When people talk about the future of women’s basketball, the conversation often starts with rankings, recruiting stars, and championship predictions.
With McKenna Woliczko, it starts somewhere much simpler. It starts with a kid who played everything.
Long before she became one of the most coveted basketball recruits in America, before Team USA gold medals, before national rankings, before Iowa, Woliczko was simply an athlete growing up in a sports-loving family. Her mother played softball at the University of the Pacific. Her father played basketball there. Athletics weren’t just encouraged in the household. They were part of everyday life.
“I’ve just always played sports,” Woliczko told Neon Gurl. “Travel soccer, volleyball, flag football, basketball, softball. Softball was actually my main sport from age seven until my sophomore year of high school.”
Basketball wasn’t even love at first sight. In fact, when she first started playing travel basketball, she didn’t enjoy it much at all.
“At first I hated it,” she laughed. “Then once I started playing more games and being around it more, that’s when I learned to love it.” The sport that once felt secondary would eventually transform her into one of the nation’s premier prospects.
Today, Woliczko is ranked as the No. 6 player in the country and the No. 2 power forward in the Class of 2026. She is also the highest-rated recruit to commit to the University of Iowa since Caitlin Clark, a distinction that immediately places her name among the most anticipated arrivals in college basketball.
But rankings only tell part of the story. The foundation of her rise was built at powerhouse Archbishop Mitty High School, one of the most successful girls basketball programs in America. There, Woliczko developed under legendary coach Sue Phillips, a Naismith Coach of the Year and USA Basketball coach whose résumé has shaped generations of elite players.
“At Mitty, I’ve been able to learn from the best,” Woliczko said.
Some of her favorite memories came alongside teammates during championship runs. She recalls winning the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions during her sophomore season, particularly after defeating a team that had beaten Mitty the year before.
“We beat the team that we lost to the previous year,” she said. “That was probably one of my favorite team wins.”
At the international level, she also represented USA Basketball and won gold medals, experiences that cemented her status as one of the country’s elite young players. Everything appeared to be lining up perfectly.
Then came January 4, 2025.
Woliczko was in the middle of what many believed would be her breakout junior season. Mitty had just won another Tournament of Champions title. She was playing some of the best basketball of her life. Expectations were soaring. Then, in a routine defensive play, everything changed.
“I was just running back on defense,” she recalled. “I went to stop so I didn’t run into another player and I tore my ACL and meniscus. I basically blew out my knee.”
In an instant, one of the nation’s brightest stars found herself facing a year-long rehabilitation process. Surgery followed later that month, and her return to competition wouldn’t come until nearly a full year later. For many athletes, an injury like that can become a defining setback. For Woliczko, it became an education. Recovery meant early-morning physical therapy sessions before school, weightlifting after school, forty-five minute drives to training sessions, and entire summers structured around getting healthy again. The work was often repetitive, exhausting, and largely invisible to everyone outside her inner circle, but it reinforced a lesson that would ultimately shape both her comeback and her outlook on the game.
“A lot of people don’t realize how much you have to do off the court,” she said.
Yet instead of allowing the injury to consume her mentally, she leaned into the work. One piece of advice from a college coach became a guiding principle.
“So many people tear their ACL nowadays and come back better than ever,” she remembered being told. “This is just one step off the road.”
She looked toward examples like Paige Bueckers, who overcame her own ACL injury before becoming the No. 1 overall WNBA Draft pick. Today, Woliczko says she feels stronger because of the experience.
“It was a reality check,” she said. “It’s good to have experienced something like that and know that I’m able to get through it.”
The injury also helped shape one of the biggest decisions of her life. When it came time to choose a college, Woliczko had no shortage of options. Programs across the country wanted her. The finalists included some of the most successful brands in women’s basketball. But after months of evaluating schools, she chose the program that felt like home.
The University of Iowa.
On paper, the commitment was massive. Woliczko became Iowa’s highest-ranked recruit since Caitlin Clark and one of the most significant recruiting wins of the Jan Jensen era. For Iowa fans, it signaled that the momentum created during the Caitlin Clark years wasn’t ending. It was evolving.
For Woliczko, however, the decision wasn’t primarily about basketball. Iowa stood out because of its people, its culture, and the support system that surrounded the program.
“There’s more than just basketball,” she said. “Last year, I tore my ACL and I saw how important having a support system is. If I’m going to be across the country, I wanted that support system. If I got hurt and couldn’t play basketball, I would still love being at Iowa.”
That sentiment mirrors the same reasoning she publicly shared after signing with the Hawkeyes, citing culture, community, and relationships as the driving forces behind her decision. The move also places her in one of the most visible environments in women’s basketball. Few programs have benefited more from the sport’s recent explosion than Iowa.
The Caitlin Clark era transformed the Hawkeyes into a national phenomenon. Sold-out arenas became routine. Television ratings shattered records. Young girls across the country suddenly saw women’s basketball occupying the center of the sports world. Woliczko has watched that transformation unfold in real time.
“It’s so exciting to see,” she said. “Hopefully it just keeps getting better and better.”
Like many players of her generation, she recognizes that women’s basketball is entering uncharted territory. NIL opportunities have changed college athletics. The WNBA is experiencing unprecedented growth. Expansion teams such as the Golden State Valkyries are creating new opportunities and attracting new fans. Living in Northern California, Woliczko has already witnessed the excitement surrounding the league’s newest franchise.
“I’ve been to a few Valkyries games,” she said. “The atmosphere is so fun. People in the Bay love sports, especially women’s sports.”
Her basketball influences reflect that same appreciation for players who helped grow the game. Growing up, she frequently attended Stanford games and admired future WNBA stars like Cameron Brink and Lexie Hull. More recently, she has looked to A’ja Wilson as a player whose game and career she admires.
Yet perhaps the most revealing answer of the entire conversation came when she was asked what advice she would give young athletes chasing big dreams. Rather than discussing championships, rankings, or scholarships, Woliczko shared a lesson learned through recovery.
“Smell the roses.”
It’s advice given to her by her high school coach, and something she admits she still works on every day. For years, accomplishments simply became expectations. One goal led immediately to another. But the ACL recovery forced Woliczko to slow down and appreciate progress in a way she never had before. Suddenly, milestones that most people take for granted carried new meaning. Learning to walk without assistance, regaining range of motion in her knee, and eventually stepping back onto a basketball court became victories worth celebrating. The experience taught her that growth isn’t always measured by points, rankings, or championships. Sometimes it’s measured by patience, resilience, and the ability to recognize how far you’ve already come.
“Celebrate every little thing, I think everyone should be able to enjoy those moments.”
In an era where athletes are constantly pushed toward what’s next, it’s a surprisingly mature perspective from a player still preparing for college.
Perhaps that’s what stands out most about Woliczko. On paper, her résumé already reads like that of a future star. She is one of the highest-rated recruits in the country, a Team USA gold medalist, and a player expected to make an immediate impact at one of the most recognizable programs in women’s basketball. Yet what emerges most clearly is a young woman who understands that success isn’t only about where you’re going. It’s about appreciating every step that got you there.
When asked what being a Neon Gurl means to her, Woliczko’s answer reflected the same quiet confidence that has defined her journey.
“I would never want to change for anybody else,” Woliczko said with a smile.
As women’s basketball continues to gain momentum, she understands both the opportunities and challenges that come with competing in a sport that has often had to fight for recognition. For her, being bold isn’t about being the loudest person in the room. It’s about staying true to yourself, trusting your path, and refusing to change for anyone else.
It’s a mindset that feels particularly fitting for a player entering one of the most exciting eras in women’s basketball. As opportunities continue to expand for female athletes, Woliczko sees herself as part of a generation helping push the game forward while remaining authentic to who they are along the way.
As she prepares to leave California for Iowa City, one thing feels certain: the next chapter of McKenna Woliczko’s story is just beginning. Armed with the perspective gained through both triumph and adversity, she arrives at Iowa not only as one of the nation’s top recruits, but as a player who already understands the value of resilience, gratitude, and staying true to herself.
