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

Sorry if I missed it but how many more do we take for the '23 class? We at least replace Jones right?
 
Sorry if I missed it but how many more do we take for the '23 class? We at least replace Jones right?
Someone here probably knows the answer to this, but can we actually use Ava's scholarship on another player? She's said she wants to attempt to play again. It might take 2+ years to know if that is possible. If we're honoring her scholarship but leaving open the possibility of her playing, wouldn't she have to take 1 of the 15 spots and just take medical redshirts?
 
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Someone here probably knows the answer to this, but can we actually use Ava's scholarship on another player? She's said she wants to attempt to play again. It might take 2+ years to know if that is possible. If we're honoring her scholarship but leaving open the possibility of her playing, wouldn't she have to take 1 of the 15 spots and just take medical redshirts?
Good Q. On the football side, it seems like a black-and-white rule: once you take a medical scholarship, you can never play for that school. Not sure this is 100% accurate, but that has been the message board chatter regarding Ezra Miller.
 
Good Q. On the football side, it seems like a black-and-white rule: once you take a medical scholarship, you can never play for that school. Not sure this is 100% accurate, but that has been the message board chatter regarding Ezra Miller.
That was my assumption. If she takes a medical scholarship, I assumed that wouldn't count against the 15, but that once you take it, you can't undo it.
 
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Someone here probably knows the answer to this, but can we actually use Ava's scholarship on another player? She's said she wants to attempt to play again. It might take 2+ years to know if that is possible. If we're honoring her scholarship but leaving open the possibility of her playing, wouldn't she have to take 1 of the 15 spots and just take medical redshirts?
Tom says that it counts as a scholarship if they want to leave it open to her playing again. If they use the hardship scholarship they were talking about, she is not allowed to play at Iowa. She would have to transfer to play.
 
Tom says that it counts as a scholarship if they want to leave it open to her playing again. If they use the hardship scholarship they were talking about, she is not allowed to play at Iowa. She would have to transfer to play.

If that's the rule then that's the rule, and that rule seams to me to be a stupid rule. With all that's going on with the transfer portal and players transferring as many times as they wish, it seems to me that if Ava takes the medical hardship, that if after 3 or 4 years she wanted to play again, then it sort of makes sense to me that she should be allowed to play for the University and the women's basketball team that took care of her when she and her family needed it the most.
 
If that's the rule then that's the rule, and that rule seams to me to be a stupid rule. With all that's going on with the transfer portal and players transferring as many times as they wish, it seems to me that if Ava takes the medical hardship, that if after 3 or 4 years she wanted to play again, then it sort of makes sense to me that she should be allowed to play for the University and the women's basketball team that took care of her when she and her family needed it the most.
I think this is an unprecedented situation that the rule didn't contemplate. The waiver was presumably established to help players who know they will never play again, due to concussions or other permanent injuries. Most other injuries don't last longer than 12-18 months. Ava just happens to have an extremely rare situation where we won't know whether she can play again for a very long time.
 
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On a different note...I wonder if our pre-season rank might do anything to sway Jasmine Brown? Her extra long decision window has been trying me lol but hey, maybe this could tip things in our favor. No one else in her Top 6 is even receiving votes....
 
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On a different note...I wonder if our pre-season rank might do anything to sway Jasmine Brown? Her extra long decision window has been trying me lol but hey, maybe this could tip things in our favor. No one else in her Top 6 is even receiving votes....
I think that program quality could absolutely be a factor. Not sure the pre-season rankings will influence her much, though, because I think the expectation was Iowa would be top 6 or 7 at a minimum. She already knows Iowa was the best program currently by a wide margin.
 
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If that's the rule then that's the rule, and that rule seams to me to be a stupid rule. With all that's going on with the transfer portal and players transferring as many times as they wish, it seems to me that if Ava takes the medical hardship, that if after 3 or 4 years she wanted to play again, then it sort of makes sense to me that she should be allowed to play for the University and the women's basketball team that took care of her when she and her family needed it the most.
I'm not confident Ava will ever be at a level to be able to play again. But scholarships are awarded on an a yearly basis. So if by some miracle she is ever to play again, the university could theoretically revoke the medical hardship and put her on an athletic scholarship.

But given the extend of her injuries it is HIGHLY unlikely she will ever play basketball competitively again which is why it's such a huge deal for Iowa to honor her scholarship for all four years on hardship.

She is going to need full reconstructive surgery on both knees. And with all four ligaments torn, you're looking at open and not orthoscopic surgery. Then she's likely facing additional surgeries later to remove scar tissue.

After that, she'll have months if not years of physical and occupational therapy. Her career has been stolen from her. I know we all love miracles but we have to be realistic. She would need an actual verifiable biblical level miracle because modern medicine will only get her so far.
 
I'm not confident Ava will ever be at a level to be able to play again. But scholarships are awarded on an a yearly basis. So if by some miracle she is ever to play again, the university could theoretically revoke the medical hardship and put her on an athletic scholarship.

But given the extend of her injuries it is HIGHLY unlikely she will ever play basketball competitively again which is why it's such a huge deal for Iowa to honor her scholarship for all four years on hardship.

She is going to need full reconstructive surgery on both knees. And with all four ligaments torn, you're looking at open and not orthoscopic surgery. Then she's likely facing additional surgeries later to remove scar tissue.

After that, she'll have months if not years of physical and occupational therapy. Her career has been stolen from her. I know we all love miracles but we have to be realistic. She would need an actual verifiable biblical level miracle because modern medicine will only get her so far.
I take Kyle's response earlier today to mean that if Iowa puts Ava on medical hardship, that they can't later put her on scholarship. So I don't think that the medical hardship can be revoked later unless she went to a different school.

Intuitively that makes sense to me. The hardship is supposed to help athletes who can't play any longer. If it can be revoked, teams might use it to circumvent the scholarship limit.
 
I take Kyle's response earlier today to mean that if Iowa puts Ava on medical hardship, that they can't later put her on scholarship. So I don't think that the medical hardship can be revoked later unless she went to a different school.

Intuitively that makes sense to me. The hardship is supposed to help athletes who can't play any longer. If it can be revoked, teams might use it to circumvent the scholarship limit.
Which is why I am sure Iowa will be willing to just go with 14 scholarships until Ava makes a final decision.
 
If that's the rule then that's the rule, and that rule seams to me to be a stupid rule. With all that's going on with the transfer portal and players transferring as many times as they wish, it seems to me that if Ava takes the medical hardship, that if after 3 or 4 years she wanted to play again, then it sort of makes sense to me that she should be allowed to play for the University and the women's basketball team that took care of her when she and her family needed it the most.

It is not a stupid rule...it prevents schools from putting S-As on medical hardship as a way to avoid scholarship limits issues.
 
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If that's the rule then that's the rule, and that rule seams to me to be a stupid rule. With all that's going on with the transfer portal and players transferring as many times as they wish, it seems to me that if Ava takes the medical hardship, that if after 3 or 4 years she wanted to play again, then it sort of makes sense to me that she should be allowed to play for the University and the women's basketball team that took care of her when she and her family needed it the most.
There are always exceptions and waivers by petition as well, so not all hope is lost.
 
With her story she could serve as a very inspirational figure in many ways….. especially in a city with a world class children’s hospital….. maybe she could sign some NIL deals to help with all the medical costs
 
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No inside info but Illinois is the team I fear the most in the Brown sweepstakes. Close to. home, young dynamic coach and part of building a new culture in your home state.
Don’t know which way this cuts in the Jasmine Brown sweepstakes, but Illinois got two guard commitments this week.

 
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No inside info but Illinois is the team I fear the most in the Brown sweepstakes. Close to. home, young dynamic coach and part of building a new culture in your home state.
I'm more concerned about Rutgers because of their tradition. Also a new young dynamic coach and they have a need for a player like Brown and could offer her quality minutes. My biggest fear is that when looking at Iowa she will see the amount of depth Iowa has. I think she has much more opportunity if Gabbie or Kate doesn't use their COVID year as far as minutes next year. If she comes to Iowa her freshman opportunities are limited as far as guard minutes.

That being said if she is willing to maybe take a redshirt her first year, the minutes open up in '24-25 and having a year in the weight room to develop might be beneficial for her.
 
Kyle; we've all been watching/waiting in re: to the bevy of Iowa recruits. Coach Bluder has been targeting a higher level of player than in the past. Among these possible recruits, do you have a sense of who is more likely or less likely to sign with the Hawks?
 
Kyle; we've all been watching/waiting in re: to the bevy of Iowa recruits. Coach Bluder has been targeting a higher level of player than in the past. Among these possible recruits, do you have a sense of who is more likely or less likely to sign with the Hawks?
I really dont have any inside info on this because of the fact that it’s not available like other sports.

I’m intrigued by Sinai Douglas, Ava Heiden, Journey Houston and Jordan Speiser. Especially Speiser’s move to play with All Iowa Attack. Maybe even Addison Deal with the excitement she expressed from her visit.
 
Has Jasmine Brown stated when she anticipates making a decision? Also I wonder if fans should feel better about Iowa's chances since they're not pursuing anybody beyond Brown for 2023.
 
I really hope I’m wrong but I think we should all lower our expectations with JB. I’m really not feeling like Iowa is her cup of tea.

Again, I’m really hoping I’m wrong…
 
I'm more concerned about Rutgers because of their tradition. Also a new young dynamic coach and they have a need for a player like Brown and could offer her quality minutes. My biggest fear is that when looking at Iowa she will see the amount of depth Iowa has. I think she has much more opportunity if Gabbie or Kate doesn't use their COVID year as far as minutes next year. If she comes to Iowa her freshman opportunities are limited as far as guard minutes.

That being said if she is willing to maybe take a redshirt her first year, the minutes open up in '24-25 and having a year in the weight room to develop might be beneficial for her.
Hopefully distance plays a little into her decision. Joliet Illinois to Iowa city Iowa 2 hours 50 minutes, versus Joliet Illinois to New Brunswick New Jersey 11 hours and 50 minutes. 9 hours difference is huge Especially if family wants to travel. :)
 
Hopefully distance plays a little into her decision. Joliet Illinois to Iowa city Iowa 2 hours 50 minutes, versus Joliet Illinois to New Brunswick New Jersey 11 hours and 50 minutes. 9 hours difference is huge Especially if family wants to travel. :)
Based on her massive recruiting footprint, I got the sense early on that she was looking for an opportunity that was new, exciting and far away. She and her family traveled all over. I get that she is strongly considering IL, but she also put Mississippi State in her top six without even a visit, Rutgers as well even tho they’ve completely bottomed out and are basically building a program from scratch.

IOW the bar is pretty low for a school across the country with tons of question marks around it….whereas what Iowa is offering — on paper, the best (and the “safest”) option by far — hasnt been enough to seal the deal, even when her best friend signed.
 
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Based on her massive recruiting footprint, I got the sense early on that she was looking for an opportunity that was new, exciting and far away. She and her family traveled all over. I get that she is strongly considering IL, but she also put Mississippi State in her top six without even a visit, Rutgers as well even tho they’ve completely bottomed out and are basically building a program from scratch.

IOW the bar is pretty low for a school across the country with tons of question marks around it….whereas what Iowa is offering — on paper, the best (and the “safest”) option by far — hasnt been enough to seal the deal, even when her best friend signed.

Interesting long interview with Jasmine Brown where she discusses her schools. Curious what others think about her comments about schools and Iowa. Had a hard time getting a read on Iowa’s chances.
 

Interesting long interview with Jasmine Brown where she discusses her schools. Curious what others think about her comments about schools and Iowa. Had a hard time getting a read on Iowa’s chances.
Thanks for posting. It seems outside of Iowa she acknowledges all the other programs are rebuilding. Iowa was the only school where she had only positive comments and no disclaimers.

I know that was an Illinois podcast, but it seems Illinois is really trying to sell her on her being the piece to change things, "their Ayo." If she picks Illinois, Rutgers, or Mississippi State, it will be because of the connection she has with the staffs there.
 
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Thanks for posting. It seems outside of Iowa she acknowledges all the other programs are rebuilding. Iowa was the only school where she had only positive comments and no disclaimers.

I know that was an Illinois podcast, but it seems Illinois is really trying to sell her on her being the piece to change things, "their Ayo." If she picks Illinois, Rutgers, or Mississippi State, it will be because of the connection she has with the staffs there.
After listening to the podcast, I would have to agree with the host and say Michigan State. I don't see her picking Iowa. She was most enthusiastic talking about the Spartans. It sounds like she wants to be the star right away wherever she goes. Won't happen at Iowa. She also wants an urban atmosphere. I will be delighted if she picks the Hawkeyes though.

Have to say also the host said he works for the University of Illinois, yet he was openly recruiting her on the podcast. Not sure how that works.
 
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Interesting long interview with Jasmine Brown where she discusses her schools. Curious what others think about her comments about schools and Iowa. Had a hard time getting a read on Iowa’s chances.
Thanks for posting! After listening, I’d be surprised if she picks Iowa. MSU and IL seem to be the favorites. Ya have to wonder if the hold up is the fact that she’d have to play (and usually lose to) her best friend.

Also LOL at how she didn’t know what conference Pitt is in (I didn’t either til recently)…
 
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