new song was incredible, and one suggestion we continued to hear was, 'Let the kids decide.' So that is exactly what we will do."

Kid captains join the Iowa team on the field for home games and also receive commemorative jerseys.