Hawkeye women’s basketball: New offense, half-new roster

As the Iowa women's basketball team prepares for another season, they further distance themselves from the Final Four teams of the early 2020s. For the first time, no one on the current team was involved in those runs. This season head coach Jan Jensen only filled out 11 out of 15 roster spots. Six of those are filled by newcomers, most from the portal.

Those six newcomers include an All-SEC honoree, the second-highest scorer in D-III hoops, and a five-star recruit from San Bruno, California. With the additions to the five returners the expectations for the program are the same as they have been, to be one of the best in the nation. Something that could weigh down a new team in the preseason, but the Hawkeyes don't hear the noise. They act like the pressure is nonexistent, it seems the team is focused on becoming just that, a team.

"We all goofy, we have fun together, we love each other. It's just a different vibe," said guard Dani Carnegie, the transfer from Georgia. "We're weird, I'm weird, everybody's weird. It's just like, we bring the weirdness out of each other and just have fun."

During media day on Tuesday, when Carnegie wasn't getting pummeled with questions from the media or standing in front of the camera, she was running around taking pictures of her teammates getting interview. More often than not, Carnegie would get her teammates to lose their train of thought or break into laughter.

When November 2 rolls around, Carnegie will step into the spotlight. As an All-SEC player with the Bulldogs, the expectation is that she becomes the alpha on the court. To become the one that demands the ball when the clock runs low.

"(Coach Jensen said) We're going to need what I give, because she recruited what I am, and don't change for nothing," said Carnegie. "I'm a player that gets my teammates the ball, what the defense gives me, I take, and just having fun, you're going to see me smiling out there."

McKenna Woliczko is the five-star recruit of the newcomers. With the exit of Hannah Stuelke, the power forward position in the lineup opened up. Woliczko will be looked upon to slide into that spot early on. That would allow Journey Houston to move back to a more guard-like position, something that fits her playstyle a little better.

Those two, along with centers Ava Heiden and Layla Hays, will be tasked with replacing the rebounding the Hawkeyes have lost with Stuelke gone.

"We're definitely going to have to pick up that slack," said Houston. "I think that the pieces that we have brought in, like Jocelyn (Faison), she's a great rebounder too, so that'll definitely be helpful."

When a team brings in the loads of new talent like the Iowa women's basketball team has done this offseason, the leaders typically determine the success. Especially early on. Luckily for the Hawkeyes, there are a clear three returners who have developed not just on the court, but into the leaders that Jensen needs.

Ava Heiden, Chit-Chat Wright and Taylor Stremlow are the co-captains this season. When the team was working through practice after media day, they were the three loudest on the court. Setting the example for what an Iowa team looks like in game and on the sidelines.

"We're the old grandmas on the team right," laughed Heiden. "We're showing everyone else the ropes. Yeah, it's cool, we get to input some of our wisdom to these newcomers and younglings and it's a fun role to be in."

This year's Hawkeye team isn't just experiencing change through the lot of newcomers to the roster. Jensen has decided to go away from the two-big centric high-low offense. Now she's moved onto a new four-outside, one-inside style. A fluid offensive approach that depends less on set plays and more on players reacting to where the ball goes and how.

"I do like a four out one in. It opens the lane up for guards," said Jensen. "It also is a little bit harder to double your center."

Opening space for Carnegie and others to drive and creating more space for the offensive star, Heiden, seems like it could be an efficient way to work. What Jensen is banking on is the four players on the outside to be able to shoot threes efficiently. Something that wasn't the m/o of the Iowa offense a season ago.

The offense is still in its early stages. The team has yet to face any other teams during private scrimmages and exhibition games. But players are confident in the potential for the new look attack. Especially the fluidity and potential for more improvision.

"Which I definitely like that play style and it's harder to scout I think," said Stremlow. "And I think we have so many weapons inside and outside that it's going to be hard to stop."

The season starts on November 2, still a couple weeks away. Which is fine by Jensen. She's still working out lineups and is waiting for the offense to hit a consistent groove.

"When you're putting six new people into an offense that basically has very few rules, it can look a little herkie jerky at times and you're not initially seeing that fluidity," said Jensen.

The Hawkeyes open the season hosting Towson. On November 8, they play in their first marquee matchup of the season in Connecticut against UCONN.