Iowa’s Taylor McCabe gives insights on Hawkeyes’ offense after losing Caitlin Clark, Kate Martin: “Keep that tradition going”
Taylor McCabe is part of the few Iowa Hawkeyes players who will experience playing with and after Caitlin Clark. The Indiana Fever guard was the engine for the two best seasons in Iowa history and leaves behind a void that the program realizes cannot be filled.
Iowa also lost Gabbie Marshall and Kate Martin, two of the most relentless contributors to camaraderie and locker room chemistry. Nevertheless, Taylor McCabe believes that the Hawkeyes' legacy and culture will help the program sustain a high standard of basketball in the coming season.
"You know, I think the University of Iowa strived to achieve such great things and this program has been really good for plenty of years even before Caitlin was here," McCabe said to Hawk Central. "During the Megan Gustafson era, even before that, this program was always achieving things that nobody thought they could.
"So, I don't see why it's going to be any different now. We are just going to keep that tradition going."
Former assistant coach and first-year head coach Jan Jensen knows that Caitlin Clark's impact cannot be replicated. With that, Jensen plans to build on the momentum from the Hawkeyes' previous two seasons.
Taylor McCabe and players like Jada Gyamfi, Hannah Stuelke and Sydney Affolter are major pieces to the plan. Due to their time with the Hawkeyes, they can help new faces fit into the program by bringing the winning culture and mindset daily.
How will the 2024–25 Iowa Hawkeyes be different from last year?
Villanova transfer Lucy Olsen and returning forward Hannah Stuelke are assumed to be Iowa’s new leaders. However, there will be more changes to the Hawkeyes in the coming year.
The 2024-25 Hawkeyes will not take as many 3-pointers as last year, at least not the deep ones. During the team's media day last week, Jensen shared a desire to maintain a quick offense. However, the roster is still figuring out its most efficient strategies around the 3-point shot.
Moreover, Jensen will also deploy certain actions to utilize every bit of her lineup. Expect to notice patterns in movements and plays as the Hawkeyes go deeper into their season.