In Iowa City, that motto has evolved beyond a simple catchphrase.
It is the guiding principle of what Jan Jensen has accomplished since assuming leadership of the Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball program. Not only did Jensen inherit a successful team upon the retirement of the legendary Lisa Bluder, but she also entered one of the most difficult follow-up roles in sports history. It’s difficult enough to replace a Hall of Fame-caliber coach, but it’s even more difficult to do so in the post-Caitlin Clark era after Iowa’s transcendent superstar departed for the WNBA.
However, Jensen has overcome that obstacle head-on and maintained Iowa’s prominence in the country. The Hawkeyes did not regress as many had predicted during her first season as head coach. Rather, they continued to be dangerous, relevant, and remarkably resilient. Iowa maintained its postseason play trend, defeated elite opponents, and demonstrated early in the 2025 season that it had no intention of losing its national relevance. The Hawkeyes began the new season with big wins, such as a decisive victory over Baylor, which served as a reminder to everyone that Iowa’s momentum did not end with Clark.
This ongoing success has now translated into a recruiting victory as well. Thanks in large part to elite forward McKenna Woliczko’s headline commitment, CBS Sports recently named Iowa one of the biggest winners of the 2026 early signing period. Undoubtedly, landing Woliczko is a significant accomplishment.
Ranked sixth in the country, the 6-foot-2 Archbishop Mitty standout is the highest-rated recruit the Hawkeyes have signed since Clark. Woliczko has received a lot of recognition for her unwavering enthusiasm and sophisticated skill set, which have made her one of the nation’s most sought-after athletes. Isabel Gonzales of CBS Sports described her as one of the best rebounders in the country, highlighting her motor, adaptability, and capacity to affect both ends of the court. Before suffering a season-ending knee injury, she averaged 22.1 points and 8.9 rebounds in just 10 games during her junior year in San Jose. Her output was strong enough to maintain her status as one of the most highly regarded prospects in the 2026 class even during that abbreviated campaign.
Jensen, who has extensive experience assessing elite frontcourt talent, was ecstatic about the addition. She is adaptable. Jensen remarked, “Boy, she can hit a three but handles the ball with ease.” She is able to reach the rim. She is able to bounce back. She is intelligent. She is in charge. A wonderful, wonderful child. Fantastic family. It was a really significant moment for us to get that kind of person first and foremost and then the kind of player she is on top of it.
Her voice is filled with excitement, and for good reason. Acquiring a player of Woliczko’s caliber does more than simply improve a team. It conveys a message. Even without the most prolific scorer women’s basketball has ever seen, it shows the rest of the college basketball world that Iowa is still capable of competing at the highest level. It conveys to recruits that the program’s identity is not limited to a single superstar. Additionally, it confirms Jensen’s capacity to both uphold and improve the foundation Bluder established using her own design. Jensen continued, “Hawk fans are going to really enjoy watching her because she has a versatile game.” It is seamless. It has a strong impact and is attractive.
As Iowa forges its own route into a new era, that combination of talent, competitiveness, and charisma is precisely what it needs. There is a tangible sense of momentum surrounding the Hawkeyes at the moment. The victories are mounting. The hiring process is intense. And in a program that has become accustomed to national significance, Jensen, who was once entrusted with the nearly impossible, is quietly creating her own legacy. Refer to it as reloading. Refer to it as resilience. Whatever you want to call it. One thing is certain, though: Iowa women’s basketball is here to stay.
