Top high school girls basketball recruit McKenna Woliczko picks Iowa

The two-time High School on SI Player of the Year picks the Hawkeyes over USC, South Carolina and Ohio State

McKenna Woliczko announced on Instagram Wednesday morning that she had picked the Hawkeyes over South Carolina, USC and Ohio State / Graphic by Myckena Guerrero

Updated, 5:15 p.m.

The nation’s No. 6 girls basketball recruit from the Class of 2026 made one college program very happy on Wednesday morning. 

McKenna Woliczko, a highly versatile 6-foot-2 senior for national power Archbishop Mitty (San Jose),  coming off a season-ending knee injury in January, picked the University of Iowa over three other high-profile finalists: USC, South Carolina and Ohio State. 

The multi-faceted and highly competitive standout said the much-anticipated decision extended far before her finalists reveal in the spring. She shared her thoughts and general glee during an entergetic 30-minute press conference held on the web Wednesday afternoon.

"I can't believe the buzz not only around here but nationally around this decision," she said. "What pushed Iowa over the top for me were all the great people and the college experience from the fans to the student body to the alumni."

She did admit during thought the recruiting proccess had been both exciting and stressful,” she said “From my first ever AAU game in the summer before eighth grade, I had Division I college coaches sitting and watching me play.”

Between Iowa, South Carolina

She told Christian Babcock of the Bay Area News Group: "I feel so much better. The whole process was awesome, but especially getting towards the end, it was super stressful. There were days I didn't want to talk about basketball or talk about college at all, because it was part of my life since I've been in eighth grade, and its been super stressful. ...So now, finally making the decision, I feel there's been so much weight lifted off my shoulders, and I just feel so much better about it all."

Though USC and Ohio State were in the mix, "it was really between South Carolina and Iowa," she said. "Those two schools I honestly think are perfect, and I don't think there's any cons to either of them. And that's what made the decision so hard. ... A big part of that was Iowa City. I Just felt like it was such a fun college town. And seeing all the fans and how Iowa supports all the sports was so impressive."

Archbishop Mitty wing McKenna Woliczko, shown here in a 2023 state-final game loss to Etiwanda, led her team to a second straight Nike TOC championship in 2024, vaulting the Monarchs to the top of the California Girls Basketball Top 25 rankings. Woliczko, a preseason All-American, won the top division's MVP honor for a second straight season. On Wednesday, she picked her college. / Photo: Ralph Thompson

She announced to the Iowa players on a FaceTime link last week. "(They) handed the phone to coach (Jen) Jensen, and you could tell by the look on everyone's face say like 'what's happening." It was so awesome to see everyone's excitement. I had already felt so welcomed to the team. All the girls are so awesome and all the coaches. It makes me all the more excited to go to Iowa."

She said the decision was getting so tough, she shut down from talking about it until finally talking with her parents, both former college athletes at the University of Pacific (Stockton) where they met. Her dad (Aaron) played basketball and mom (Erica) was a catcher on the softball team.

"Honestly it got the point where I didn't want to talk about basketball anymore," she said. "I finally started to dedicate time to talk about it more and more. There were days it would be Iowa, aother day South Carolina. And finally I just knew it was Iowa. I had to go with my gut feeling. We slept on it. Sat on it a couple of days. And it was still Iowa. That's how I knew."

Big hurt, big numbers

Woliczko has been a model of consistency and success on the high school, AAU and Team USA circuits.  

The High School On SI Freshman of the Year in 2022-23, and Sophomore of the Year in 2023-24, was a leading contender for overall Player of the Year in 2024-25 before going down with a torn ACL  and meniscus of her left knee near just before halftime of a Jan. 4 game with Ontario Christian. 

Her team was ranked No. 1 in the country at the time of the injury a week after she was named the MVP of Nike Tournament of Champions in Phoenix (Ariz.) for the second year in a row. In 10 games last season she averaged 22.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and shot 59% from the field. 

As a sophomore those averages were 22.1, 7.8, 64% and as a freshman she averaged 20.4, 10.2 and 62%. Known most for her rebounding and constant motor, Woliczko has a terrific touch around the hoop and has extended her offensive game to the mid-range and three-point shooting.

She was a two-time gold medalist for Team USA in the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup and the 2023 FIBA Americas U16 Championships. She averaged nearly a double-double each year — 12.4 ppg and 9.6 rpg in 2024 and 11.8 ppg and 9.7 rpg in 2023. 

Her skills as either a wing, combo guard or power forward will translate easily to the college game. 

Though the knee injury was heartbreaking and the first serious setback of her athletic career — she was also an All-League softball shortstop as a freshman and sophomore — her off time has not been wasted, having spent nine months in the weight room improving her strength and more recently, working on her three-point shooting. 

Signs professional contract

In July, she signed a contract with Disrupt the Game sports agency, the first high school player to join the sports and entertainment organization that represents some of the WNBA’s elite, including Lisa Leslie, Chiney Ogwumike and Kelsey Mitchell, to name a few. 

Mitty (San Jose) incoming senior McKenna Woliczko signs with Disrupt the Game sports agency on Friday, July 25. The 5-star girls basketball standout is ranked the No. 6 recruit in the country according to 247Sports Composite. / Photo courtesy of Woliczko family

“It is a tremendous time in women’s sports and to partner with an agency such as Disrupt The Game that is ‘for women, by women’ with so many industry leaders as clients is truly amazing,” Woliczko told High School on SI in July. 

In June, she told us what she loved most about each of her finalists, including Iowa, the place she ultimately chose. 

"I love the new coaching staff. There's definitely a family feel with them. I really like the fan base and I feel I can fit in immediately on the offensive and defensive ends." 

She also weighed in on the influence of Caitlin Clark's career in Iowa City.

“Obviously she helped put Iowa on the map in college basketball,” Woliczko said in June. “She just contributed to the big change in the women’s basketball world, so she’s a big influence to all women who want to play basketball in general. 

Love from Iowa alum George Kittles

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McKenna Woliczko coordinated with Iowa’s video team to capture the moment she told Jan and her staff that will become a Hawkeye.

“Is No. 20 available?” pic.twitter.com/AvrWv6BVxU

— David Eickholt (@DavidEickholt) October 1, 2025

BANGGGGGGGGG

Iowa lands a big one!

5⭐️ McKenna Woliczko is a HAWKEYE! pic.twitter.com/952Q83wdmD

— Barstool Iowa (@BarstoolUIowa) October 1, 2025

Cannot overstate how big a deal this McKenna Woliczko (@McKennaDub) commitment is for Jan Jensen and the Hawkeye women's basketball program.

Iowa just landed the #1 wing in the country out of California. More on what this means.https://t.co/fwOtfs01in

— Chad Leistikow🆑 (@ChadLeistikow) October 1, 2025

“I wouldn’t say that my end all reason in Iowa is just because Caitlin went there, but she definitely is a big help to help recruit other top players in the country.”

Big prep finish

It evidently helped contributed in Woliczko picking the Hawkeyes.

According to a release, her scheduled full contact return to basketball is Oct. 29, a couple weeks before the start of the regular season.

Mitty has lost three straight years in the CIF State Open Division finals. Coached by Sue Phillips, who was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame in April of 204, the Monarchs are bent on getting over the hump in 2025-26.

McKenna Woliczko announced on Instagram Wednesday morning that she had picked the Hawkeyes over South Carolina, USC and Ohio State / Graphic by Myckena Guerrero

Coach Phillips' reaction

On a webinar press conference, Phillips was asked about her thoughts watching Woliczko commit to Iowa.

"We're thrilled for McKenna," she said. "To see her so happy and excited about her future means the world to us. We would love to have McKenna for years to come, but they move on at some point. We're excited to watch her blossom and develop at the next level.

"On top of that, I can't wait to coach her one more year."

Phillips gave a progress report on Woliczko's injury and as usual, her performance has been sparkling.

"She's completing all the activities in the weight room, her linear speed is fantastic. We have to pull the reins back on McKenna because she wants to do more and more. But there's no rush to get her back because her health and well being is our priority.

"She looks terrific and we're really excited for this upcoming season."

Low, high offense

Woliczko was asked about her plight from injury in January to today, announcing her college commitment. She went through the constant ups and downs of rehabbing.

"I'm very grateful for today," she said. "Since day one of being injured, I told my parents that I will be committed (to play college basketball) before I come back to playing a sport. It's kind of crazy to think that today is that day. Today is the day that I've been thinking about since the eighth grade and getting hurt. I feel like I have so much weight lifted off my shoulders and I'm so grateful for that."