BLOOMINGTON — Karoline Striplin wanted a more lowkey recruiting process during the spring transfer window than the one she had as Alabama’s Miss Basketball in 2021.
As a standout prospect at Geneva County High School, she had close to 30 scholarship offers before picking Tennessee.
The Indiana women’s basketball team was one of the only suitors that Striplin spoke with this time around.
“I made a list of things I didn’t want to waver from,” Striplin said, at IU’s media days in September. “Indiana checked all those boxes. I didn’t want to draw it out and lead people on that I didn’t need to. I kind of just talked to coach (Teri) Moren a couple of times and I was in.”
Striplin spent less than a week in the portal before signing with a Hoosiers team in need of a post-player with her skill set.
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Striplin played 91 games (39 starts) in three seasons for the Vols and had her most productive season in 2023-24 when she averaged a career-best in points per game (7.2), rebounds (3.1) and minutes (14.4).
Her decision to transfer was a straightforward one — Tennessee made a coaching change and brought in a coach, Kim Caldwell, with a much different scheme than her predecessor Kellie Harper.
Caldwell leans on a ball-pressure defense that runs a near-constant full-court press and is equally aggressive on offense with her past teams putting up a high-volume of 3-point shots.
“The new system they are going to be putting in is going to be great in its own right, but it’s no place for my game,” Striplin said. “I was really set on going outside the conference and being able to step into a bigger role than I had at Tennessee.”
Striplin was plenty familiar with the Hoosiers having traded wins against Indiana over the last two seasons.
“They had a great culture,” Striplin said. “They were working hard, working together, doing the little things, doing the dirty work that doesn’t show up on the stat sheet.”
She also had a good rapport with assistant coach Rhet Wierzba.
“He was one of the first people that recruited me as an eighth and ninth grader,” Striplin said. “He was always on the sidelines for my Alabama Southern Stars AAU games. I’d always see the red, he’d give a little wave. He was always willing to talk ball.”
Indiana’s coaching staff told Striplin on her official visit that they were just watching the portal database and hitting refresh on the day her name was expected to show up.
“I was overwhelmed with thankfulness,” Striplin said, with a smile. “I don’t think I deserve that. They made me feel so welcome. I knew this was something I wanted to be a part of.”
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Indiana was grateful to land the 6-foot-3 forward as the staff planned for life without Mackenzie Holmes.
Holmes, a three-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection and former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, graduated as the program’s all-time leading scorer and wins leaders. She averaged 19.8 points. 6.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game last season.
The Hoosiers haven’t figured out their exact rotations yet, but Striplin will be among the frontcourt players looking to pick up some of that missing production.
“I don’t think anyone can step into her shoes,” Striplin said, with a smile.
Holmes has a chance to dish out one last assist for IU as a graduate manager this year as she rehabs from knee surgery. She sat out her rookie year after getting drafted by the Seattle Storm with the No. 26 pick in the first round.
Striplin is eager to take in as much as she can from the best post player in IU history.
“I’m just looking to learn from her and hopefully move the team along and help us reach our goals,” Striplin said. “Having her on the sideline is epic. I think it’s invaluable to me and honestly everyone on the team.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Why Indiana women’s basketball was perfect fit for Karoline Striplin
