Elite 2026 recruit McKenna Woliczko is taking her talents to Iowa. The 6-foot-2 forward from Archbishop Mitty High School in San Jose, California, turned down powerhouse programs like Ohio State, South Carolina, Notre Dame, and USC to join the Hawkeyes.
With all those offers on the table, why Iowa? And the bigger question is, could Woliczko be the name to define the Hawkeyes in a post-Caitlin Clark era?
McKenna Woliczko Commits to Iowa, Clears Up Caitlin Clark Comparisons
The comparisons to Clark have been circling Woliczko for a while now. Long before she announced her commitment, fans and analysts saw her star potential and drew parallels to Iowa’s most famous name. And now, with the No. 6 overall player in the girls’ SportsCenter NEXT 100 officially heading to Iowa, the comparisons are inevitable. However, Woliczko isn’t interested in being painted as the next Caitlin Clark.
In a recent press conference, Woliczko reminded people that while Clark’s influence on the program is massive, her own path is different. “After committing to Iowa, it was one of the first times I was like, ‘Okay, I’m excited to go to college, and I’m excited to go to Iowa and become family with my teammates and my coaches,'” she said. This choice is about creating her own legacy at the program.
Of course, Clark’s influence on the program is undeniable. She shattered records, became the NCAA’s all-time leading scorer, was the only person across DI men’s and women’s basketball history to lead her conference in scoring and assists in four consecutive seasons, and put Iowa women’s basketball on the national map.
That weight follows anyone who wears the Hawkeye jersey, and Woliczko gets it. “The question about being linked to Caitlin Clark, well, I don’t mind it, but we’re also completely different people and players,” said Woliczko.
Woliczko is not entirely wrong, considering that her game leans more toward the interior. Before tearing her ACL, she led Mitty to a Nike TOC Championship in Phoenix. She was also brilliant when she played for Team USA at the FIBA U16 and U17 levels, and earned All-Star Five honors at both tournaments. At U17 in 2024, she had 12.4 points and 9.6 rebounds. Meanwhile, in 2023, as a U16, she started all six games. She averaged 11.8 and 9.7 rebounds.
Additionally, her rebounding tenacity was on full display during these games. Now, that is quite different from Clark’s long-range firepower. And while Clark might be the headline, Woliczko says her inspiration came from Iowa’s post players.
“I also watched girls such as Megan Gustafson and Monika Czinano. I just think they’re awesome,” added Woliczko.
Gustafon, who played at Iowa between 2015 and 2018, holds 16 Iowa records. Meanwhile, Czinano, during her time, scored 2,000 career points to become the fifth Iowa women’s basketball player to do so.
“I remember watching them when I was a kid and being compared to them with our post moves and things like that. I definitely enjoyed all the girls who have gone to Iowa,” she added.
For fans, this isn’t about finding the next Clark; it’s about appreciating what Woliczko will bring on her own terms. That’s not to say the stakes are small. Woliczko is Iowa’s first commit in the 2026 class and the highest-rated recruit coach Jan Jensen has landed since Clark.
In the era of transfer portals, the pressure on Jensen is real. Let’s also not forget that Dawn Staley herself tweeted about Wolizcko after the player’s visit.
“In my 25 years of coaching, this is a first. I just received a handwritten thank you note from a top prospect…thanking us for her visit…” wrote Staley. “Extraordinary human being! 🙏🏾 She’s a @GamecockWBB for all of our sake!”
Woliczko has already shown that she can hoop, and if her recovery timeline stays steady, she’ll hit the nine-month post-surgery mark at the end of October. The comparisons may continue, but Woliczko doesn’t seem fazed. In fact, she seems ready to welcome the challenge while carving out her own identity.
