Lineup breakdown: Iowa women’s basketball
A highly-ranked national recruit and talented underclassmen headline next season’s projected starting lineup.
April 29, 2020
Like seasons before, Iowa women’s basketball head coach Lisa Bluder must figure out a new lineup to compete with next season.
After losing key players like guards Kathleen Doyle and Makenzie Meyer and forward Amanda Ollinger, the Hawkeyes will need to replace three starters. However, they will have some talented players to plug into the lineup.
G – Caitlin Clark (6-foot-0, freshman)
Clark officially committed to the Hawkeyes Nov. 12, 2019, and that should be a day Iowa fans continue to be grateful for.
Clark will bring a big impact to the team right away, which immediately puts her in the starting lineup for next season. She was the No. 4 player in this year’s recruiting class, according to ESPN. In her senior season at Dowling Catholic High School in West Des Moines, she averaged 33.4 points per game and was named a McDonald’s All-American.
G – Alexis Sevillian (5-foot-5, redshirt senior)
Sevillian will provide the key senior leadership and consistency that the starting lineup needs for next season. After starting and playing in every game but one last season, Sevillian slowly stepped it up and averaged 6.7 points, 2.4 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game.
Sevillian scored in the double-digits in nine games last season. With Doyle and Meyer gone, she will have a chance to be more involved in the scoring game in her final season in the Black and Gold.
G – Gabbie Marshall (5-9, sophomore)
With next year’s team expected to be perimeter orientated like last season, it should be expected that the Hawkeyes have three guards in the starting lineup again. With Marshall playing the second most minutes of all guards returning from last season, she should get the nod at one of the guard spots.
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Marshall did have some inconsistencies last season, but she also had several impressive performances that showed what she could do. Her most impressive game came at Rutgers on March 1 when she scored 22 points and had three steals. She was also impressive from the 3-point line, making 34 shots from beyond the arc last season.
F – McKenna Warnock (6-1, sophomore)
Warnock could fit into a guard position if necessary, but she fits best as a forward. With Ollinger — who was the team’s leading rebounder — graduated, Warnock can easily fill this position.
Last season, Warnock led non-starters in total rebounds at 136 while playing less than 20 minutes per game. She also has eight points per game, which also the most among non-starters.
Warnock’s most impressive game last season was on Jan. 26 against Michigan State when she had 22 points and 10 rebounds in 24 minutes.
C – Monika Czinano (6-3, junior)
Last season, Czinano dominated scoring in the post, averaging 16 points per game and shooting 67.9 percent from the field. This ensures that she will remain a starter that will have the ability to even get better after an unexpected phenomenal season.
Czinano had 10 games where she scored 20-plus points, including two games against Minnesota and one against Iowa State, Northwestern, and Indiana. She also had one double-double last season, which was at Nebraska on Dec. 28 when she tallied 16 points and 17 rebounds.
Along with Sevillian, she will be one of the leaders on the court for a young team that will have high expectations.