If the spotlight wasn't already fixed on McKenna Woliczko, it is now.
Iowa women's basketball has only two commits in the 2026 recruiting class after signing Ella Stromdahl from Sweden, and the expectations are extremely high for Woliczko before she steps foot on campus. Rivals ranked Woliczko as a five-star prospect and the No. 6 overall prospect in the class, the second highest since Caitlin Clark was ranked No. 4 overall in 2020.
Woliczko's high ranking comes with even higher expectations, and she will be center stage for the Hawkeyes next season in a familiar jersey number.
Kate Martin gave Woliczko her blessing to wear the No. 20
Even though the number Woliczko chose isn't one of the three the Iowa program has retired, it still holds a lot of significance to Iowa fans after a recent fan favorite was the last to wear it.
It's not one of the three retired Iowa WBB numbers, but McKenna Woliczko got approval to wear #20 for the Hawkeyes.
— Kyle Huesmann (@HuesmannKyle) June 10, 2026
The five-star forward arrives on campus on Thursday.
STORY🏀: https://t.co/bRTKe4S6va pic.twitter.com/NnS18idkzb
Before Woliczko arrives on campus this weekend, it was revealed that she spoke with former Hawkeye fan favorite Kate Martin about wearing her No. 20 next season. Woliczko stated that Martin had already messaged her, wished her luck, and given her permission to wear her number. It is not clear whether Woliczko or Martin reached out first, but Woliczko appreciated the gesture.
Martin made an immediate impact on the Iowa Women's Basketball program after redshirting during the 2018-2019 season, helping the squad reach back-to-back National Championship games alongside superstar Caitlin Clark. Martin has carved out a reserve role in the WNBA, and she is now on her third team in three years after being waived by the Golden State Valkyries before this season.
Woliczko is starting her Iowa career right by wearing the No. 20, and she has a chance to make an immediate impact from day one. After suffering season-ending injuries during her junior year, Woliczko only played in 10 games as a senior, but she was extremely impactful. She averaged 20.3 points and 10.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 66.7 percent from the field.
She has already had a busy offseason, playing in the McDonald's All-American game, the Nike Hoops Summit, and the Jordan Brand Classic. Her amateur resume speaks for itself, and she is a projected starter at one of the forward spots for Jan Jensen next season.
Iowa fans were privileged to watch Kate Martin compete for the Hawkeyes for five seasons in No. 20, and now we get to see Woliczko tear it up in the same number.
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