High School

Iowa signee McKenna Woliczko returns to court after one-year layoff

California girls basketball national power Mitty welcomes two-time national player of the year back and her performance offers a surprise, sort of

Mitch Stephens

File photo of McKenna Woliczko during first-quarter action of last season's Jan. 6 game against Ontario Christian, the game she tore her ACL and MCL. The nation's No. 6 recruit from the Class of 2026 returned to the court Friday in a nonleague home game with Clovis.
File photo of McKenna Woliczko during first-quarter action of last season's Jan. 6 game against Ontario Christian, the game she tore her ACL and MCL. The nation's No. 6 recruit from the Class of 2026 returned to the court Friday in a nonleague home game with Clovis. / Photo: Dennis Lee

It was nearly a year to the very day that one of the nation's top girls basketball player screamed out in pain to the dismay who filled the gymnasium at Carondelet-Concord (Calif.), site of the Sabrina Ionescu Showcase.

With screams of approval and joy, McKenna Woliczko, a 6-foot-2 do-everything forward for Archbishop Mitty, returned to the court Friday afternoon and looked just as spry, high energy and skilled as ever during an 82-44 home win over red hot Clovis.

Woliczko, who signed to Iowa last month, barely worked up a sweat during 3- and 4-minute spurts as Mitty's Hall of Fame coach Sue Phillips substituted five at a time for her team that opened the season as No. 1 in the country by many publications.

According to Bay Area News Group reporter Christian Babcock, Woliczko finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds on 7 makes in 14 attempts as the Monarchs improved to 10-1 after finishing third at the Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix on Dec. 22. Woliczko left with two minutes left in the third quarter and never returned. The fourth quarter was played under a running clock.

This was the team's first game back and the first since Wolcizko's injury on Jan. 4 in a national showdown with Ontario Christian, which is now ranked No. 1 in the nation.

Last season, Mitty beat Ontario Christian handily 59-34 en route to a second straight Nike TOC championship — Woliczko earned MVP honors for a second straight season — and was leading the Knights late in the first half when she tore her ACL and MCL in a non-contact play around the hoop at the Sabrinia Ionescu Showcase.

A packed gym went silent as the popular Woliczko screamed in agony. She was eventually carried off the court by her dad Aaron and a medical team.

Besides losing their top scorer and rebounder, a young Mitty team had trouble finding its emotional bearings and eventually dropped that game 61-44.

Led by West Catholic Athletic League Player of the Year, freshman Maliya Hunter, along with sophomore guards Ze'Ni Patterson and Tierra McCarthy and junior guard Emma Cook, the deep Monarchs won 18 of 20 to clair their 33rd CCS (ninth Open crown in 10 years) and 17th Northern California championship, but fell in the state Open Division title game for the fourth straight year.

With almost all their top players back and Woliczko waiting in the wings, the Monarchs have played confidently and near the top of their game while winning nine of 10 in the early going. The only defeat was in the Nike TOC semifinals, a 53-50 loss to Bishop McNamara, the eventual tournament champion.

Mitty won the third-place game with an impressive 58-46 win over nationally ranked Bullis just before Christmas. But even with a 10-day break and getting back in the groove with Woliczko's return, Mitty looked in top form, especially during an 18-0 run to start the third quarter against a team coming off a championship at the West Coast Jamboree.

Clovis dropped to 9-7.

Woliczko looked in midseason form, connected from the midrange and posting up inside. She also hit a pair of putbacks. She did all her damage in about 14 minutes of play.

Some have suggested the injury could work out to be a blessing in disguise for Woliczko, who was the High School on SI's National Freshman and Sophomores of the Year in 2023 and 2024. She spent the season improving her already sound strength and eventually worked on her 3-point shooting as well.

Her strength showed while throwing down a Clovis post player while positioning for a rebound. Woliczko was whistled for the foul, but she had no trouble throughout the game clearing out space.

Check back for live quotes from Woliczko, teammates and local media.

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Mitch Stephens
MITCH STEPHENS

Mitch Stephens is a senior editor at SBLive Sports for California, a state he's covered high school sports since 1984. He won multiple CNPA and CPSWA writing awards with the Contra Costa Times, San Francisco Chronicle and MaxPreps.com before joining the SBLive staff in 2022. He's covered the beat nationally since 2007, profiling such athletes as Derrick Henry, Paige Bueckers, Patrick Mahomes, Sabrina Ionescu, Jayson Tatum, Chiney Ogwumike, Jeremy Lin and Najee Harris as preps. You can reach him at mitch@scorebooklive.com.

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