r/IowaWbb

Now that the roster is set, how did we think the Hawkeyes do with their roster construction for the upcoming season?

A few months ago just before the start of the portal, I put together a confidently incompetent list of 10 Tenets of Roster Construction - just things I believe to be important when putting a new team on the floor so I wanted to see how the coaching staff matched my "tenets". And say what you want about my tenets of roster construction; at least it's an ethos!

Link to that original post

TENET #1: Be honest & uncompromising when evaluating your own roster - proper retention is of paramount importance

• While the playing time & fresh starts of the other Hawkeye departures were foreseeable, the one true surprise to me of the 5 players who entered the portal was Addie. While not knowing exactly what was negotiated, it's safe to say that the staff decided that Addie's potential production was not worth the price. To let a player who was as highly touted as any freshman in Hawkeye history (including CC) walk was what I would call "honest & uncompromising". APPROVED.

TENET #2: Covet two types of HS recruits: Highest graded recruits & BIGS

• As both highly graded (97 ESPN; 98 24/7) and big at 6'2", McKenna fits this perfectly. Her potential ball handling/shooting at that size is exactly what every team is looking for. APPROVED.

TENET #3: Keep the HS class to 2-3 players maximum with the exception that any talented low maintenance hard commit should be signed

• Came in at 2 freshmen so APPROVED!

TENET #4: Don’t be afraid to spend on a two-way star

• Recent MVP of the USA Basketball 3x3 showcase Dani Carnegie was one of the few two-way stars in the portal. APPROVED!

TENET #5: Focus on predictive performance in the portal

• Arguably the most predictive statistic is effective FG%; efficient scorers tend to stay that way. The two departing players who played the most minutes last year (Hannah & Kylie) had respective eFG% of 53.9% (Hannah) and 40.2% (Kylie). The two incoming players from the portal who match those departing minutes (Dani & Amari) had respective eFG% of 51.8% (Dani) and 47.6% (Amari). Since Dani & Amari bring an increase in shot volume (729 shot attempts for Dani & Amari; 470 for Hannah & Kylie) with this cumulative increase in efficiency, I'd say this is a win. Also, as stated recently, Jan wants the Hawks to play Four Out again this year. In order to successfully play that way, you need guards who can rebound. Last season, there were 4 high-major players at 5'10" or under who had an offense rebound rate above 6 & a defensive rebound rate above 17. Amari Whiting is one of those players. APPROVED.

TENET #6: Find value in players with an elite skill

• Dani, Amari & McKenna don't qualify here - they are not "value" players per se. And from a basketball standpoint, it's difficult to see where the other 3 incoming players qualify here so I'm listing this as INCOMPLETE.

TENET #7: Only take gambles on underused talent that you know

• Jocelyn played only 15% of Georgia's minutes last year. Boogie recruited & offered her while at Georgia Tech. She knows Jocelyn. APPROVED.

TENET #8: Don’t expect Mid-Major transfers to be nearly as productive

• I guess Bria qualifies here but to me, this is more about the rumored transfer that Hawks didn't sign. From all the tea being spilled, Reagan McCowan from Western Illinois looked like this might fit her to a T - an extremely high-usage player who might not produce any near previous levels against the uptick in competition. I think the Hawks dodged a bullet here. APPROVED.

TENET #9: “Soft Skill” players are important – save a space for them

• This is Bria Medina. And from everything I've read, this is an absolute home run get, both from the locker room & the fans. Great story, saying all the right things, new & former teammates ecstatic in their online praise. I think the staff nailed this one. EDIT: I think Amari fits this tenet as well. APPROVED.

TENET #10: Get overseas!

• Välkommen till Iowa City, Ella Strömdahl! APPROVED.

Hitting 9 out of 10 is pretty impressive - what does everyone else think about this roster before Summer Practice starts in mid-June?

No words to add 👌

Always love it when student athletes give back to their communities.

https://www.thegazette.com/sports/college/iowa-hawkeyes/make-yourself-acquainted-with-bria-medina-and-ella-stromdahl/article_b83f4336-2b4f-4bda-98e3-28fd3bc31d47.html

Love this part especially👇. Would love to have seen her face when Randi called!

"“I came here, worked as hard as I could and became a better basketball player. I really didn’t have any intentions to transfer.” Still, Medina entered the portal, just to see what level of interest she would draw.

“I got maybe 10 or 12 calls from mid-major D-I programs,” she said. “(Fairleigh Dickinson) recruited me. They said, ‘We made it to (the NCAA tournament) last year,’ and wanted me to watch their (first-round) game with Iowa.”

She watched FDU, yes. She allowed herself to daydream a bit about Iowa: “In the back of my head, I thought, ‘Wow, imagine what it would be like to play for them.’”

A couple of days later, Iowa assistant Randi Henderson called.

“I was shocked,” Medina said. “I never expected to hear from Iowa, or any Power-4 program.”"

Swedish 6'0" forward Ella Stromdahl is latest commitment for the Hawkeye women

The Hawkeyes have ventured into international waters for their latest commitment, snagging a freshman from Sweden in Ella Stromdahl.

https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/basketball-women/2026/05/13/iowa-womens-basketball-recruiting-ella-stromdahl-commitment/90046327007/

Both of the teams constructed from the camp went 3-0.

Team Phoenix has Dani Carnegie, Katie Fiso, ZaKiyah Johnson, and Tori McKinney.
Team Tempe has Mara Braun, Ava Heiden, Imari Berry, and Nyla Brooks.

A few things. Poor Mesa really struggled. Arizona State seems to really shut down the scoring. Phoenix had a very strong day.

The quarterfinals, semis and final are set for today. It seems like there's a high possibility for a final of Phoenix versus Tempe, but 3x games are so short and fast--there's a lot of uncertainty!

I wish there was a streaming source for today's games. If anyone finds one, please let me know.