Get ready to see a very familiar offensive scheme for Jan Jensen's squad next season

With a new season and a rebuilt roster comes new challenges, but Jan Jensen is not resting on her laurels.

The Hawkeyes' two best players last season were Ava Heiden and Hannah Stuelke, and out of necessity, Jensen focused the offense around them. In a more nineties-style offense, the offense used two post players instead of spacing the floor. Now with Stuelke gone, Jensen is adjusting the offense once again.

Jensen announced the offense is reverting back to the 2024 offense

In 2024, dynamic guard Lucy Olsen was at the forefront of Iowa's offense, and Jensen used a four-out, one-in system to maximize Olsen's skills. After Olsen graduated and was drafted by the Washington Mystics, Jensen adjusted the offense to maximize touches for Heiden and Stuelke, adopting a high-low, post-centric style.

Now, for the third time in three years, Jensen is adjusting the offense to better fit her squad, and the plan is to return to a system that worked well in 2024.

Jensen admitted that the offense was so post-focused out of necessity, but now that that's no longer the case, she is changing the offense back to a familiar scheme the program used with Lucy Olsen and Caitlin Clark.

While it seems strange that Iowa keeps changing its offensive scheme, Jensen stated that she believes you have to be able to adjust on the fly as a coach. Having two dominant post players forced her hand, and with Stuelke's inability to develop a midrange game, the high-low system was the best course of action.

Heiden will still be a huge part of the offense, but the squad has more talented guards than post players, prompting Jensen to revert the offense yet again. With the projected starting lineup featuring Chit-Chat Wright, Danie Carnegie, Taylor Stremlow/Amari Whiting, McKenna Woliczko, and Ava Heiden, a change was necessary.

McKenna Woliczko is one of the key factors in the switch

Talented five-star prospect McKenna Woliczko is next in line to take over the power forward position, and her skill set is vastly different than Stuelke's. Stuelke was a pure post player, while Woliczko is more of a point-forward who can dribble, shoot, pass, and dominate on the interior.

Jensen has continually praised Woliczko's all-around game, and a big part of the reason the squad is changing its offense is to accommodate its prized new freshman. When she was asked about what Woliczko brings to the table, Jensen had this to say:

"She's going to be really fun to work with, because she can just do so much...she has all the potential to really be a tremendous impact player this year."

Jan Jensen

Jensen admitted that the program was one playmaking guard away from more efficient play and picking up a few more wins, and after adding Carnegie, Whiting, and Woliczko, she is confident they are right where they need to be. Woliczko gives them an element that they have not had: a playmaking big who can play inside and out, and she has the potential to lead Iowa in assists next season.

Woliczko's addition allows Heiden to dominate in the post without anyone clogging the lane, and surrounding her with playmakers and shooters will drastically improve the offense next season. Teams will no longer be able to sag off of shooters and force Iowa into taking jump shots, because if they do, all four perimeter players can make them pay.

Iowa's offense has the potential to explode next season, and if everything falls into place, we are looking at one of the best and most efficient offenses in the Big Ten and possibly the NCAA.

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