By Blake Dowson
Ally Disterhoft’s impact on the Iowa women’s basketball program cannot be understated.
The loss of Disterhoft — along with Alexa Kastanek, who made a considerable impact herself over her time in a Hawkeye uniform — is considerable.
But as they say, the show must go on now that they are no longer members of the team.
The cupboard is not bare, however. Quite the opposite, actually. Next year’s squad looks like one that has a legitimate shot at getting back to the NCAA Tournament.
Here are the five (plus one) projected starters for next season’s team and what kind of effect each will bring to the table.
Megan Gustafson — junior, center
It begins and ends with Gustafson, who was a first team All-Big Ten performer in her sophomore season after averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game, along with 45 blocks.
Gustafson’s 343 rebounds this past season were an all-time single-season record at Iowa, and her 980 points through her first two years are more than Disterhoft, who set the career scoring mark this season (2,102), had through her sophomore year (977).
The Port Wing, Wisconsin native is more than a handful in the post, and she will be at the top of every scouting report next season.
Tania Davis — junior, guard
Davis has had an unfortunate bout with injuries during her two-year career thus far at Iowa. A shoulder injury slowed her at the end of her freshman season, and a knee injury cost her the final 11 games of this season.
When she is on the court, she is one of the better point guards in the Big Ten. She pushes the ball in transition, always has her head up looking for her teammates, and she can knock down big shots when she’s called upon to do so.
Davis may not be ready to go at the beginning of the season. In fact, it’s unlikely. But when she returns, she will make an immediate impact.
Kathleen Doyle — sophomore, guard
Doyle took over the point-guard responsibilities when Davis was injured, starting 29 games as a freshman.
She performed more than admirably — Doyle broke the freshman assist record at Iowa this season with 148. Hawkeye great Sam Logic, who was a top-10 pick in the WNBA Draft in 2015, previously held the mark.
Doyle plays a similar style to Logic. She has a knack for making highlight-reel passes and tries to set her teammates up before herself.
Her play on the defensive end was just as impressive this season — she ended the year with 71 steals, good enough for fifth in the Big Ten.
Makenzie Meyer — sophomore, guard
Meyer did a lot of good things for the Hawkeyes in her first year on campus, filling the void that Whitney Jennings left when she transferred to Butler after the 2016 season.
The lightning quick guard from Mason City, Iowa, started 23 games this year, scoring almost 7 points per game while shooting 36 percent from deep.
Chase Coley/Hannah Stewart — senior/ junior, forward
Needing another forward in the lineup alongside Davis, Doyle, and Meyer in the backcourt, the likely candidates are Coley and Stewart.
Coley has started 33 games in her career, though only two of those came last season.
She has carved out a nice niche for the Hawkeyes, able to hit baseline and elbow jumpers with regularity, and she rebounds the ball extremely well. Coley was third on the team in rebounding coming off the bench.
Stewart would give Iowa a little better scoring option — she averaged 1 point more than Coley this past season in seven fewer minutes per game.
She shot the ball at a 55 percent clip this season, and although she didn’t show it this year, she has the ability to shoot from the behind the arc.