McKenna Woliczko might be in her first season with the Iowa Hawkeyes, but she's already making a name for herself — and it's for a very familiar reason.
Wolickzo is proving to be something of a three-point shooting terror, and perhaps is even proof that there's something in the water in Iowa that produces players who shoot like their lives depend on it. Wolickzo, who graduated from Archbishop Mitty High School, joins a handful of Hawkeyes (Addie Deal, Caitlin Clark, Samantha Logic, Johanna Solverson, and Lindsay Richards) as being the only who have earned McDonald's All American honors out of high school.
She's also already making a name for herself. While speaking to reporters afte the team's 80-39 win over Eastern Illinois, Wolickzo, who scored 22 of those points (and went 4-of-6 from the three), chalked up her performance to what the team's been working on together. There's a heavy focus on shooting threes, but the Hawkeyes also have a pre-practice system that works for her.
Wolickzo's first time attending a game at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena was when she played her first game there this month. She said that the fan vibe at the games is tremendous and goes beyond what she expected. As she put it, "I mean, it's been crazy just experiencing these first two games and getting to feel the atmosphere with all the fans. I've never been to Carver for a basketball game before, so being able to get out on the court and experience that has just been amazing."
McKenna Wolickzo got her first real test against UConn
Wolickzo and her teammates were on the receiving end of their first real test this season Sunday when they played the UConn Huskies. The game resulted in a 91-79 loss — a score that was probably disappointing, given the Hawkeyes' first two wins this season, but also that is a lot closer than it seems. The Hawkeyes had the unfortunate experience of facing the Huskies after they suffered a surprise loss to the Michigan Wolverines, and Sarah Strong ended up delivering a career-high game.
Sometimes, that's just how basketball shakes out. Even Iowa's head coach Jan Jensen acknowledged Strong's prowess after the game when she told reporters, "She's going to be one of the best ever, period."
The Hawkeyes don't have to worry about meeting UConn again anytime soon. The team's next game is on November 12 against Northern Iowa, and then they host the Vanderbilt Commodores on November 15.
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