Five-Star Forward As the Hawkeyes Look to Future Stars, Addison Bjorn Selects Texas Over Iowa.
The pursuit of five-star forward Addison Bjorn by Iowa women’s basketball may be the most obvious indication of the program’s increased national prominence thus far. But in the end, Bjorn decided to bring her skills to Texas despite a full-court press from head coach Lisa Bluder’s staff, several campus visits, and a powerful late push.
Earlier this fall, Bjorn, a 6-foot-2 small forward from Park Hill South in Riverside, Missouri, formally reduced her list to seven universities. Along with Kansas, UConn, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Duke, and Texas—the eventual winner—Iowa made the cut. Her official visit to Iowa City in late September, which coincided with the Hawkeyes’ home football game against Indiana, gave the program hope that they were definitely in the running. They were, too. Not firmly enough, though.
After a protracted recruitment process that went beyond the early signing period, Texas, a developing powerhouse under head coach Vic Schaefer, ultimately closed the deal. The Longhorns’ victory is significant, but Iowa’s pursuit wasn’t in vain. The Hawkeyes continued to be discussed until the very end, highlighting the momentum they have developed recently—momentum that has only grown stronger since the Caitlin Clark era.
Bjorn’s resume is self-explanatory. She averaged 22 points, 11.5 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 3.3 steals per game when she was chosen as Missouri’s 2024–25 Gatorade Player of the Year. She is the type of player who uses her presence to influence a game rather than merely filling a stat sheet. These days, forward coaches want to build an offense around players who are long, skilled, and versatile. Even though the Hawkeyes would have loved to have her on the team, losing out on a five-star in this situation isn’t a setback. It’s just a part of competing with the best in the country.
And here’s the thing: Iowa did land a five-star. Just from the next class.
The Hawkeyes’ 2026 class is already shaping up as one of the most impressive in program history, headlined by five-star forward McKenna Woliczko from Archbishop Mitty in California. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Woliczko has been on the national radar for years—ranked No. 6 overall, the No. 2 power forward, and the No. 2 player in California according to 247Sports.
Woliczko was averaging 22.2 points and 8.6 rebounds on an astounding 59% shooting percentage prior to a season-ending injury last year. These figures, along with her impressive sophomore stats of 22.1 points and 8.4 rebounds, show that she is a superb two-way player with a level of skill that is uncommon for a junior in high school. Jan Jensen, the associate head coach at Iowa, even hinted that Woliczko’s potential for recovery and rehabilitation played a favorable role in the decision to actively pursue her.
After 2025 signee Addie Deal, who was ranked ninth in the country, Iowa has now signed a five-star California standout for the second consecutive year. When a program in the Midwest begins to regularly draw top prospects from California? Pipelines for hiring are thus created. Yes, getting Bjorn would have been a major victory. However, Iowa didn’t even come away empty-handed. The Hawkeyes are building up their talent pool, expanding their recruiting network, and setting themselves up for sustained success. Even though Bjorn is headed to Texas, Iowa’s future is still very promising.
