For the first time in program history, Iowa signed four top-100 prospects in the 2024 signing class according to ESPN.
Guards Aaliyah Guyton, Teagan Mallegni, Taylor Stremlow and center Ava Heiden were all regarded as top-100 talents per ESPN. Iowa also inked in-state guard Callie Levin out of Solon High School to round out its 2024 signing class.
First-year Iowa head women’s basketball coach Jan Jensen met with the media during the Hawkeyes’ annual Media Day on Thursday. Jensen had plenty to say in previewing her 2024-25 squad.
While fielding questions on the season ahead, naturally, everyone wanted to know who has been standing out thus far from this freshman class.
“You know, I think we have a really solid great freshman class. We’re pretty well-versed in most of the positions except like maybe a true, true big.
But the versatility of Teagan Mallegni, she’s a big forward. She can post-up a little bit. She’s got a really quick good three shot. So she’s been doing a lot of great things for us,” Jensen said of her freshmen.
Jensen also made note of what Stremlow has been doing for the Hawkeyes so far. Stremlow is a 5-foot-10 guard out of Verona, Wis.
“Taylor Stremlow I’ve mentioned. She’s crafty. She’s shifty. She’s not afraid to take a chance on a pass, and that’s kind of fun. Thankfully we’re used to that with Caitlin, so when she’s trying to whip it from a long way away, we’re able to manage that. But what I like about that is she sees the court and she’s not a true point guard, and she’s edgy. She’s willing to take a little risk.
“What’s important about that for freshmen is a lot of times they’re just so worried about learning it and doing it perfectly, Taylor’s ability to kind of push the edge, that makes you better. It makes herself better. But what I like about that, she has a freedom to play for us. She has a freedom to be like, hey, I’m going to try this. No one has told me I can’t do this, so I’m going to try it. That’s really important, I think, to becoming all that you can be when you’re not so worried about making a mistake. I think those two are kind of standing out,” Jensen said.
Heiden has also been impressive. The 6-foot-4 big is out of Sherwood, Ore.
“Ava Heiden is coming. She’s a really nice big player. She’s versatile. She’s very athletic. I’m excited we have Randi Henderson back for many reasons on our staff, but as many of you will recall, Randi was our first All-Big center here, so I’m glad that Ava is going to have four years learning from her. So those three are getting some valuable minutes in rotations which we need. They’re kind of our biggest needs,” Jensen said.
Iowa women’s basketball will play its lone exhibition on Wednesday, Oct. 30 against Missouri Western.
Then, the Hawkeyes open the season on Wednesday, Nov. 6 versus Northern Illinois from inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
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