Historical devastation and destruction is once again occurring in Iowa. Flood waters are rampaging through Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Waterloo, Iowa City and countless other cities in Iowa as one of the worst weather years in history continues.

These natural disasters have tied in with college athletics in the state before, as both Iowa State and Iowa football players have pitched in with the recovery of Parkersburg, as well as with flood efforts.

Well, now other schools are jumping in, and it seems only proper that we should thank them. As a couple people know (I'm sure), the NCAA Track Championships are being held in Des Moines, one city being struck by the flooding. One team, South Carolina, decided to help out this morning, sandbagging in the Des Moines area.

As the 4x100m relays departed to practice relay exchanges for the finals later tonight at Drake Stadium, three van fulls of Gamecock track coaches, athletes and staff drove to the local United Way center to be briefed as volunteers and then drove to a major sand-bagging site to fill sandbags for more than two hours. Des Moines' residents were amazed with the Gamecock teams efforts, applauding their efforts as the crew left by chanting `Game! Cocks! Game! Cocks! Game! Cocks.'

And, of course, as soon as they were done sandbagging, the Gamecocks were notified that they had to evacuate their hotel.

via gamecocksonline.com

At this point, any effort to help fight the flooding in Iowa is greatly appreciated. Those of us back in the Hawkeye State can show our appreciation for the Gamecock effort by commenting on the SC SBNation blog, Garnet And Black Attack, or by emailing a word of thanks to a Gamecock athletics administrator.