Iowa women’s basketball media day 2023-24: How will the pieces of the post puzzle fit?

IOWA CITY — One of the themes from Wednesday’s early-morning, early-October Iowa women’s basketball media roundup was actually two themes:

Believers. And doubters.

There are more of the former, of course.

Big Ten coaches and media believe. Both groups have picked the Hawkeyes as the preseason favorites for the upcoming season.

Fans believe. The ticket count for “Crossover at Kinnick” — an exhibition game against DePaul on Oct. 15 — has surpassed 47,000, and that number will rise.

Oh, and all 14 games at Carver-Hawkeye Arena are sold out.

“There is going to be a lot of outside noise,” Gabbie Marshall said. “There are going to be a lot of doubters.”

Wait, what?

“People like to focus on what we’ve lost instead of what we still have,” Marshall continued. “We have a lot of players that are ready and hungry.”

The Hawkeyes are only six months (and two days, but who’s counting?) removed from the conclusion of their most successful season in school history. They won a school-record 31 games — against seven losses — and advanced to the final game of the NCAA tournament before losing to LSU.

Lisa Bluder said Wednesday that it’s impossible to compare seasons and teams. And she made a plea.

“I'm going to ask you, I might even beg you, to not compare (our posts) to Monika (Czinano),” she said. “Comparisons don't do anybody any good, so just give (them) a little bit of time.”

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Still, the performance and progress of Iowa’s paint posse — Addison O’Grady, A.J. Ediger and Sharon Goodman — will be a determining factor on whether the Hawkeyes can remain among the nation’s elite.

“We need our posts to be successful, and all three of them have been really good so far (in practice),” said senior point guard Caitlin Clark, the reigning national player of the year. “It’s definitely a work in progress.”

O’Grady appears to have the inside track for the starting job.

“No idea how it’s going to shake out,” Goodman said. “(O’Grady) did amazing (during the summer European tour). We all have our strengths around the basket, and we all will have an opportunity.”

The starting backcourt is set. Clark is back for her fourth season, Marshall her fifth, Kate Martin her sixth.

“Kate and Gabbie are going to have to move into more prominent roles,” Clark said.

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Pencil in Hannah Stuelke as the starter at power forward, replacing the graduated McKenna Warnock. A sophomore from Cedar Rapids, Stuelke endeared herself to the Carver masses last season with her athleticism and ability to run the floor.

“I had to get stronger, a little bigger,” she said, flexing her arms. “I think the strength actually made me faster.

“I’m excited to show everyone the new me.”

Which is ...

“You’ll see,” she said. “It’s a surprise.”

In addition to how the post puzzle shakes out, the rotation is likely to include guards Molly Davis, Sydney Affolter, Kylie Feuerbach and long-range sniper Taylor McCabe.

The countdown to the Crossover is on, less than two weeks away. Iowa starts for real Nov. 6 at home against Fairleigh Dickinson.

That memorable run through Minneapolis, Seattle and Dallas is a memory now. Buckle up for another show, whether you’re a believer or a doubter.

“Every journey is different,” Clark said. “There are always ups and downs. There will be hard losses and great wins. That’s basketball.”

Iowa women’s basketball 2023-24

Coach: Lisa Bluder (24th season at Iowa, 494-249; 40th season overall, 851-387)

Last year: 31-7 (15-3 in Big Ten, T-2nd), Big Ten tournament champion, NCAA tournament runner-up

Top returners: G Caitlin Clark, G Kate Martin, G Gabbie Marshall, F Hannah Stuelke

Schedule highlights: Oct. 15 — DePaul (exhibition), at Kinnick Stadium, 2 p.m.; Nov. 6 — Fairleigh Dickinson (season opener), TBA; Nov. 9 — vs. Virginia Tech (at Charlotte, N.C.), TBA; Nov. 12 — at UNI, TBA; Nov. 19 — Drake, 4 p.m.; Dec. 6 — at Iowa State, TBA; Jan. 13 — Indiana, 7 p.m.; Feb. 22 — at Indiana, 7 p.m.; March 3 — Ohio State, noon; March 6-10 — Big Ten tournament, at Minneapolis [Complete schedule]

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com