Iowa women’s media day: ‘The sky’s the limit’

This year, good isn't good enough.

“Anything less than a Big Ten championship would be disappointing, heartbreaking,” said Morgan Johnson, a sophomore post for the University of Iowa women's basketball team.

The Hawkeyes held their media day Monday morning at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Optimism reigned.

“The sky is the limit,” said Kachine Alexander, a senior guard and an All-American hopeful.

Nearly everybody returns from a team that overcame a lengthy list of injuries to surge at the end of last season. The Hawkeyes won 12 of their last 16 games to finish 20-14 - their third straight season of 20 wins or more - and reach the NCAA Tournament. They beat Rutgers in the first round, then ran into a buzzsaw in Stanford in Round 2.

A good, solid season. Now, more is expected.

“I don't think we're going to be sneaking up on anybody,” said Coach Lisa Bluder, the 2010 Big Ten coach of the year. “We'll have a target on our backs.”

Young and hobbling last year, the Hawkeyes now have experience and depth.

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Alexander, a 2010 first-team Big Ten selection. Back.

Jaime Printy, the 2010 Big Ten freshman of the year. Back.

Starters Kamille Wahlin, Johnson and Kelly Krei. Back, back and back.

“We have so many weapons,” Alexander said. “We have 3-point shooters, and we have people that can go to the basket.”

No doubt about it, the Hawkeyes can score. They averaged a healthy 69.4 points per game.

But can they defend? Bluder thinks so.

“One good thing, (Printy) discovered a defensive stance over the summer,” Bluder said. “That has really rounded out her game.”

“Playing defense as a freshman, that was a challenge,” said Printy, who sports a more toned look through her arms and shoulders. “But I've guarded Kash and Kamille a lot, and that has helped.”

Printy and Johnson were forced to grow up fast as freshmen last year, when injuries carved the roster. Now, players like Theairra Taylor (torn ACL) and Hannah Draxten (herniated disc in the back) are back and vying for minutes.

Draxten said she feels “no pain at all” after surgery shaved part of the discs. Taylor, who tore the ACL in her left knee in high school and the one in her right knee early last season, should be ready by the time Iowa plays Concordia-St. Paul in an exhibition opener Nov. 7.

Add Taylor and Draxten to the miss, and Bluder actually returns seven starters.

“It brings a lot of competition to practice, because nobody really knows who is going to start,” Bluder said. ”Everybody looks at that group we had returning, and that's not set.  I just think it brings great competition to practice.

“It's going to make us coaches really have to think more on the bench.  We'll have to make some good decisions and work with that.  Everybody's going to have to understand their role on this team, and it might change as the year goes on.”

The regular-season opener is a month away - the Hawkeyes face Southern University in the semifinals of the Islander Tipoff Tournament is Nov. 12 at Corpus Christi, Texas.

Right now, the Hawks are healthy. Optimism reigns. Hopes are high. Iowa could be listed in the preseason Top 25. The Hawkeyes probably will be picked second in the Big Ten, behind Ohio State.

“Everybody has preseason rankings and whatever, but it really doesn't matter,” Alexander said.

“It matters how you finish.”

Coach: Lisa Bluder (11

^th

season at Iowa, 189-123; 27

^th

overall, 545-265).

2009-10 season: 20-14 overall (10-8 Big Ten), Big Ten tournament runners-up, lost in 2

^nd

round of NCAA tournament.

Returning starters: G Kachine Alexander (5-9, sr., 16.0 ppg), G Jaime Printy (5-11, soph., 14.7 ppg), F Kelly Krei (6-2, jr., 8.7 ppg), G Kamille Wahlin (5-8, jr., 14.2 ppg), C Morgan Johnson (6-5, soph., 8.7 ppg).

Other returners: G Theairra Taylor (5-11, soph., 8.1 ppg), G Trisha Nesbitt (5-6, soph., 2.5 ppg), F Hannah Draxten (6-0, soph., 2.0 ppg), F Kelsey Cermak (6-1, sr., 1.9 ppg).

Newcomers to watch: F Jade Rogers (fr., Cedar Rapids Kennedy), F Kalli Hansen (jr., Olin/Kirkwood Community College).