Considine joins Hawks for Ann Arbor excursion

IOWA CITY - The uniform might fit, but the number doesn't.

Now entering the Iowa lineup: No. 54, Megan Considine.

Fifty-four? For a guard? Welcome to the life of a walk-on.

“No complaints,” said Considine, a sophomore who joined the Hawkeyes last week. “It's not about the number, it's about the name on the front.”

Considine makes her first trip with the Hawkeyes (8-7 overall, 1-3 Big Ten), who play tonight at Michigan (9-5, 1-3).

“For whatever role I have, I'll be ready,” she said.

The sister of former Iowa football player Sean Considine, Megan was a four-year varsity player at Byron, Ill. She wore No. 4, by the way.

Considine had scholarship offers from a few mid-major programs, but chose to enroll at Iowa.

Saying she “couldn't live without it any more,” Considine pondered a transfer. About that time, injuries began to mount with the Hawkeyes, and Considine received a call from assistant coach Jan Jensen.

The addition gives Iowa an active roster of nine players.

“Megan is still trying to learn the system, but she's really excited about the opportunity,” said Iowa Coach Lisa Bluder. “She's a quick learner.”

Iowa fell to the Wolverines, 54-51, Dec. 6. The Hawkeyes are 1-5 in games decided by five points or less, 0-3 in Big Ten games.

“I'd much rather have a close loss than a blowout, but after a close loss it does take a couple of hours before I'm approachable again,” said freshman Morgan Johnson.

“It's painful,” Bluder said. “You can go back to one thing, one shot, one play that can change the outcome.”