Iowa Extends Offer to 2027 Five-Star Recruit

The Iowa Hawkeyes are are already making moves for their 2027 recruiting class.

Iowa head women's baskeball coach Jan Jensen reacts during first half of the first round of the NCAA Women's college basketball game between Iowa and Murray State at the Lloyd Noble Center in Norman, Okla., Saturday, March, 22, 2025. | SARAH PHIPPS/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes have managed to land a five-star recruit for the second straight year. After securing Addie Deal’s commitment in March last year, Jan Jensen’s team got their hands on 6-foot-2 forward McKenna Woliczko on Wednesday. 

The program has started attracting the top talent in the country. Addison Bjorn, the No. 9 nationally ranked recruit in the 2026 class, is also on the program’s radar and made an official visit to Iowa last week. She has five more visits scheduled for some of the top programs in the nation, including Duke, Kansas, and UConn. 

While Iowa’s 2026 recruiting class is shaping up nicely, Jensen does not seem to stop. On Tuesday, the Hawkeyes made an offer to 6-foot-4 center Khalia Hartwell, who is ranked No. 17 nationally. The player announced the news via her social media handles. 

“Blessed to receive an offer to @IowaWBB! Thanks for believing in me! @goiowa @CoachLBarrett,” Hartwell wrote.

Blessed to receive an offer to @IowaWBB! Thanks for believing in me! @goiowa @CoachLBarrett pic.twitter.com/CKG9IcVO05

— Khalia Hartwell (@khalia_hartwell) September 30, 2025

Hartwell averaged 7.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, 0.1 assists, 0.4 steals, and 1.8 blocks per game in eighth grade at Westside High School in Anderson, South Carolina. 

During her freshman year, she charted 10.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.7 steals, and 3.8 blocks per game in 28 games. She was named the player of the game in two fixtures.

In her sophomore season, the five-star center flipped the switch, going for 15.2 PPG, 10.5 RPG, 0.8 APG, 0.9 SPG, and 2.5 BPG in 26 games, and the number of player of the game awards jumped to nine.

Hartwell is effective at both ends of the court and is proficient at blocking without giving away many fouls. She was one of the most impressive athletes at the Overtime Selects AAU showcase. 

The South Carolina native has a lot of time to make her decision, and the programs all over the nation aren’t making it easy for the youngster. Hartwell has received nearly 30 offers from top programs, including Georgia, Florida State, Miami, Rutgers, Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue, Georgia Tech, and Florida. 

Iowa’s back-to-back runs to NCAA Tournament Finals under Lisa Blunder in 2023 and 2024, and a 23-11 record with Jensen last year, have made it a hot choice for top recruits. The Hawkeyes registered their ninth straight 20+ wins season and seventh straight NCAA Tournament appearance last year. 

Jensen’s team was knocked out in the second round last year, but if they manage to get all Bjorn and Hartwell onboard, having already secured commitment from Woliczko and Deal, the sky will be the limit for the Hawkeyes.