Time to recruit, Lisa.

[HIWILLE]

I’m glad you reposted this shikreto. It was beginning to be a real head scratcher.🤨

 

[ddeanHawk]

I hope Hieden is a good at rebounding. We desperately need to add that ability to the mix.

I hope Heiden is good at rebounding. We desperately need to add that ability to the mix.

We heard you the first time, and we hope so too

 

[GunnerHawk]

There was some rationalization that we have as many top 100 as they do or look at all of our 4 star players we have, etc. I was merely restating the WHY behind the difference vs blue bloods. The chasm is larger than people
Want to admit. Not shocking but fans need to be smarter about women’s recruiting rankings. Me included.

I totally agree with an earlier post in this thread. There are fewer impact players at the womens level. The top 20 - 25 (5 star level) players are impactful. The next 25 can make a difference. The next tier have potential but need development. Stack multiple five stars on a team like SC and UConn and those teams are hard to beat. With that said, Iowa has been great at developing the 50 - 100 range young women. If Lisa can get one or two top 20 - 25 players each year, we'll have better depth. The way Iowa likes to fast break, a few more athletes that we could rotate in and out, look out. 2024 was top 10. 2025 is probably top 15 now and if Hays and McGaughy come along, top 10 again. Hays at 6'5", Heinen at 6'4" and McGaughy at 6'3"would be impactful in the paint for many more years.

 

[hawkod]

It’s crazy how no one wants to reads existing threads. There are exhaustive threads about the following:

• The 2024 class
• 2025 targets
• 2026 targets
• Portal targets
• General recruiting

We have a great post coming in 2024 — Ava Heiden of Oregon, who is very agile/quick for 6’4. She is ranked #40 in the country by ESPN -- #4 Center in the class. We can always use more height but IMO Bluder has been waiting for this kind of a post and will run a lot of offense through her. She doesn't shy away from contact on the block. She WANTS to post up and be physical. I'm excited for her.

For those who can’t be bothered to read those other threads, here’s what you need to know about our incoming recruits/targets:

1) The Class of 2024 is done. It’s a top 10 class. It’s a good class, not an elite class. There are 5 kids in it. They're a complete line-up if need be. The low-down:

• Heiden (C): See above. Unless O'Grady has a breakout senior season, I expect her to be a starter by January if not sooner tbh. Oregon is the farthest away Bluder has ever signed a recruit. It was impressive. She is not in the Prospects Nation Top 60 but was at one time. This is a pretty good get, but she is the type of player who should thrive under Bluder. Lots of upside.
• Mallegni (W): Mallegni has the best offer list since Clark. She had offers from NC, OR, Duke, Ohio State, to name a few. ESPN has her in the mid-60s, as does Prospects Nation. ASGR has her as #28. She will get minutes next year. People have called her the next Warnock. This is a good get.
• Guyton (PG): Ranked in the mid 50s by ESPN. Athletic. Had some good offers including Ohio State. Was supposed to take over for CC, but she just tore her ACL in December. Really unfortunate timing. IMO she is likely to RS her freshman year now. We will have to wait to see how good she can become. Regardless, this is a good get — even if she is not ranked in the Prospects Nation Top 60. An Ohio State offer is a good litmus test.
• Stremlow (G): Knockdown shooter, good defender, but not an elite prospect. Ranked in 90s per ESPN. A good recruit but likely to be a role-player a la McCabe if '25/'26 recruiting pans out as it should. She has very well-rounded stats in HS (Points, Assists, Steals, Rebounds) but I wouldn't expect her to be an impact player early, if at all.
• Levin (G): The only Iowan on the list -- she played for an unknown AAU team so she didn't get much exposure. Had some interesting offers, but nothing truly impressive. Ms. Iowa Basketball, which isn't nothing. But I don't expect her to be a game-changer. Some disagree, I hope I'm wrong.

2) The Class of 2025 has two commits so far -- both are clearly a cut above the entire 2024 class:

• Addie Deal (W): She is ranked #12 in the country acc. to ESPN and #5 according to Prospects Nation. She had offers from LSU, Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA, USC, the list goes on. As a consensus top 12 pick, we should have very high expectations of her. This is an EXCELLENT get -- her HS has traditionally been a feeder school to Stanford.
• Journey Houston (W): She is ranked #31 and #36 by ESPN + Prospects Nation. From Davenport. Not much more to say other than this is a very good get.

The biggest takeaway -- a line up of Guyton (PG), Houston (SG), Deal (SF), Mallegni (PF), Heiden (C) is a good line-up. Furthermore, Stremlow should be an excellent reserve G at 1 or 2. Once the Class of 2024 was set, it was my belief they could compete for a Sweet 16 -- not immediately, but sooner or later. With Houston and Deal on board, the ceiling is higher, potentially sooner.

Remaining Targets: Bluder is not done recruiting for 2025, and her sights are set high. There are 3 very impressive recruits in the mix:

• Jordan Speiser (F): Consensus Top 20 player in the country out of Missouri. She plays for All Iowa Attack and is very warm to Iowa. She has been to campus multiple times. She is the most recent kid Bluder (the HC, not an Asst Coach) went to visit (in Feb I think). It looks like her top 3 are Iowa, Notre Dame, and K-State. She also has an LSU offer.
• Brynn McGaughy (PF): Consensus Top 15 player with a very impressive offer list that may include UConn. She was just in IC for the WV game and was reportedly v. impressed.
• Layla Hays (C): An up-and-coming 6'5 prospect out of Alaska who visited Iowa earlier this season and clearly had a great time. Believe it or not, her aunt played for Bluder. She (and her mom) are both clearly Hawk fans based on their social media activity. Prospects Nation has her as #21. She isn't in the ESPN Top 60 yet -- likely bc she's from Alaska and hasn't had the exposure. But ESPN updates their rankings periodically, I expect she will appear by summer.

If Bluder can land even 1 of these recruits, Iowa instantly is going to be back in contention for a Final Four IMO sooner or later. Hays is the warmest (but she is reportedly getting more and more offers everyday), while Speiser and McGaughy are also great targets. I'm feeling bullish that Bluder will be able to sign 2 or 3 of them tbh. There are other targets -- some elite, some less so -- but these 3 check the most important boxes: very interested, realistic, and highly talented.

This is all to say that the future lineup is already very good, but it could get even better. If Addie Deal is our next Caitlin, she is going to have a lot more help around her than Caitlin ever did.

2026: The excitement doesn't stop in 2025. Bluder has her eye on 3 more Top 25 kids in this class -- all of whom have been to Iowa City multiple times due to their proximity and friendship. She's been working on these relationships much longer than McGaughy / Hays.

• Maddyn Greenway (G): You know the last name. She is a legacy and a phenom. She has offers from everywhere. We're hoping she comes home. Clearcut Top 25 talent. Some say the deal is already done, but nothing is guaranteed til the ink is dry.
• Jenica Lewis (G): Another DSM sharpshooter. She is clearly a hawk fan, but as a Top 25 kid, she'll have the option to go much farther away. Top 25, was reportedly once #1 in the country.
• Addison Bjorn (W): A tall, long, very athletic Top 10 prospect out of MO who plays for All Iowa Attack. She has elite offers from everywhere including UConn. She seems very warm to Texas based on her social media activity. She has been to Iowa City half a dozen times as a sophomore.

I could share more on Portal Targets but it boils down to us needing a PG for next year -- hopefully a veteran. There are a few options listed in the thread referenced above.

But the bottom line here is that Iowa has attracted some pretty good recruits for 2024, some excellent recruits for 2025 and Bluder has set her sights very high for both rest of of the 2025 class as well as the 2026 class.

VERY well done. Read this and you are 99% up to speed on Iowa WBB recruiting.

 

[BirdistheWord]

It’s crazy how no one wants to reads existing threads. There are exhaustive threads about the following:

• The 2024 class
• 2025 targets
• 2026 targets
• Portal targets
• General recruiting

We have a great post coming in 2024 — Ava Heiden of Oregon, who is very agile/quick for 6’4. She is ranked #40 in the country by ESPN -- #4 Center in the class. We can always use more height but IMO Bluder has been waiting for this kind of a post and will run a lot of offense through her. She doesn't shy away from contact on the block. She WANTS to post up and be physical. I'm excited for her.

For those who can’t be bothered to read those other threads, here’s what you need to know about our incoming recruits/targets:

1) The Class of 2024 is done. It’s a top 10 class. It’s a good class, not an elite class. There are 5 kids in it. They're a complete line-up if need be. The low-down:

• Heiden (C): See above. Unless O'Grady has a breakout senior season, I expect her to be a starter by January if not sooner tbh. Oregon is the farthest away Bluder has ever signed a recruit. It was impressive. She is not in the Prospects Nation Top 60 but was at one time. This is a pretty good get, but she is the type of player who should thrive under Bluder. Lots of upside.
• Mallegni (W): Mallegni has the best offer list since Clark. She had offers from NC, OR, Duke, Ohio State, to name a few. ESPN has her in the mid-60s, as does Prospects Nation. ASGR has her as #28. She will get minutes next year. People have called her the next Warnock. This is a good get.
• Guyton (PG): Ranked in the mid 50s by ESPN. Athletic. Had some good offers including Ohio State. Was supposed to take over for CC, but she just tore her ACL in December. Really unfortunate timing. IMO she is likely to RS her freshman year now. We will have to wait to see how good she can become. Regardless, this is a good get — even if she is not ranked in the Prospects Nation Top 60. An Ohio State offer is a good litmus test.
• Stremlow (G): Knockdown shooter, good defender, but not an elite prospect. Ranked in 90s per ESPN. A good recruit but likely to be a role-player a la McCabe if '25/'26 recruiting pans out as it should. She has very well-rounded stats in HS (Points, Assists, Steals, Rebounds) but I wouldn't expect her to be an impact player early, if at all.
• Levin (G): The only Iowan on the list -- she played for an unknown AAU team so she didn't get much exposure. Had some interesting offers, but nothing truly impressive. Ms. Iowa Basketball, which isn't nothing. But I don't expect her to be a game-changer. Some disagree, I hope I'm wrong.

2) The Class of 2025 has two commits so far -- both are clearly a cut above the entire 2024 class:

• Addie Deal (W): She is ranked #12 in the country acc. to ESPN and #5 according to Prospects Nation. She had offers from LSU, Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA, USC, the list goes on. As a consensus top 12 pick, we should have very high expectations of her. This is an EXCELLENT get -- her HS has traditionally been a feeder school to Stanford.
• Journey Houston (W): She is ranked #31 and #36 by ESPN + Prospects Nation. From Davenport. Not much more to say other than this is a very good get.

The biggest takeaway -- a line up of Guyton (PG), Houston (SG), Deal (SF), Mallegni (PF), Heiden (C) is a good line-up. Furthermore, Stremlow should be an excellent reserve G at 1 or 2. Once the Class of 2024 was set, it was my belief they could compete for a Sweet 16 -- not immediately, but sooner or later. With Houston and Deal on board, the ceiling is higher, potentially sooner.

Remaining Targets: Bluder is not done recruiting for 2025, and her sights are set high. There are 3 very impressive recruits in the mix:

• Jordan Speiser (F): Consensus Top 20 player in the country out of Missouri. She plays for All Iowa Attack and is very warm to Iowa. She has been to campus multiple times. She is the most recent kid Bluder (the HC, not an Asst Coach) went to visit (in Feb I think). It looks like her top 3 are Iowa, Notre Dame, and K-State. She also has an LSU offer.
• Brynn McGaughy (PF): Consensus Top 15 player with a very impressive offer list that may include UConn. She was just in IC for the WV game and was reportedly v. impressed.
• Layla Hays (C): An up-and-coming 6'5 prospect out of Alaska who visited Iowa earlier this season and clearly had a great time. Believe it or not, her aunt played for Bluder. She (and her mom) are both clearly Hawk fans based on their social media activity. Prospects Nation has her as #21. She isn't in the ESPN Top 60 yet -- likely bc she's from Alaska and hasn't had the exposure. But ESPN updates their rankings periodically, I expect she will appear by summer.

If Bluder can land even 1 of these recruits, Iowa instantly is going to be back in contention for a Final Four IMO sooner or later. Hays is the warmest (but she is reportedly getting more and more offers everyday), while Speiser and McGaughy are also great targets. I'm feeling bullish that Bluder will be able to sign 2 or 3 of them tbh. There are other targets -- some elite, some less so -- but these 3 check the most important boxes: very interested, realistic, and highly talented.

This is all to say that the future lineup is already very good, but it could get even better. If Addie Deal is our next Caitlin, she is going to have a lot more help around her than Caitlin ever did.

2026: The excitement doesn't stop in 2025. Bluder has her eye on 3 more Top 25 kids in this class -- all of whom have been to Iowa City multiple times due to their proximity and friendship. She's been working on these relationships much longer than McGaughy / Hays.

• Maddyn Greenway (G): You know the last name. She is a legacy and a phenom. She has offers from everywhere. We're hoping she comes home. Clearcut Top 25 talent. Some say the deal is already done, but nothing is guaranteed til the ink is dry.
• Jenica Lewis (G): Another DSM sharpshooter. She is clearly a hawk fan, but as a Top 25 kid, she'll have the option to go much farther away. Top 25, was reportedly once #1 in the country.
• Addison Bjorn (W): A tall, long, very athletic Top 10 prospect out of MO who plays for All Iowa Attack. She has elite offers from everywhere including UConn. She seems very warm to Texas based on her social media activity. She has been to Iowa City half a dozen times as a sophomore.

I could share more on Portal Targets but it boils down to us needing a PG for next year -- hopefully a veteran. There are a few options listed in the thread referenced above.

But the bottom line here is that Iowa has attracted some pretty good recruits for 2024, some excellent recruits for 2025 and Bluder has set her sights very high for both rest of of the 2025 class as well as the 2026 class.

Thank you. Outstanding summary. I am still playing catch up on the women’s side and definitely had some blind spots on recruiting.

 

[Packer54]

I don't think there are many 6'7" women to go around.

UConn 6'7" gal is hitting the portal.

 

[uihawk82]

Huge. The bench had to be screaming 'wolf', and that a Gabby or Caitlin trailer was near. Dribbling more is usually never the answer, especially in the women's game.

80-75 was the score.

thanks for posting the score at that point. Any basket by Iowa making a one possession game is huge if you can stay with them and make one stop to tie it or go ahead.

 

[NevadaHawk]

We heard you the first time, and we hope so too

The double post was not intentional. I don't know why that happened. Don't let it ruin your day.

 

[jerbob36]

Very good classes are different than great classes.
Great classes will keep us elite.
I'm not convinced the '24 class will keep us competitive at a national level next year. I'm just hoping our "down" year is still a Sweet 16 year.
I do think the '25 recruits can and will get us back to an elite level.

Thanks for breaking down the recruits. No way I'm taking time to read through all of those threads, so I appreciate it.

 

[shikreto]

2024 was top 10. 2025 is probably top 15 now and if Hays and McGaughy come along, top 10 again. Hays at 6'5", Heinen at 6'4" and McGaughy at 6'3"would be impactful in the paint for many more years.

I think that if Bluder lands one of Hays, Speiser or McGaughy, 2025 is definitely a Top 10 class, pushing top 5. If she lands two, it’s a likely clear Top 5. McGaughy is most impressive due to the UConn offer. I’m also betting Hays will debut as a top 30 recruit this summer on HoopGurlz. Her offer list after the summer event was impressive (NC, MD, TCU, IU, TN to name a few).

I'm not convinced the '24 class will keep us competitive at a national level next year. I'm just hoping our "down" year is still a Sweet 16 year. I do think the '25 recruits can and will get us back to an elite level.

I say lower your expectations for next year. I do think, however, that if an impact transfer PG is landed, we could definitely compete to host the first two rounds / a top 4 finish in the B1G (especially considering what’s happening on the Michigan, PSU, Mich St, Maryland, Ohio State, Indiana rosters).

The ‘24 class, if things go right, should be an important class for us, if not necessarily a star-studded one. I think you get what I mean. Elite players are important, but so are role players. Most of the ‘24 class will see floor time over their career and should have active roles on this team, but I’m relieved that the most talented kids are younger. I think Mallegni and Heiden see significant minutes sooner or later, perhaps sooner. Stremlow too but ideally later (we shouldn’t expect her to be ready for primetime as a freshman). We have been badly in need of depth for awhile but could be in a real position for it in 2-3 seasons. A lot needs to go right of course…

With the PAC schools joining next year, the B1G will be volatile. I’m kind of relieved we get to burn a rebuilding year on that mess while UCLA and USC suck all the oxygen out of the room. Our class of ‘25 should have two years free of Juju and only have to deal with Betts for one. Small victories lol.

 

[longliveCS40]

Talia Von Oelhoffen just got the portal. Point guard out of Oregon State. Seems like she would be a good for and full a need.

 

[Randon]

Isn't the 6'4" post from Oregon (Heiden ?) coming in this year as part of the Freshman class?

 

[shikreto]

Isn't the 6'4" post from Oregon (Heiden ?) coming in this year as part of the Freshman class?

Is it really that hard to click back even ONE PAGE to see if your question has been answered? Please be serious you guys lol.

It’s crazy how no one wants to reads existing threads. There are exhaustive threads about the following:

• The 2024 class
• 2025 targets
• 2026 targets
• Portal targets
• General recruiting

We have a great post coming in 2024 — Ava Heiden of Oregon, who is very agile/quick for 6’4. She is ranked #40 in the country by ESPN -- #4 Center in the class. We can always use more height but IMO Bluder has been waiting for this kind of a post and will run a lot of offense through her. She doesn't shy away from contact on the block. She WANTS to post up and be physical. I'm excited for her.

For those who can’t be bothered to read those other threads, here’s what you need to know about our incoming recruits/targets:

1) The Class of 2024 is done. It’s a top 10 class. It’s a good class, not an elite class. There are 5 kids in it. They're a complete line-up if need be. The low-down:

• Heiden (C): See above. Unless O'Grady has a breakout senior season, I expect her to be a starter by January if not sooner tbh. Oregon is the farthest away Bluder has ever signed a recruit. It was impressive. She is not in the Prospects Nation Top 60 but was at one time. This is a pretty good get, but she is the type of player who should thrive under Bluder. Lots of upside.
• Mallegni (W): Mallegni has the best offer list since Clark. She had offers from NC, OR, Duke, Ohio State, to name a few. ESPN has her in the mid-60s, as does Prospects Nation. ASGR has her as #28. She will get minutes next year. People have called her the next Warnock. This is a good get.
• Guyton (PG): Ranked in the mid 50s by ESPN. Athletic. Had some good offers including Ohio State. Was supposed to take over for CC, but she just tore her ACL in December. Really unfortunate timing. IMO she is likely to RS her freshman year now. We will have to wait to see how good she can become. Regardless, this is a good get — even if she is not ranked in the Prospects Nation Top 60. An Ohio State offer is a good litmus test.
• Stremlow (G): Knockdown shooter, good defender, but not an elite prospect. Ranked in 90s per ESPN. A good recruit but likely to be a role-player a la McCabe if '25/'26 recruiting pans out as it should. She has very well-rounded stats in HS (Points, Assists, Steals, Rebounds) but I wouldn't expect her to be an impact player early, if at all.
• Levin (G): The only Iowan on the list -- she played for an unknown AAU team so she didn't get much exposure. Had some interesting offers, but nothing truly impressive. Ms. Iowa Basketball, which isn't nothing. But I don't expect her to be a game-changer. Some disagree, I hope I'm wrong.

2) The Class of 2025 has two commits so far -- both are clearly a cut above the entire 2024 class:

• Addie Deal (W): She is ranked #12 in the country acc. to ESPN and #5 according to Prospects Nation. She had offers from LSU, Stanford, Ohio State, Indiana, UCLA, USC, the list goes on. As a consensus top 12 pick, we should have very high expectations of her. This is an EXCELLENT get -- her HS has traditionally been a feeder school to Stanford.
• Journey Houston (W): She is ranked #31 and #36 by ESPN + Prospects Nation. From Davenport. Not much more to say other than this is a very good get.

The biggest takeaway -- a line up of Guyton (PG), Houston (SG), Deal (SF), Mallegni (PF), Heiden (C) is a good line-up. Furthermore, Stremlow should be an excellent reserve G at 1 or 2. Once the Class of 2024 was set, it was my belief they could compete for a Sweet 16 -- not immediately, but sooner or later. With Houston and Deal on board, the ceiling is higher, potentially sooner.

Remaining Targets: Bluder is not done recruiting for 2025, and her sights are set high. There are 3 very impressive recruits in the mix:

• Jordan Speiser (F): Consensus Top 20 player in the country out of Missouri. She plays for All Iowa Attack and is very warm to Iowa. She has been to campus multiple times. She is the most recent kid Bluder (the HC, not an Asst Coach) went to visit (in Feb I think). It looks like her top 3 are Iowa, Notre Dame, and K-State. She also has an LSU offer.
• Brynn McGaughy (PF): Consensus Top 15 player with a very impressive offer list that may include UConn. She was just in IC for the WV game and was reportedly v. impressed.
• Layla Hays (C): An up-and-coming 6'5 prospect out of Alaska who visited Iowa earlier this season and clearly had a great time. Believe it or not, her aunt played for Bluder. She (and her mom) are both clearly Hawk fans based on their social media activity. Prospects Nation has her as #21. She isn't in the ESPN Top 60 yet -- likely bc she's from Alaska and hasn't had the exposure. But ESPN updates their rankings periodically, I expect she will appear by summer.

If Bluder can land even 1 of these recruits, Iowa is going to be back in contention for a Final Four IMO sooner or later. Hays is the warmest (but she is reportedly getting more and more offers everyday), while Speiser and McGaughy are also great targets. I'm feeling bullish that Bluder will be able to sign 2 or 3 of them tbh. There are other targets -- some elite, some less so -- but these 3 check the most important boxes: very interested, realistic, and highly talented.

This is all to say that the future lineup is already very good, but it could get even better. If Addie Deal is our next Caitlin, she is going to have a lot more help around her than Caitlin ever did.

2026: The excitement doesn't stop in 2025. Bluder has her eye on 3 more Top 25 kids in this class -- all of whom have been to Iowa City multiple times due to their proximity and friendship. She's been working on these relationships much longer than McGaughy / Hays.

• Maddyn Greenway (G): You know the last name. She is a legacy and a phenom. She has offers from everywhere. We're hoping she comes home. Clearcut Top 25 talent. Some say the deal is already done, but nothing is guaranteed til the ink is dry.
• Jenica Lewis (G): Another DSM sharpshooter. She is clearly a hawk fan, but as a Top 25 kid, she'll have the option to go much farther away. Top 25, was reportedly once #1 in the country.
• Addison Bjorn (W): A tall, long, very athletic Top 10 prospect out of MO who plays for All Iowa Attack. She has elite offers from everywhere including UConn. She seems very warm to Texas based on her social media activity. She has been to Iowa City half a dozen times as a sophomore.

I could share more on Portal Targets but it boils down to us needing a PG for next year -- hopefully a veteran. -- bc of Guyton's inury. There are a few options listed in the thread referenced above.

But the bottom line here is that Iowa has attracted some pretty good recruits for 2024, some excellent recruits for 2025 and Bluder has set her sights very high for both rest of of the 2025 class as well as the 2026 class.

 

[ghostOfHomer777]

I wish we would lose the little old iowa moniker in more than one sport.

Yeah, in football it's a little more understandable ... simply as a numbers and population issue.

However, in basketball, roster-sizes are so small ... that you would imagine that it shouldn't be a numbers issue.

Of course, Iowa's roster dealt with a good bit of attrition at guard ... because, while everyone WANTED to be Caitliln ... not everybody could be her. Lauren Jensen, Megan Meyer, among others transferred out ...

Among the bigs ... pressure by Caitlin may have actually slowed some of their development. When the superstar is always jumping on your case ... it can tear you down more than build you up. Jan is such a good coach ... that you know that our issues with the bigs was not due to coaching.

 

[IamHawkeye]

We should have recruited last year with the best player in basketball on our team. CC deserved a better supporting cast.

Maybe, just maybe, the ones who didn't come last year wanted to be the big name and knew the big name was already there.

 

[SunzOutGunzOut]

Talia Von Oelhoffen just got the portal. Point guard out of Oregon State. Seems like she would be a good for and full a need.

She's looking at USC, UCLA, and Kentucky so far.

 

[littlez]

Sounds like our number 1 priority that I'm reading is the pt guard from Villanova. Would be a rally good get in my opinion, especially w/Guyton having the knee injury.