Iowa City- A Fort Dodge girl was named one of the Iowa Hawkeye Team Captains for 2026 during the upcoming football season. Lily Lee will be recognized by the Hawkeyes during the September 26th football game with Michigan. Lee was one of the 12 young people to be recognized by the University of Iowa and the Staed Family Children’s Hospital. This year’s team captains will tour Kinnick Stadium on August 15th with each of the captains to be recognized during the Hawkeye football games. At 14 months old, Lily Lee still wasn’t walking. As she began to progressively weaken, tests at her local hospital showed nothing unusual. Following a referral to Stead Family Children’s Hospital, Lily was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, a rare disease that weakens her muscles over time. Though no treatment was available then, the first therapy was approved 10 months later. Lily continues to receive treatment through a lumbar puncture every four months to slow the progression of the disease.