LINCOLN, Neb. – Despite playing away from home, it took only two minutes for “Let’s go Hawks,” chants to echo around Nebraska’s Pinnacle Bank Arena after Taylor Stremlow rattled in her first three of the game to give Iowa a 10-2 lead.
Stremlow didn’t know at the time that her shot would spark not only a dominant win for Iowa, but a career performance for the emerging sophomore guard as well. In fact, she didn’t even know until about 30 minutes after the game that her 17-point day was a career-high.
“Oh, it was? That’s awesome,” Stremlow said.
The breakout couldn’t have come at a more important time for the Hawkeyes.
Head coach Jan Jensen’s search for a consistent fifth starter to fill the shoes of the injured Taylor McCabe may be over. As the postseason looms near, Stremlow’s second consecutive start saw arguably her best game in a Hawkeye jersey.
Stremlow’s efficiency comes at a dire time for Jensen, who was forced to find another option after freshman Addie Deal struggled to find her form in three starts following McCabe’s injury. The Hawkeyes lost all three of those games and needed to find a solution quickly.
That’s when Jensen turned to Stremlow.
“She has that experience that helps steady us at the beginning of games,” Jensen said. “I think that’s going to help us moving forward.”
Her breakout performance featured an impressive 6-of-7 shooting from the field, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc.
“If she can shoot 6-of-7 every night I like her chances,” Jensen said. “That consistency with the stat-line is going to be needed.”
Scoring isn’t the extent of Stremlow’s success, however. Her attitude, regardless of whether she’s starting or not, always remains positive.
Stremlow’s teammates and coaches love the energy that she provides for the team.
“That kid just has a joy about her,” Jensen said. “She plays with passion and confidence.”
Stremlow says having her teammates’ backs has been her main goal this season.
“She’ll chest bump anyone,” fellow sophomore Ava Heiden said. “She gets us really fired up.”
Jensen alluded to Stremlow’s ability to bounce back from mistakes and help her teammates keep the same “next-play” mentality as well, which may prove crucial down the stretch as the stakes grow higher in the postseason for the Hawkeyes.
Influenced by her coaching staff, the sophomore looks at the sport through a unique lens. With only 11 career starts, she’s developed a more nuanced perspective.
“Being lighter and playing with more joy makes it more fun,” Stremlow said. “You can still be really competitive and work hard.”