Post-Clark, post-Bluder era has arrived for Iowa women’s basketball

IOWA CITY — It’s new. It’s fresh.

It’s exciting. It’s a little scary.

“Caitlin (Clark) will always be the face of Iowa women’s basketball,” Sydney Affolter said at the Hawkeyes’ media availability Thursday morning at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

“But at the same time, we’re excited for the next chapter.”

The post-Clark, post-Bluder era has arrived. After back-to-back runs to the NCAA championship game, the expectations bar has been lowered somewhat.

Neither the Big Ten’s coaches nor its media project Iowa as a top-five team in the league. Very few preseason publications have the Hawkeyes in their top-25 rankings; the Associated Press will release its list next week.

“There’s no trick for experience. You just have to go through it and fall on your face a few times,” said Iowa Coach Jan Jensen, who was elevated to the top rung on the Hawkeyes’ bench upon Bluder’s retirement in May.

“I’m not focused on what we’re missing. I’m excited about what we’ve got.”

Veteran guard Kylie Feuerbach said, “Low expectations keep us driven.”

The sting of the departures since last year — Clark, Kate Martin, Gabbie Marshall, etc., made up about 65 percent of Iowa’s scoring — was softened somewhat by the arrival of guard Lucy Olsen, who transferred from Villanova after averaging about 23 points per game, third most in the nation.

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Olsen and junior forward Hannah Stuelke are part of the 10-player preseason all-Big Ten team.

Stuelke and Sydney Affolter were starters on Iowa’s record-setting 2023-24 squad which won 34 games. But they haven’t been on the floor together a single time since April.

First, it was a knee issue for Stuelke. Now, Affolter — a gritty wing from Chicago — is out after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on her knee.

“Just a clean-up on my meniscus,” Affolter said. “It was just from a lot of wear and tear.”

In a release announcing Affolter’s surgery, Iowa said she was expected back in early November. Jensen said Thursday it might be more like Thanksgiving.

Affolter said, “I’m not going to push anything.”

Jensen called the absence of Affolter “a challenge and a bummer.” It’s also an opportunity for others.

“It does give some people a lot of reps, it’s a nice audition,” Jensen said.

Iowa has a closed scrimmage Sunday at Carver against St. Thomas (Minn.), and Jensen projects a starting lineup of Olsen, Stuelke and Feuerbach, plus long-range sniper Taylor McCabe and freshman post Ava Heiden.

“A couple of spots are open,” Jensen said. “They are competing in a healthy way.”

In her three months here, Olsen is a believer in “Iowa Nice.” But there are limitations to that when it’s time to get to work at practice.

“Everybody gets a little chippy,” Olsen said. “They want this team to be the best it can be.

“Hannah is competitive, for sure. You know when she has that look.”

Maybe outward expectations are lower this winter, but local interest is not. For the second straight season, Carver-Hawkeye Arena will be sold out all winter long.

“(When that was announced), that to me was a moment,” Jensen said. “It’s a testament to all that is, and the fan base’s believe in what can be.”

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Caitlin Clark is irreplaceable, but transfer Lucy Olsen is a heck of a Hawkeye replacement

So, what can be?

“If we truly are rebuilding, it just takes time,” Jensen said. “We have the potential to be really fun. We need to keep looking through the windshield and take the rearview mirror down.

“Let this year’s team be this year’s team. I think we can have a really nice level of success.”

Iowa opens with an exhibition game Oct. 30 against Missouri Western, then tips off the regular season Nov. 6 against Northern Illinois.

Iowa women’s basketball 2024-25

Head coach: Jan Jensen (1st season, 0-0)

Last year: 34-5 overall, 15-3 Big Ten (2nd), Big Ten tournament champion, NCAA tournament runner-up

Top returners: F Hannah Stuelke, G Sydney Affolter, G Kylie Feuerbach, G Taylor McCabe

Schedule highlights:

Oct. 30 — Missouri Western (exhibition), 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 6 — Northern Illinois (home/season opener), 6:30 p.m.

Nov. 10 — vs. Virginia Tech, at Charlotte, N.C., 4:30 p.m.

Nov. 17 — at Drake, 2 p.m.

Nov. 20 — vs. Kansas, at Sioux Falls, S.D., 6 p.m.

Nov. 28-29 — at Cancun Challenge

Dec. 7 — vs. Tennessee, at Brooklyn, N.Y., 6 p.m.

Dec. 11 — Iowa State, 8 p.m.

Dec. 15 — at Michigan State (Big Ten opener), 11 a.m.

Dec. 20 — UNI, 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 29 — Purdue (Big Ten home opener), 2 p.m.

Jan. 5 — Maryland, 5 p.m.

Feb. 2 — USC, 12:30 p.m.

Feb. 23 — UCLA, 1 p.m.

March 5-9 — Big Ten tournament, at Indianapolis

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com