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**NEW** Iowa Women's Basketball Recruiting Thread

Jan saw some Top Young Guns in New York City today. She could have been headed to a game anywhere in the city of course, but she spent a ton of time in Midtown doing touristy stuff before the game. She flew into LaGuardia so she was most likely in the Bronx, Queens or Manhattan as opposed to Jersey, Brooklyn or Staten Island. Who do we think she was checking out?

ETA: Scratch that last. She is staying in NYC tonight which would allow a lot more time to get anywhere she needs to be. Another flight to see more talent tomorrow…
 
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Anyone know what’s up with Ava Heiden? She hasn’t played in any of Sherwood’s first three games. I know she missed most of last season with an injury so I’m hoping it’s nothing serious again.
 
Jan saw some Top Young Guns in New York City today. She could have been headed to a game anywhere in the city of course, but she spent a ton of time in Midtown doing touristy stuff before the game. She flew into LaGuardia so she was most likely in the Bronx, Queens or Manhattan as opposed to Jersey, Brooklyn or Staten Island. Who do we think she was checking out?

ETA: Scratch that last. She is staying in NYC tonight which would allow a lot more time to get anywhere she needs to be. Another flight to see more talent tomorrow…
My guess is Olivia Vukosa (2026)
 
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My guess is Olivia Vukosa (2026)
My hope is that it is somebody else, or that there are least 2 prospects being pursued/evaluated on the trip. Chasing Vukosa (top 10 HS prospect* regardless of class, with early UCONN, S. Carolina and Notre Dame offers) seems like a serious waste of time. Jan Jensen likes to say "we know who we are, and who we aren't." Chasing Vukosa would be inconsistent with this statement. Barry Alvarez used to say that one of the biggest mistakes they made at Wisconsin after winning their first Rose Bowl was spending time chasing elite national prospects, only to finish 2nd or 3rd. They then pivoted to chase more realistic prospects, securing some and leading to a couple of more Rose Bowl wins.

*https://www.espn.com/womens-college...anking-top-10-girls-recruits-regardless-class
 
My hope is that it is somebody else, or that there are least 2 prospects being pursued/evaluated on the trip. Chasing Vukosa (top 10 HS prospect* regardless of class, with early UCONN, S. Carolina and Notre Dame offers) seems like a serious waste of time. Jan Jensen likes to say "we know who we are, and who we aren't." Chasing Vukosa would be inconsistent with this statement. Barry Alvarez used to say that one of the biggest mistakes they made at Wisconsin after winning their first Rose Bowl was spending time chasing elite national prospects, only to finish 2nd or 3rd. They then pivoted to chase more realistic prospects, securing some and leading to a couple of more Rose Bowl wins.

*https://www.espn.com/womens-college...anking-top-10-girls-recruits-regardless-class
Maybe she wants to stay within a reasonable distance from home.
 
My hope is that it is somebody else, or that there are least 2 prospects being pursued/evaluated on the trip. Chasing Vukosa (top 10 HS prospect* regardless of class, with early UCONN, S. Carolina and Notre Dame offers) seems like a serious waste of time.
If its Vukos, perhaps Iowa has laid a decent amount of goundwork or received favorable inquiry from her camp. Otherwise, I agree, a waste of time/money. But holy hell if that girl isn't a spittin image of Megan Gustafson.
 
If its Vukos, perhaps Iowa has laid a decent amount of goundwork or received favorable inquiry from her camp. Otherwise, I agree, a waste of time/money. But holy hell if that girl isn't a spittin image of Megan Gustafson.
Why do you ”loser’s limp” Hawkeye fans always say “we can’t” or ”we shouldn’t waste our time?” For Christ’s Sake, we were in the National Championship game last year. Iowa beat South Carolina to get there.

Just stop your self-fulfilling defeatist prophecies.
 
Why do you ”loser’s limp” Hawkeye fans always say “we can’t” or ”we shouldn’t waste our time?” For Christ’s Sake, we were in the National Championship game last year. Iowa beat South Carolina to get there.

Just stop your self-fulfilling defeatist prophecies.
Sure
 
Why do you ”loser’s limp” Hawkeye fans always say “we can’t” or ”we shouldn’t waste our time?” For Christ’s Sake, we were in the National Championship game last year. Iowa beat South Carolina to get there.

Just stop your self-fulfilling defeatist prophecies.

Stupid post.
 
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I think Bluder is still being ambitious about certain targets but also being realistic. It's undeniable she has set her eyes on more elite targets, but she's not going for just anyone. I see a number of social posts, perhaps weekly, about top 25 recruits narrowing down their options or listing all of their offers, and most of them don't include Iowa. It's possible Vokusa expressed interest in Iowa tbh. If I'm Bluder, I would go after any elite Center in B1G or PAC country considering our reputation, recent success, and relative competition in their home region..

FWIW I think it's fair to point out that the younger kids are, the more likely they are to consider Iowa a legit contender on the WBB scene, especially if they're B1G fans. For these kids, Iowa has been a perennial Sweet 16-caliber team at minimum since 2019 and has won more B1G titles than any other team in that time as well. If they're 16 or 17, that's since they were 11 or 12. For the older kids, they came on the scene during a time when Iowa was still largely underachieving -- and they had blue bloods seeking them out years before Iowa did.

It's possible Iowa won't elevate its recruiting much higher than it's 2024 class-level of success (which is still nothing to scoff at) but they have a short window to try to make the most of it, so I say, aim high while you have your best chance. Again, I look back to those comments from Bella Hynes (#35 in 2025, out of NM) -- she said in an interview from the summer that Iowa is one of her top 2 programs...and she hadn't even been to campus! It was purely based on our reputation and success. That's not happening in a vacuum. That's what happens when you make a Final Four + win 3 B1G titles in 2 years.
 
The future looks very bright for Iowa women bb. More of the cc affect
The women’s game vs Rutgers on Jan 5 ( I believe the date is correct) in Piscataway is sold out. Caitlin Clark affect. I’ve been to the RAC for women’s games where they may be 100 people and been there in the early 2000’s when they filled the arena, especially vs UConn. Good to see women’s bball in general show some life. Caitlin will most likely score more than our whole team lol.
 
The women’s game vs Rutgers on Jan 5 ( I believe the date is correct) in Piscataway is sold out. Caitlin Clark affect. I’ve been to the RAC for women’s games where they may be 100 people and been there in the early 2000’s when they filled the arena, especially vs UConn. Good to see women’s bball in general show some life. Caitlin will most likely score more than our whole team lol.
This probably shouldn’t be in this thread lol but I’ll be at this game! Hopefully it’s not like the only game I went to last year — at Maryland — where we completely collapsed. Rutgers is better this year than last, they gave Indiana a real fight last week…
 
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. . . It's possible Iowa won't elevate its recruiting much higher than it's 2024 class-level of success (which is still nothing to scoff at) but they have a short window to try to make the most of it, so I say, aim high while you have your best chance. Again, I look back to those comments from Bella Hynes (#35 in 2025, out of NM) -- she said in an interview from the summer that Iowa is one of her top 2 programs...and she hadn't even been to campus! It was purely based on our reputation and success. That's not happening in a vacuum. That's what happens when you make a Final Four + win 3 B1G titles in 2 years.
Enjoy and respect your take on things. FWIW, while I too am encouraged when recruits like Hines say what she said, the context of her being wowed by Iowa is also in relation to other schools. Her offer list at the time of her comments was SMU, Cincinnati, Florida State, TCU, San Francisco, BYU, New Mexico, Arizona State, Alabama, New Mexico State, Delaware, Colorado State, Utah, Kansas State, UAB, Texas Tech, North Texas, Vanderbilt, Houston, Syracuse, UTEP, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Texas A&M, Arizona, Iowa, Auburn, West Virginia, Pitt, Florida State, UTSA and Cal.

There are some other good teams and good recruiting/evaluating schools on Hines' offer list (e.g. Utah, FSU, the new coach at TCU), but this is a list that looks nothing like Addie Deal's or Vukosa's lists, which are populated by many and most, respectively, of the national recruiting powers.
 
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This probably shouldn’t be in this thread lol but I’ll be at this game! Hopefully it’s not like the only game I went to last year — at Maryland — where we completely collapsed. Rutgers is better this year than last, they gave Indiana a real fight last week…
Getting smoked by Princeton tonite.
 
Enjoy and respect your take on things. FWIW, while I too am encouraged when recruits like Hines say what she said, the context of her being wowed by Iowa is also in relation to other schools. Her offer list at the time of her comments was SMU, Cincinnati, Florida State, TCU, San Francisco, BYU, New Mexico, Arizona State, Alabama, New Mexico State, Delaware, Colorado State, Utah, Kansas State, UAB, Texas Tech, North Texas, Vanderbilt, Houston, Syracuse, UTEP, Georgia Tech, Georgia, Texas A&M, Arizona, Iowa, Auburn, West Virginia, Pitt, Florida State, UTSA and Cal.

There are some other good teams and good recruiting/evaluating schools on Hines' offer list (e.g. Utah, FSU, the new coach at TCU), but this is a list that looks nothing like Addie Deal's or Vukosa's lists, which are populated by many and most, respectively, of the national recruiting powers.
In the Hines interview, one of her comments made me think she wasn't that serious about the Hawks. Paraphrasing...but it was along the lines of "I might take a visit just to meet her" (Caitlin Clark). Certainly could be interpreting it wrong and someone 16 surely isn't versed in interview skills.
 
Stupid post.
It’s not a stupid post. At all. We made the national championship game, we have the best player in the country and even before CC we have played to a few sellout crowds per year at Carver. And we made the Elite 8 with Gustafson right before Clark. So while not a blue blood right now we have as much momentum as any program in the country not named South Carolina or LSU. We’ve never been in this position as a program. Why underestimate yourself?
 
BGHawk - You are one load that your Momma shoulda swallowed.
Real nice. I hope your mommie doesn't make a quick stop in the basement and catch your vile bullshit. It's really sad that there are posters like you that feel the need to castigate others for their opinions. Pretty sad.
 
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Real nice. I hope your mommie doesn't make a quick stop in the basement and catch your vile bullshit. It's really sad that there are posters like you that feel the need to castigate others for their opinions. Pretty sad.
Idiot
 
I Ship It Rose Mciver GIF by CBS
 
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