Under coach Jan Jensen, the five-star Iowa women’s basketball recruit sets a decision date. The date for Iowa women’s basketball has been set. The Hawkeyes are in the midst of a fierce recruiting battle under first-year head coach Jan Jensen, as five-star forward McKenna Woliczko has made her college commitment official. The excitement is genuine.
Woliczko, a 6-foot-2 forward from Archbishop Mitty, California, is ranked No. 2 among power forwards and No. 6 overall in the 2026 class. Iowa, Ohio State, South Carolina, and USC are among her top four choices. Fans are now aware of the precise moment they will learn. On Wednesday, October 1st, at 8 a.m. Pacific Time (10 a.m. Central), she is scheduled to make the announcement. This is a significant moment for the Hawkeyes’ program’s future as well as for Woliczko. Jensen took over, bringing continuity and new expectations after decades under Lisa Bluder, who formally retired in May 2024.
She now takes center stage in the recruiting spotlight on her own. Getting Woliczko would be more than just a cherry on top for Iowa; it would show that the program is still going strong. Particularly during the Caitlin Clark era, Bluder helped Iowa establish a new level of significance in women’s basketball. However, the Hawkeyes are going through a transitional season as a result of Clark’s departure. Woliczko offers an opportunity to maintain momentum rather than merely chase it.
Iowa has made significant investments in fostering relationships during the recruiting cycle. The push includes behind-the-scenes recruiting trips, campus visits, and Zoom calls. Additionally, the program has the opportunity to fully commit, stage the moment, and hopefully persuade Woliczko that Iowa is the right place for her after her public decision-day announcement.
Hawkeye supporters have already started the drumbeat, if you look through social media. The typical conjectures: Will she pick the team that recently advanced to two straight national championship games? Will she want to represent a rebuild for the next generation? Despite being far from her California roots, will she feel at home in Iowa City? Every question is now about to have an answer.
The timing is crucial. Woliczko’s decision to go public carries with it pressure, excitement, and expectation. Iowa must now perform well in the last few minutes: maintain a positive atmosphere, allow the staff to shine, show off player growth, and offer a compelling enough vision to attract one of the best prospects in the country. But let’s be clear: “landing a star” isn’t the only goal here.
It concerns the future. Woliczko will be held to high standards if she chooses Iowa. She will be pushed to help uphold the standards that Clark and others established, compared to the roster’s current core, and encouraged to be a leader. The focus of the story changes from “who is this recruit” to “how does she help us sustain excellence?”
Right now, everyone is focused on October 1. Hawkeye Nation will either celebrate a home run or prepare for heartache at that point. Until then, Jensen and her team must make every impression matter.
In any case, this incident will probably go down as one of the first significant trials under her rule. To put it briefly, Woliczko’s decision day is more than just a formality. It’s the beginning of Iowa’s next chapter under the new leadership of Jan Jensen. And there will be hawkeyes waiting everywhere.
