This article is about Ames, Iowa. For other places, see Ames (disambiguation).
Ames High School
Address1801 Ridgewood Avenue[1]
CityAmes
StateIowa
DistrictAmes Community School District
Zipcode50010
CountryUSA
Coordinates42.040209°N 93.634203°W
SchooltypePublic high school
Grades9–12
Athletic conferenceIowa Alliance Conference
Founded1875 (1961)
ColorsOrange and Black
Yearbook[http://www.e-yearbook.com/Ames_High_School_Spirit_Yearbook/ SPIRIT]
Newspaper[http://www.ameshighweb.com/ The WEB]
Teaching staff81.99 (FTE)[2]
Ratio17.56[2]
Enrollment1,440 (2024-2025)[2]
Websitehttps://ahs.amescsd.org/

Ames High School is the sole public high school in Ames, Iowa, United States. It is in the Ames Community School District.

Residents of the United Community School District, which covers Luther, a small section of Boone, and other areas,[3] often select the Ames district for secondary schooling.[4]

Academics

This school is the only public high school in the city of Ames. In August 2019, Ames High School was named the top high school in Iowa by US News & World Report.[5]

Athletics

The Ames Little Cyclones are members of the Iowa Alliance Conference,[6] formerly in the Central Iowa Metro League.[7] Starting for the 2026-27 seasons, Ames will compete in the more competitive Little Hawkeye Conference.[8] Teams sponsored by the school include football, boys and girls cross-country, boys golf, girls swimming, and volleyball in the fall season. During the winter season, the school sponsored sports are boys and girls basketball, wrestling, and boys swimming. The spring consists of girls golf, boys and girls track, boys and girls tennis, and boys and girls soccer. The summer sports are baseball and softball.

State Championship History

The girls' golf team was crowned champions for the State Tournament in 1989, 2009, 2010, and most recently in 2025.[9] The boys' golf team are 5-time state champions (1945, 1949, 1968, 1982, 1986).[10]

The Ames High girls' swim team won four state meets in a row from 2010 to 2013, and again in 2015, 2016, and 2017.[11] The boys' team won the state meet in 1982 and 2018.[12]

The Ames High cheer squad has won 11 large group state championships (1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2024). They have also won two state titles in small group stunt: 4A All-Girl Stunt in 2012 and Coed Stunt in 2024.

The Ames High boys' basketball team has won nine state championships (1936, 1945, 1955, 1973, 1976, 1991, 2009, 2010, 2022).[13] The Ames High boys basketball team is the winningest program among Iowa 4A high schools.[14]

The girls' soccer team won the Class 3A state championship for the first time in 2017.[9]

The Ames High girls' tennis team won the 2A State title four years in a row (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012) and again in 2019.[15] For the first time in school history, the boys' tennis team won the Class 2A state championship in 2011.[16]

Since 1941, Ames High has won 20 state championships in boys' track and field, the most recent in 1991.[9] The girls' team has won five championships (1987, 1988, 1992, 1995, 1996).[9] The boys' cross country team have won six state championships (1967, 1968, 1973, 1975, 1983, 1989).[17]

The Ames High Baseball team is a consistent contender in 4A, finishing at runner up in 2023, and winning a state title in 1961. [18]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ames High School". ahs.amescsd.org. Retrieved 2023-08-29.
  2. ^ "Ames High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved February 16, 2026.
  3. ^ "UNITED". Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved 2025-09-27. - See map on United CSD site.
  4. ^ "Grades 7-12". United Community School District. Archived 2020-12-02 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2020-09-06.
  5. ^ "Best High Schools in Iowa". U.S. News & World Report. Archived 2019-08-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  6. ^ Mollenbeck, Andrew (2021-11-20). "11 schools join new Iowa athletic conference". KCCI. Retrieved 2022-12-31.
  7. ^ Mollenbeck, Andrew (2021-11-20). "11 schools join new Iowa athletic conference". KCCI. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  8. ^ McIntosh, Marcus (2025-04-25). "Ames High School to join Little Hawkeye Conference, leaving Iowa Alliance Conference". KCCI. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
  9. ^ "Ames". Iowa High School Sports. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  10. ^ "2019-20 Golf Stat Book". IHSAA. 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  11. ^ "Ames Girls Dominate at State Swimming". whotv.com. 8 November 2015. Retrieved 2015-11-25.
  12. ^ "2020 Swimming Stat Book". IHSAA. 2020-02-05. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  13. ^ "Ames Booster Club Sports Camps". boysbasketball.ameshighsportscamps.com. Retrieved 2023-01-03.
  14. ^ "Ames High Boys Basketball Team Crowned 2022 State Champions – Ames Community School District". amescsd.org. Retrieved 2025-01-19.
  15. ^ "Ames Girls Tennis". amestrib.com. Retrieved 2015-09-15.
  16. ^ "2020 Tennis Stat Book". IHSAA. 2019-06-10. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  17. ^ "2020 Cross Country Stat Book". IHSAA. 2019-12-16. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  18. ^ "A Championship Tradition – Ames Athletics & Activities". ameshighathletics.org. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
  19. ^ Garcia, Nel. "Top-Rated Basketball Recruit Harrison Barnes Chooses North Carolina". Daily Contributor. Retrieved 12 February 2016.
  20. ^ "Dick Gibbs Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft Status and more". Basketball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2026-03-02.
  21. ^ NCB - Iowa State coach Fred Hoiberg has the Cyclones rolling thanks to transfers - ESPN The Magazine - ESPN
  22. ^ Iowa State Cyclones bio
  23. ^ "Doug McDermott Bio". GoCreighton.com. Retrieved February 11, 2016.