Don’t rebuild, reload.
That is what Jan Jensen has been able to do with the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team since she took over as the head coach following the Lisa Bluder era. It wasn’t easy. She had to replace an Iowa coaching legend, along with the daunting task of filling the shoes of arguably the greatest women’s basketball player of all time, Caitlin Clark.
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That’s exactly what she has managed to do, though. In this next chapter of Iowa women’s basketball, Jensen has Iowa proving its staying power on the national stage in the women’s game. The Hawkeyes pulled off upsets of top teams last year, found a way to win in the NCAA Tournament again, and are off to a strong start in 2025, which has featured a massive win over Baylor.
All of that has culminated in Jensen and the Hawkeyes being among CBS Sports’ biggest winners of the 2026 early signing period, which, for Iowa, was headlined by landing McKenna Woliczko.
Iowa is still on the map
Jan Jensen has done a great job keeping the momentum going for Iowa in the post-Caitlin Clark Era and just signed the highest-rated player to join the Hawkeyes since Clark left for the WNBA. McKenna Woliczko, ranked No. 6, is a 6-foot-2 forward who Clay described as one of the best rebounders in the nation with elite energy on both sides of the court.
During her junior year at Archbishop Mitty in San Jose, Woliczko averaged 22.1 points and 8.9 rebounds in 10 games before a season-ending knee injury.
“She’s versatile. Boy, she can hit a three but handles the ball with ease,” Jensen said. “She can get to the rim. She can rebound. She’s smart. She’s a leader. Just a great, great kid. Great family. Getting that type of person, first and foremost, and then the type of player she is on top of it — that was just a really huge moment for us. Hawk fans are really going to enjoy watching her because she has a versatile game. It’s smooth. It’s pretty, and it’s very impactful.” – Isabel Gonzales, CBS Sports
The momentum is palpable for the Iowa Hawkeyes right now. The wins on the court continue to come with strong showings, the recruiting trail is staying hot, and Jan Jensen is building her own legacy with the Iowa women’s basketball program.
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This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa women’s basketball, McKenna Woliczko are a CBS recruiting winner
